TELEGRAMS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 March 1923, Page 3

TELEGRAMS

[BT TELEGRAriT —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION FALL OF derrick. INVERCARGILL, March 15. An accident occurred at Georgetown tramway terminus to-day. Two linesmen, Robert. Afitchell and Harry Pearce, tramway employees, were examining overhead wires from a movable derrick, when a tramcar approached and it ljooainc necessary to shift it. While this was being done, the derrick got on to a sloping portion of the road. 'and a sudden gust of wind toppled it over. Afitchell and Pearce were thrown open the road. Afitchell had both his legs broken, while Pearce dislocated his shoulder. WEST.MEATFI IN GALE. AUCKLAND, Alarch 12 Ten days out from Liverpool, en route for Auckland, the Westmeath, which arrived this morning, experienced a terrific hurricane in mid-At-lantic. The number one derricks wore both torn out of the cleats. That on the port side was broken off five feet from the end. The accident ho at on the port side was smashed in two and carried over the bridge into the sea. Almost all the ventilators and steam pipe castings were carried away. Fleam pipes were bent and twisted, and Ihe awnings on the forecastle head were splintered. The passenger accommodation on the after deck, which was not being used, was washed out. Considerable damage was done In the bridge, part of which was carried

away. Tho railing all round the lore deck were badly bent or twisted and a length of twelve feet was carried bodily away. SIR .RISEPH WARD’S YI'KW. AUCKLAND, March 15 Speaking at a reception at To Aroha, Sir Joseph \Ya'<| -aid he wished to make reference to the argument that if he was returned for Tauranga there would be a dissolution. If lie was relumed Parliament would be no nearer a dissolution than if bis opponent was elected. The result of the last election had left Reform with a majority of three, and if the Government lost the Tauranga seat its majority would be reduced to one. A majority of three was an utterly useless and I utile as a majority of one would he. I'he cry of a dissolution if Air Macmillan was not returned, Sir Joseph said, indicated that hi* opponents had no true conception of the difficulties of Ihe situation. His view, ■!' he was elected, would be that the best brains ol the Mouse must put their head- together. He was entirely opposed to a dissolution, and so was ihe great majority of the House. There should in the country's interest he some common-sense carried into the House. If Reform tried to carry on the work ot the country with a majority of three, that would he impossible, am! it grave injustice to the country, and it should not he allowed. He was animated with the one desiri—to do his pari to ! "Ip the countrv out of its difficult cI ’lf ICE OF GAS. DUNEDIN. March 15. A reduction ot 3d’in the municipal rates was approved by the City Council. which also approved a reduction in the price of household gas trom lis 8d a thousand cubic teet to l»s Jd. Ibe Finance Chairman stated that the redemption loan for the tramways debentures, amounting to £21.51111 was

over-subscribed with little effort, and it was likelv that all the Coum-fl's new requirement* would be met hv money rai-etl at about the figure now prevailing. OPIUM FINE. WELLINGTON Alnrch 1.5 A Chinese named Wong Tack, with several aliases, aged 67 years, lor bej ,l fin possession of opium in form suitable for looking, was fined Defendant said that the opium, which was ■’third” of opium, was not for smoking, hut for drinking to enable smoker- to break oil' the habit. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. RLENII F.IAI, Alarch hi Blenheim police received word I roll, Kekerangu late last night, that toward Smith, 111. single, a roadman lor the Avatere County Council, attenip,e,| suicide by cutting his throat m a road camp ‘at Parakawa. A unctnr and constable have set out Irom K'• koura to bring the man in. TRAGEDY IN (WAIT. KILLED BY BAYONET THRUST. TRENT MAM. Alan-h 16. i An unfortunate accident which ter- | initiated fatally maned the closing stage of the rifle meeting. A num- , her” of territorial- occupying one hutment were skylarking when a mock raid was made on them I'rntn another hutment. Sham bayonet lighting was indulged in. the bayonets koine in their scabbards. Wliil • this was proceeding some-one turned the lights cut for a moment, and when they were switched on again, the men were linnibed to m one of their number. Private J. S. Loan of the Ist. Battalion Otago infantry, staggering, towards his hunk evidently seriously injured. He was taken to Trentham Hospital where it "a* found he had a hevonet. threst through th • abdomen. After receiving attention Lean wax remove.’! to Wellington Hospital, where lie died, about five o'clock. So far as is ascertainable ’.t appears that while scuffling was proceeding in 11 io darkness, the scabbard fell off a bayonet attached to a rifle of one man and in lunging he struck I,can. Deceased wos aged nineteen and lived with Ills parents at Port Chalmers, where he was employed in the Union Coy’s shipwright, yards. AUCKLAND LICENSING POLL. AUCKLAND. Afnreh 14. The City Licensing Committee election resulted in the return of the “Liberty” candidates, who decisively defeated the nominees of the New Zealand Alliance. Of the total votes polled (29.595) the Liberty nominees received 20. 563 votes.