DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1923, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[bv TELECRArri —rER TRESS ASSOCIATION.] VERDICT SET ASIDE. WELLINGTON. July 13. The jury’s verdict for £IOOO damages against the Crown in the case of Maud Barbara Canning against the King, arising from the death of the suppliant’s husband from injuries received in a railway accident at the Porirua railway crossing was set aside in a judgment given by Mr Justice Salmond to-dnv.

The judge expressed the opinion that the verdict was based on sympathy rather than on a dispassionate survey of the evidence. A TRAGEDY. BLENHEIM, July 1C A shocking tragedy occurred at Spring Crock on Saturday night. A well known farmer named George Henry Johnstone, residing near Whittle's Bend, was found shot on the verandah of the liou.se of his sister-in-law, Mrs Ada Redwood. Mrs .Johnstone had been visiting her sister, Mrs Redwood. Johnstone went to the house about 6.31) a.m. and asked her to return Inline. She did not do so hut left Mrs Redwood's house shortly after. Johnstone appears to have returned home and about 4.30 p.m. the inmates of Mrs Redwood's house heard a noise on the verandah and discovered that he had shot himself through the chest, there being a huge wound under the heart. His condition was hopeless. The mail was admitted to Wairau Hospital where he died four or five hours hit cr.

HEAVY LOSSES OF SHEEP. DUNEDIN. July 10. The worst losses of sheep in 15 years arc anticipated over a large area, bcunded ever by .Mount Pisa and Strath. Taieri properties reported ns snlferiiig severely are Beaumont. Nevis. Kawaran Falls. Fnirlight. 'lVviob and Galoway stations. I.n Central Otago, it is feared that the muster will reveal losses of from 30 to (if) per cent., probably more. Several hundred thousand sheep have been snowed up in the country named for three weeks. ROUGH PASSAGES. AUCKLAND. July Hi. The Arahura arrived at 0 o’clock oil Sunday night from Eas| Coast ports, after an exceptionally stormy trip. She encountered mnunlainous seas near the East ( ape and across the Ray ol Plenty. The "B steamer Pinna arrived I rom Singapore on Sunday morning. Passing North Cape she was making only three knots, and the wind was blowing with hurrieanc force from the ( ape to Tiriliri. The dorks were constantly Hooded, but no damage of any importance was done.

INFLUENZA. Cll RISTC'H l RCII, July Id. The medical officer declare.- the position is well in hand and there is no need for panic measures regarding itiilucnza. Tn IS hours ending 19.30 this morning 7 cases ol pneumonic influenza were reported ill the city, and one from Greenpark, with two deaths I rout pneumonic inlluenza and one I rom pneumonia. All the schools air closed lor another week. Such as re-opened had a very small attendance obviim-ly including many from infected households. A general (losing order was therefore given.

LEVIN AND ( O. FINED. \\ ANGANI'I, July l(i In tile adjourned case before Mr Bartini S.M. io-dn\. Levin and. Co. aero lined L's for supplying liquor to Wong Hall, a Chinese, who was nude:' the age •>i 21. The case was a sequel t.i the iveeni police raid where a quantity of liquor was seized oil Wong's premises. The Magistrate -aid Ihe fact that -ueli M quantity of liquor "a- found on Wong':, prt'Mii-i - in . i "o:p.iriilivoiy short time led him in the conclusion that a ‘‘Shuteye” policy had been adopted In regard In the -ale. It was stated by counsel that this wns the lirs t case against I fie firm’s loivl branch and a wholesale license had been held for 35 year-. FARMER KILLED. AUCKLAND. July 13. Marry England, a farmer, of Mutuum ta. was killed on Saturday night. A dray he was driving overturned in the darkness and buried him under a load of hay. |]i- wife, "lien searching for him lound the overturned veih.iele. and foil unconscious through the shock. Her husband's body "as not found until Sunday morning.