DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 October 1923, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by telegraph—-PER press association.] JAPANESE DISASTER. 1 RELIEF FROM DOMINION. WELLINGTON, Oct. 12. Sir Francis Hell announces that ,L'2o.ofiO is now in course of transmission to the British Ambassador in .lapan to la- handed to the Japanese Government as the New Zealand Goierumeiu’s contribution to the relief ol sufferers from the disaster. He explains that from the first the matter had anxious and continuous consideration by the Government, which, throughout, desired to coinplt with the wish ot the people ol the Dominion that some practical proof should be given ot our syinpatny with the Japanese nation and the grateiul memory of its alliance in the Great War. lie says that the Government in answer to an inquiry, had been informed that supplies of timber and clothing were most urgent necessities. The Government had endeavoured to obtain freight, and if that difficulty could have been met would have proceeded to purchase large quantities of timber and blanket* in New Zealand. However it was found in possible t» arrange for shipment in considerable quantities. The British Ambassador was informed of the position, and the GoveriiTiioiii ascertained that the equivalent in money would be accepted. SEEING THE SPARKS. BOYS CREATE SHORT CIRCE IT. ASH MERTON, Oct. 12 Roderick M’Rae. aged fifteen, of Melhven, and- William Henry Eagan, aged seventeen, of Springluirn, were charged with doing wilful damage to the Coleridge transmission line at Mount Hint. Mr Ruehanan, who appeared for Eagan and pleaded guilty, said that the Act provided for a penalty of L'oOO, plus the cost of the damage. Thjj. line ran through tussock country, sparsely inhabited by t-eople uninitiated in 'die ways of electricity. Neither hoy realised that he was doing harm when ,<■ created a short circuit by throwing up piece* of wire in order to see Hie

* sparks ||y. Their actions plunged ,YhI burton into darkness for six hours, and caused damage at the head works. . When arre-ted the bovs told the constable that if the nieces of wire had fallen near the poles they would have | climbed up and removed them. St: it a eoiiise. added counsel, would have instantly killed them, lie urged the necessity for the better education of reside'*'.! * respecting electricity. Tt:e>e hoy* were not ehafactori t ica 1! v m'selgevous. and the ease- were ihe first i I ef the kind. i Mi M'Gibb,ot. for the Dene ■rn -ul. | "aid that Mi damage amoiim.'.l to | .01 ill!. I The Magistrate *aid that in wm, .1 i !!••:;; tuttire eases sever-ly. In the II•: I :-t I:: ease the law did n u al'ow { biii hing. Each boy would he fined 12, with cost* L’.'l F* sd. nmYI.F.R’S DEATH. ( lIRISTCIIURCH, Get. 13 Mr A. S. Griffiths, who was president ol tile Sydenham Rowling Chtb last year, died suddenly Irotu heart failure while watching the games at the opening of the season this aft wnooti. Mr Griffiths' was sitting on tb.i hank at t lit? time. Alter he collapsed, a doctor was summoned, hut he ]i: iioniieeil life extinct. .Mr (Griffiths, who wax a retired paiiiter and paperhangcr was ;ibout (it years of a.ge, and had hr, it a prominent member of the Sydenham Howling C luh for a groat many j year*. All the games were iin media tej iy stopped. AECKf.AXn RERDLARY. A I (T\ LAN I), Oct. Id. Burglars entered the premises of .Mr Huston, tobacconist. of Newmarket, i and stole L'2'io worth of cigarettes. MEN EOFXI) DEAD. j A E( ELAND. Oct. Id. 1 Ronald I’onieoat, aged IS. was found dead on the I,each at llowiek yes terday. He wa- •• object to fits. An el-Icily man, Edward Handers, wa* iottnd drowned at Warkworlh. He had been missing for 10 days. On leaving his 1 1 st eiuiilover. lie said. "Good-hvt-. for ever!" MISs-IXC MEN EOEN'D. TAERANGA. October Id. The three missing men are “tife. ! Ot them returned this ntoiiiing li'oiii Matakana Island. He repotted that about (! o'clock Wednesday night a sea came aboard and swept the roves overboard, one fouling the propeller. Ibis wa-; got clear, hut in Ihe tneart- i time the huttieh filled, and the engine I would not go. The boat, went ashore j in about (lit. of water, and the men | got to land safely. j