DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 December 1923, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[BY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION

PIONEERS HONOURED. CHRISTCHURCH Dee. 15

In celebration of Anniversary Day, the piuneeis were honoured ut a public

gathering in the Botanical Gardens this afternoon. The surviving passengers by the first four ships had seats of honour. The most picturesque part of the celebrations was on the old archery lawn. Seated there, some COO pioneers were honoured by children. In front of the pioneers, down the lawn came five children dressed in old time costumes—the girls in bonnets, frills, furl'd.’tvs and crinolines, and the boys in tight pants, swallow tailed coats, broi titled vests, and tall bats. These cliild,en, in the elaborate manner of a past age, walked gracefully in front of the pioneers, and stopped where the pas--engers by the lirst four ships wero .-ontod, and there bowed and curtsied Is fore them. The children are descendants of Sir Charles Bowen, Judge Bresson, Bishop Harper, (and Dr. Barker. That pretty little ceremony was followed by a march past by cli.ildien. of the primary and secondary schools.

A SERIOUS FIRE. WELLINGTON, Dee. 11. A serious lire occurred at the Oroiigorongo tunnel works resulting in heavyloss to the men engaged in the undertaking. The outbreak occurred in the change loom, and every stitch of clothing belonging to about 18 men was destroyed. A new change house win have lo be built forthwith and it is estimated the cost will be about £250. It is thought a defective chimney was the cause of the fire. The water was disconnected at the time, or, it is considered. the building and its contents could have been saved. CYCLIST KILLED. DUNEDIN. December lli. During the progress of a cycle race fiuiii Dunedin to Outram, Thomas MeCrorie, aged It), residing at -17 Richardson Street, St. Kilda, collided with a motor ear at the corner of Riccarton Road, and sustained a fractured skull, lie "as admitted to the Dunedin Hospital on Saturday evening, and died early this morning. An inquest opened this evening.

MONTES CRITICISED. INVERCARGILL, Dec. 15. Educational programmes for school . hihlren which are screened once a iiKiiith, wore the subject of adverse viit'ieism at the meeting of the Southland Education Board. The Chairman reported that together with the Inspector he had been present when the last piogranime had been screened, and lie had eomo to the conclusion that the "hole thine as conducted at present.

j was a i'aix-c*. The travel picture shown ! wa.-. not a .suitable one, and the children I could not he expected to gain any educational value from it. A comedy pic- ! turn shown was an insult to anyone’s I intelligence. Other members also eomi indited adversely on the class ol' pictures shown. The secretary of the j Hoard stated that tho school teachers I considered it unnecessary interference j with tho school work. It was decided to communicate with ! tin,' Education Department expressing j t!i' view that it was very necessary j tliai there should be tin improvement I in Die pictures shown, or else, tho proI grammes should he abandoned altuj pci her. WOMAN SUICIDES. CIIKISTfIirUCTI. Dee. 11. | On returning home Irom school yes. I lerdtiv atternoon. ;i hoy named C ynl I Wilkinson found no one at home and ! becoming alarmed made a search of the premises, lie found the door of the washhouse locked and on looking through the window saw his mother hanging from tho roof by a. cord around the neck. A neighbour was called in and he (lit the body down and .summoned the police. Mrs \\ ilkinsmi had evidently been dead some hours. Tile hoy stated that when he came home from lunch lie found no one it! home, hut thought his mother had gfoiie out shopping. The deceased, who was aged I'd. wa-* noticed to he somewhat depressed of late. An in<|i;eM will he held to-day. A .1 OK Ell SHOT. HAAVF.ItA, Doe. 15. A message from Paten states that ihe peace of the town was disturbed about eleven o’clock last night hv the sound of discharging firearms. Wong, a fruiterer, in Kgrnont Street, on' retiring to bed. heard the sound of his hack window opening. Shortly afterwards he heard the sounds of two men in the building. Wong loaded a revolver and went to the door of the room whence tho sounds came. All was in darkness, lie called out two or three limes ‘‘Hands up!” 'there was no response to the demand. He then fired and hit one of the intruders in flic leg. The other, who was unwounded, made a hasty exit. The wounded man came to Wong, who keeping him covered, switched on the light in the shop and ordered tho man off the promises. The wounded man is now in the hospital. Tho affair seems to have started in a joke to frighten Wong.

MYSTERY CLEARED UR. NEW PLYMOUTH, Dec. 12 The mystery surrounding ihe disappearance of the two men, Albert Truman and his son. C harles, who went fishing at the Port a week ago .and wore not seen again, was partially cleared up to-day when the body of Charles was washed ashore near the spot were they fished from. At the inquest a verdict of found drowned was returned.