DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 December 1923, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAM —I>ER PRESS ASSOCIATION. A MADMAN. ASHBURTON, Dec. 21. A man aged 2!) ran amok at Chertsoy yesterday. He began by rushing through an hotel and continuing u the railway station knocking several clerks off their stools. He entered the telephone exchange amd took charge by bolting the door. Telephonic communication was stopped for an limn and a-lialf during which *he Ashburton police, were informed from Rakaia. Two constables hastened out. smashed the exchange door tint! grappled with the wild man. and after a struggle brought him to Ashburton. A constable this morning who took food and washing materials to the cell was attacked by the man who displayed great strength. The Sergt. came to bis assistance and the man was overpowered and subsequently removed to the asylum. HIVING OF HIS BLOOD. ASHBURTON. Dec. 21. The Comity Council to-day expressed deep appreciation of tlie action of the County Engineer, C. F. Dyer, in permitting twenty ounces of bis blood to ho transferred into the County Clerk, (.!. Kelhy, whose life was in great danger. Dyer's sacrifice made an urgent operation possible. Kelly is recovering. CYCLIST’S DEATH. DUNEDIN. Dec. 20. I'ha inquest was concluded on Thomas Clifford AUCrorie, it cyclist, who, when ruling in a cycle race on Saturday, collided with a motor-car, receiving a fractured skull. The coroner, in finding a verdict of accidental death, said the corner was a dangerous one, on account of the high hedge. Unfortunately, the guard appointed to watch the corner during the race arrived late. Deceased must have boon travelling at eighteen miles an hour, which was unsafe round such a corner. The cyclists who took partin the race had no right to the road, and took till liability if travelling at all unduly high sliced-. There was no suggestion that (he motor-ear was travelling fast, hut the driver, Jane Spratt, was on the wrong side, and evidently cut the corner.

PORT AITFRIRI EXPLOSION. NAPIER, Doe. 20. An inquest- regarding the deaths of Arthur Sturm and Archibald Sproclc, who were fatally injured in ail explosion at Port Ahuriri on November 7. was held before Air It. \Y. Dyer today. While loading cylinders containing acetylene gas one exploded, fatally hunting Sturm and Sprole and severely injuring a number of others. The inquiry, which opened this morning. concluded at eleven o’clock tonight. The evidence of experts went to show that cylinders containing acetylene gas generally were considered quite safe, and that in the case of one which exploded there was a defect in the welding. A formal verdict was returned. CRUSHED BY LIFT. AVELLrXHTUN. Dec. 20 At the inquest on Cordon Stanley Ynrtro, who was crushed in a lift, the Coroner found that death was due to misadventure. The evidence showed that both doors of the lift were supposed to lie-closed, hut the rule was generally disregarded as the lift worked with one door shut. The Coroner, commenting on this fact, said lie would submit the evidence to the Machinery Department. NAVAL WEDDING. AUCLAXD, Dec. 20. A naval wedding took place to-day at S’l Alary’s Cathedral, when Commander Stoplord, of 11.A1.5. Chatham, married Miss Rosalinda Cecil Townleu, of Cambridge, England. Lord Jellieoc gave the bride away. A SCIENTIFIC .EXPEDITION. DUNEDIN, Dec. 20. The New Zealand Scientists to take part in the expedition for scientific exploration of Hie Chatham Islands, leaving Lyttelton on New Year’s Day. are: All- .Maxwell Young. F.C.S., Porlobelln marine liMi hatcheries. Biology. Mr 11. I). Skinner. 8.A.. Dunedin. An Lhropolc.gv. Air R. S. Allan, B.Sc.. Otago School ol Alines, Geology. Air \Y. G. Howes. F.E.S.. Dunedin. Entomology. Air .1. Warwick. M.A., it palaeontologist , Fossil Life. Mr E. F. Nnrtberoft. B.Sc.. Dunedin. Botany. Air W. Martin. li.Sc.. Dunedin. Botany. Mr I!. M. lining, B.Sc.. Christchurch. Ala rine Botany. Mr Gilbert. Arrliey. ALA., assistant curator of Canterbury Museum, whose field study will be birds and general biology; and Afr S. Lindsay, also of the Canterbury Museum, whose science is entomology, are already at- the Island. Professor R. Speight. ALA.. AT.Sc., curator of Canterbury Museum, will investigate the geology of the islands at a later date.

ENGINKER IXSULTED. BLENHEIM, Dec. 21. At a meeting of the Blenheim Borough Council. Air H. AI. TV. Richardson tendered his resignation a< Borough Engineer, owing to comments by the Afayor, made at a previous meeting, which he bitterly resented. The AI ivor qualified his previous remarks by eulogising the work of the Engineer. and stated he had no intention of insulting Air Richardson. MAN KILLED WHANGAREI'. Doc. 21. A fall of earth at 1.1. j a.m. in Toka Toka Railway Tunnel, near Waiotira, crushed Axel Roos against the timbers killing him instantly. Deceased was aged forty, and a married man, with one child. He was working on night shift. RECORD WOOL PRICES. DUNEDIN’, Dee. 21. The wool sales were continued. One feature was the competition between the Continental buyers more particularly in the case of pieces, which itt some instances fetched higher prices than fleece wool of tile same clip. In the Waikaka clip pieces realised 271 d per lh, a record for New Zealand, and belly wool from the same clip, brought 221 d. also a record. One auctioneer stated that it was difficult to understand the figures being paid at the colonial auctions, which'were decidedly above the Loudon equivalent, the only explanation being that New Zealand wools arc shipped direct to the manufacturing countries, thus saving the cost of passing through exchange, such as London. HARBOUR SCHEMES. I'LMARU, Dec. 21. I’ll ' Timaru Harbour Board yesterday discussed schemes for Harbour improvement submitted by Air Dudley Dobson, and Air F. \Y. Clark, the Board’s Engineer. The schemes arc estimated to cost £382,000 and £202,000 respectively. One comprises a mole four thousand feet long, and another thousand feet mole with a spur of nine hundred feet. The other is for a mole of three thousand feet with a nude and spur as in the former. The Board decided by the casting vote of the Chairman to submit the schemes to a Royal Commission to report or make suggestions for an alternative means of improvement.