DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 March 1924, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS.

[m* TFXKCRAFU —I’till t'iir.SS ASSOCIATION.] LEVEL CROSSING ACCIDENT. PALMERSTON N.. March 7. A level crossing accident, I'ortunate- ■ v not attended bv loss oi human lile. occurred at Billinvthorpe early this afternoon when the New Plymouth express crashed into a horse and dray on nod and diiven by O’Donnell oi Bunnytliorpe. The driver managed to e, ; t clear and escaped injury. The horse was killed and the dray badly smashed. The crossing was the scene of several previous accidents. two being fatal. GAOL AND A FINK. BLENHEIM. March 7. flerhcu dames Greig. aged 28. "as sentenced by dostiees. of the Peace today to rhiee months gaol, without the option, for using obscene language on the railway platform at Blenheim in the pi t sem e of a large crowd, including women and children. He was also convicted for assaulting the arresting constable. William Odwycr. aged -18. was lined £lO for obstructing, a constable. A CALL ACCKETEI). W'ANGANt'I. March (1. The Rev Evan R. Harries, who has been pastor of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church for three and a half years, tonight accepted a call from St. James’s Church, Auckland. The call was quite unsolicited, and though the salary is C2(ii) per year less than St. Paul's, Mr Harries said he regarded the call as from God, who he believed had special work for him. He gave the congregation no opportunity to dissuade him. There is much regret at the departure of Mr Harries as his ministry has been most successful.

The lJev MujMi Mejxjis was inducted into tho charge <>i St. Andrew's Prosliyterian Church to-day APPLICATION KOI! NFAY TRIAL. AI’CKLANI), Mareli 6 Arthur Cleave, against whom G. 1!. W'. M’’Donald, of Sdyiley. obtained a verdict for C2OOO damages in the Supreme Court lasi week, has lodged a motion for a new trial. Among the grounds upon which the applieaiioit is bused is that material evidence bad been discovered since the trial which could mil have been foreseen or known before the trial. CROSSING FATALITY. CHRISTCHFRC'H. March 7. Ai inquiry into the death ol Richard did.n Collins, who received fatal injuries in the accident at the Waltham Road railway classing on Febiuury 2., was held hel’ore Coroner 11. A . W iddows in. Deceased was driving a dray loaded with timber over the crossing "hen it was hiL by a rake of trucks. 'I he diay was overturned and Collins was buried under the timber and one waggon. lie was extricated as speedily a.s possible, and sent to the hospital, where he died next day. Evidence was given to Hie efleet that the lake suddenly stopped alter pa.smg the crossing and began to go bark veiv slowly and without warning. Collins must have been caught by surprise a.s there was a porter in charge of ill' rear of the rake. 'file engine driver said that alter goiim over the crossing lie saw another rake of trucks ahead. He stopped and vent hack two waggon lengths and then Hun was a recoil of about half a waggon Jength. lie v.':i„ then informed of the aceiileul. GTiie question arises.” said Iho Cot oiler, “as hi "belli"!- Maine is at|ai liable to anyone. It. "as quitu clear that the porter, Ken. "ho ws at the rear of the truck could not -me the head of the train. That the rakes should move lack without any signal nicnnl that a considerable amount of Maine devolved upon the Railway Depart- . 1 • a mint help In it fe-1 that il pnpei look-out had been kept, this accident would not have occurred. Kerr •said, very fairly. that he "as not in a

pc; it ion to give a signal, am! could not have prevented anything. ’Hint state A things should not have been.’' Cmler the conditions an open verdict was returned. RATING POLE. TAI.'RAXGA. March 7. Considerable interest was taken today in a poll for the adoption of rating on unimproved values, which resulted; por 290 ; against 282; informal I. The proposal was thus carried by 13 vi.tes. At a poll taken in October, 1920. the proposal was rejected by 1-10 votes. INCENDIARISM. PALMERSTON X.. March 7. The glimmer shed by a lighted candle horning in tv cupboard on a pile ol pipes and linely cut kindling wood was tile sign which led a Womlviile resident on it recent evening to think that the garagi of the Woodville Motor Coy. was m danger of destruction by lire. The pi,lice found tile candle in the last stages of illumination and in another lew minutes the tinder would have ignited. firing the cupboard and aba the garage. An inspection strongly indicated incendiarism. The manager was away at the time. The police are iurestigating.