DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 July 1924, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

BV TELEGRAPH— PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. FATAL AUCKLAND FIRE. AUCKLAND, .July 7 A fatal lire occurred at Hokeno on Saturday night, Edward Negri AYal- . den, a single iniin aged 21, losing his life. The fire also resulted in the destruction of the hoarding house anil store owned by his brother, Henry i Richard Walden. The rear of tlie | store caught tire at about ten o'clock. In the absence of fire fighting appliances tlte hoarding house which was a large one storey wooden building and separated from the store by a narrow passage way. was soon alight also. Ihe decease,|. who resided in the house, returned from tbe township when the fire broke out and was last seen entering the building through the front door. Almost immediately the two structures were enveloped in flames, being ultimately burned to the ground. The charred remains of the deceased were discovered in the debris yesterday morning. There was only one person, a lady, in the lmttse at the time of the tuifhrcitk. She escaped in her night attire. None of the contents were saved, the origin oi the lire being unknown.

WOMAN SUICIDES. AUCKLAND, July 7 Emma Edith Neilson, married, aged 12, was found dead on the floor of her bedroom in Vincent St. on Saturday night with a gas tube hv her side. The evidence at the inquest stated that she lived apart front her husband. She was employed as a housekeeper. A verdict was rtimied of suicide by coal gas poisoning. lIIKURANGI .MINE STRIKE. WHANG Alt El, July 7. A meeting of the flikurnngi .Minors l uioti yesterday decided against the resumption of work at Wilson’s colliery, reliance in this respect being placed on the support of other New Zealand Unions. It is improbable, however, that the other mines at llikurangi will be affected.

YOUTH TAKES Ills LI Eh AUCKLAND, July

Waller Stanton .Mills, aged IG, a son ol Harry Mills, of Ouehunga, attended a picture theatre on Saturday night with his brother Walter. He left his brother outside the theatre during the interval, but the brother had no suspicion I hat anything was wrong and returned to the theatre without Waller. The hoys' mother on returning home at 10.3!) noticed a strong smell of gas in Walter’s bedroom which she found filled to siiM’oeation. The youth Walter was in bed with the clothes over his head and in his mouth was a piece of rubber tubing attached to n gas lilting. The doctor pronounced life extinct. The used ua> in perfect health and apparently in the best of spirits before he left for the pictures. The lirst part ol the programme was described as quite harmless. ituitainmg no suggestion of violence.

ATT EM FT AT SUICIDE. AUCKLAND. July 7. On Saturday night an hotel employee aged 22. was found at tin l back of the premises with blood issuing from cuts in his throat and wrists, lie first stated that he was attacked by three men. one of whom attacked him with a knife. Subsequently lie admitted the -lory was concocted. He had really attempted his life, using a Made of a safety razor. The wounds were trilling. lie has been charged with attempting to commit suicide.

YOUTHS’ ATTEMPTED ESCAPE FROM CUSTODY. EE 11.1)1 NO. July 7. Twu young men. Twist and Higgle, who had been arrested at. Dannevirke lor hurglarr were remanded to Feifiling where they pleaded guilty to llicll.at llalcombe, escaped I rum custody yesterday. They asked permission to cut sol tic wood which was given, hut while the ((instable had turned to close the lock-up door they sealed the lonce, hut were only free for a lew minutes, being caught in a motor garage near Ihe lock up. 'They were despatched to Wellington thi- morning for sentence on the burglary charges. CHINAMEN FINED. WELLINGTON. July 7. Ai the Magistrate’s Court, to-day Wy Gee. aged 71, pleaded guilty to being in possession of opium in a ioriii suitable for smoking, and Klim lam. aged .78, guilty of smoking opium. 'I he former was lined £2.7 and the latter Cl. all eg ei > :i ’oc k et- picking. WELLINGTON, July 7. Three men were concerned in a |nekot-picking affair in December last when two were arrested hut one absconded from bail. ’The other was .sentenced to nine months. Ibis morning detectives Hunt and Jartnld saw Ftederick Courtney in the Street, who is believed to ho the third man suspected. At the sight of the officers Courtney made off. hut after a chase was found endeavouring to seek refuge in a house. He was arrested and will appear Is*fore the Court to-morrow. OBITUARY. OAMARU. July 7. Obit nary.—Suddenly. David Lander, 71, a retired Hour miller and partner Of Ireland and Co. For over 2D years; he was miller for that firm. MENTAL DEFECTIVES EXOUIR) FCRTHEK. EVIDENCE. DUNEDIN. July 7. Hiving evidence before the Mental rVfWtivos rnnumssiuii Dr Marshall McDonald stated that the machinery for dealing with the insane needed reorganisation. most of the Mental TTospit als l)i»in«r ovi*r«Tu\v<it*(l nnu iikmik-jiiln tiiiderstaU'ed. He emphasised the importance of training medical students in mental diseases, advocating the establishment by the ( !o vent men t <*t a chair of mental diseases at the Otago 'Medical School. Through the want o training in the early diagnosis and c;i r! v treatment, many mental cases drifted to boneless insanity. Regaldji i«r sexual offences against women and children he advocated segregation, tit did not favour compulsory operation. He recommended sterilization in the ~a - e of low grade imbecile children, and more schools like Otekclke for a higher grade. AVitness utterly opposed" the teaching of sex questions in school*.