DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 January 1925, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELECRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CUSTOMS COLLECTIONS. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 2. During 1924 £1,002,931 5s lid was collected in Christchurch in customs duty, this being £10,055 Its 4<t in excess of the total for the previous year. Beer duty totalled £91,-173 2s Id. this being £2,283 11s 8d less than for 1923. CHILD’S TERRIBLE DEATH. HASTINGS, Jan. 2. Oil New Year’s Eve, Jocelyn Whvte aged 2J years, a daughter of Air and Mrs A. \V. Whyte of Hastings toppled in a preserving pan of boiling jam, left for a moment oil the floor. She died yesterday as the result of her injuries. DARING BURGLARY. HASTINGS. Jan. 2. .A daring burglary occurred at Plowman and Co., aerated water manufacturers. last night. The safe was carried into the open a mile away and was broken in a paddock. Cash of a alKiut £3O and a number of cheques were taken. A FIRE. BLENHEIM, January 1. The kitchen in Coloma Tea Rooms (C. E. O. I.instum, proprietor), was gutted by lire. The damage is estimated at £SOO. The insurance on the contents is £2OOO in Prudential Office, The building was owned by W. J. Girling and insured in the Commercial Union, the amount not being available.

A TRAGEDY. ASHBURTON, January 2. A boy, Frederick Tyson Hodgson was spending his holidays with his parents at Robert J. .Johnstons’ residence, Dromore, sleeping in the same b"d as his father, they being the only occupants of the room. At 10.30 yestereve Hodgson went into bis wife’s room and made a statement resulting in the boy being found on the bed with his throat cut, practically from ear to ear. Hodgson, aged about 40, has lived here since childhood, deceased being the eldest of three sons. Accused was remanded till the 9th. HIT BY TRAIN. TAIL!ARE, January 2. Albert Norman Smith, married, aged 20, with mi children, employed as a surfaceman on this railway was run into yesterday morning by the Oka-liuiie-Taihape passenger train and sustained injuries which resulted in his death in the afternoon. Deceased was attending to a jigger oil the railway and took no notice of the warning whistle. The brakes were applied at once but the train could not lie stopped in time to avoid an accident. RAILWAY API’OINTMENTS. AUCKLAND. January 2. Hon. J. G. (bates states Mason, a member of the Railway Board and other railway officers are shortly proceeding abroad to gain iiilornialioii. R. S. Keen has been eppointed General Superintendent tor the South Island, with headquarters at Christchurch.

OLD MAN’S DEATH. GISBORNE, January 2. 11. Hyde, an elderly resident of l’atiitnhi. was found dead in bis buggy. He bad been visiting seme friends and neighbours saw the buggy returning along the road with Hyde lying back in the seat. Life was extinct. CUMBERLAND’S LOADING. GISBORNEi, January 2. The Cumberland completed her loading of wool to-day. The meat cargo is still untouched and it is expected the vessel will sail for Wellington to-mor-row leaving the meat behind. At the request of the Disputes Cotnmit tee tin' watersiders held a meeting this morning and subsequently inloim- ,.,| the employers Hint the men could work tile meat- if they wanted to, but none are offering. There is some talk of free labour being employed. ADIUFT IN LAUNCH. AUCKLAND, January 2. The steamer Manilla picked up oil Tirifiri, a launch party of live youths and one girl adrift for sixteen hours without food or water. The engine broke down in Rangitoto channel and the small craft, drifted all night, ft small anti!tor .serving only to keep the craft from making leeway. During the day signals of distress were made, but they were without light at nirdit. Tlicv could only keep a. hopeloss look-out. None of the party were nnv the worse for their adventure. A SAD DROWNING. BLENHEIM. January 2. -William Fraser Donald, gardener, aged 38 and married, was drowned in the lagoon at. Shades, near Kekenuigu. vesterdav in the presence of his wife mol children. He was a good swimmer, but was apparently seized with cramp.