DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 April 1925, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS A3S.V., COPYRIGHT,

HOARDING HOUSE DESTROYED. TAUAIA RUNUT, April 23.

A fire broke out at 8.30 last night in a large twenfy-one routned hoarding establishment, named Harwood house, owned by Airs C'headle, Auckland, and occupied by Airs Core. The tire started in tiie sleeping portion at the rear and spread with lightning rapidity. The rear portion and sleeping portion were gutted. Alls Gore was singed about the hair by tiie flames in making her .escape. The insurance on the building is unavailable, but the furniture was insured for 2150.

P 0 LICE TH EOR A' CONTE A DICTE D. GISBORNE, April 23.

The inquest on Allred Thomas Eigney, found shot at Ormond on March 2(ith, was resumed this morning bolorc the Coroner Air Levy, S.Af. Air Rtirnard, for the relatives of the deceased stated lie proposed to tall evidence showing Rigney's financial position and state of mind and that lie was not in any way worried. He had a valuable property of stone deposits which earned considerable royalty. lie was on happy terms will) his wile, who was in a maternity hospital at Hie time of his death. It was impossible to suppose a man of his happy position would take the action wdiielt had been suggested by the police. lo disprove tiie theory that the man put a gun into his mouth lie would call medical evidence showing that I rum the position ol tiie body ol Hie man he could not have pulled the trigger and that the gun was never in Hie man s mouth. The track of the bullet, and injury to the brain, Dr Collins would state, were such as would happen if a gun was some distance away. A icasnnalile explanation was that the trigger had gone off accidently when the

man was going to a. drawer to get a cartridge. Kvidenoe supporting counsel's statement was then tailed.

AUCKLAND HOSPITAL. AUCKLAND, April 22

The past T2 months have been one of tiie most active periods in the history of the Auckland Hospital, stales the annual report ol the Aledieal Supoiinlendent (Dr 0. E. ATaguire). illicit was presented to the Hospital .Hoard. Ihe report showed that the capacity of the lie-suit a I had been very largely taxed. Admissions numbered 030!), and the number ol beds occupied daily averaged ■ Kit. The average stay of patients in hospital was 25.07 days, and the stay would have keen lower wore it not for the comparatively large uiind cr of patients suffering from chronic cnniplaint.s who could not lie accommodated elsewhere. The total number of operations was 502-1. while the percentage n deaths for the year was 1.7. Of these. 05.) patients diet! within 2-1 hours of admission. There were generally 50 to O') patients awaiting admission, hut it was hoped that the opening of the Wallace wards would materially reduce tiie waiting list. Tiie infantile paralysis epidemic had increased tiie work of tli<> physio-therapeutic department, and three more masseurs had been appointed. Patients totalling 2333 were treated in the massage and electrical depart incut, involving 21.801 attend.line's and 70,18!) treatments. The X-ray workhad keen very heavy. 3271 examinations being made and 8383 films 11-ed. SHORT SESSION IN JUXIi. WELLINGTON. April 23. In tiie ordinary course of events. It is understood that- Parliament will meet about June 25, hut it L gathered from a letter hv Sir 11. Rhodes (Minister of I'HVt.ce) that the session will he short,

Replying to a : nrresp,indent, who was enquiring about legislation on certain matters. Sir 11. Rhodes, says that, owing to the state of Air Ala-sey’s health, and to the probability in consequence of a short session, there will he no tin to devote to these matters.

LI,Ft ToKAI. lit'ELS. WELLINGTON. April 23. An Order-in-Coimeil has been gazetted. notifying the abolition of the existing Electoral Rolls as from April 20 in t. f.EPEES GO TO FLIT. WE I. KINGTON. April 23. Sonic time ago it was announced that an arrangement lmd been arrived tit with the Fiji Government for the concentration of all lepers from the British colonies in tiie Pacific at Hie Alokagai Leper Station in Fiji. On Quail Island. Lyttelton Harbour, there are seven lepers. The .Minister oT Health, Sir Alani Pomare. stated that it had been decided to close tiie Quail Island station, and transfer the lepers from there, within the next two or three months. The cost of their maintenance at Fiji would In' borne by the New Zealand Government. All the p:u tieilis had consented to go to Fiji. WIRELESS .MAN DISAPPEARS I- ROM SHIP. AUCKLAND, April 23. 11. 11. Cha Do Grant. Hie wireless operator on the Dutch steamer Otnbi--1 i 11 , disappeared from the vessel at sea. sometime between the hours of one and seven this morning, when she was in the vicinity of Cornier Island, on route from Wellington io Auckland. Do Grant had been despondent for some time, lie was aged 22 years and was a native of Holland. AYlien lasi seen lie was leaning with liis arms on the rail. A steward went to call him at 7 a.in. His cabin door was locked, and his bed had not been slept in. There are no indications of foul play.

P. ANT) T. REVENUE. AVELLTNGTON. April 23. Tiie Dominion Postal revenue for the Alareh quarter was £3<7,!oti. an increase of 2-18.8,8 on tiie corresponding quarter of 1 !)21. The Telegraph revenue amounted to £372.95)2, an increase of 211.110 on tiie same period a The Savings Until: deposits totalled £7.5-1U.8(>2. being ail excess of C-l Op- . over (withdrawals. The corresponding figures a year ago wore: Deposits £7.317.22!): excess over withdrawals £302.002.