DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 August 1925, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

BY TEI.EOBAFH —PRESS ABSN., COPYRIGHT.

ROA MINE FATALITY. EDA. August 1. A sad fatality occurred at the Roil Mine on Saturday afternoon. It happened about 2.30 li.m. and Air I'red Smith (Fitly) lost his life through a fall of coal. The accident occurred at , the working face. The deceased was a native of Yietoria. and was aged IT years. He had resided in Reel ton 17 years, lie had been working at the Roa mine lor the past eight months. An inquest will take place at Rcefton to-morrow. The late Air Smith, who was a single man. was turmeric a weli-Kiiowo cricketer. and often played for the Rcefton district. The accident occurred only about TO minutes after an inspection wa.s made of the place in which deceased wa.s working with his mate. AllJames Devlin. The pair had iu.-t previously run out ol carrying sets. Death was instantaneous. XE'.Y CATHEDRAL. XEPSON. August 2. The foundation stone ol a new Anglican Cathedral to cost LSO.OOO was laid in Nelson this afternoon, by the Governor-General, in henutilul weather and before a very huge attendance of i lie public. The service was conducted by the Bishop of Nelson. Archdeacon Kemptliornc, and the Dean of Nelson. Rev. Askew. In the course of a brief address. His Excellency said Hie occasion marked a new era in the ( hurch history of Nelson.

GOVERNOR-GENERAL. NELSON, August 2. The Governor-General was accorded a civic welcome to Nelson by a large croud on Saturday, lie later inspected some hundred' ol Girl Guides ami Bov Scouts and visited the hospital and the Cawtlirou Institute. A civic luncheon Pillowed. In the evening lie attended a Returned Soldiers’ reunion in the School nt Music.

CLERGYMAN DF.aD. CHRISTCHURCH. August 3. Obituary Rev. Henry J. IliiH'andine, aged 38, ol T rinity ( ungregational Church, after a painful illness He came to Christchurch from Stafford England, in 1920.

A DOCTOR DROWNED. DUNEDIN, August 2

The hodv ol Dr Alexander Joseph ALcllmv was found Hunting in the harbour at 7.1*3 o’clock last night, lie went fur a walk to Mack Jack s I’oint, Ravenshonriie. where lie tripped and fell into the water and was drowned. At the inquest this morning a verdict of accidentally drowned was returned FOUND SHOT DEAD. TAUAIAEUNUI. Aug. 3. Owen Hinsdale, a well-known Alaniiiii stock dealer and farmer. was found shot dead on Sunday morning near a wliaro on his farm with the side of his head blown nwnv. and a gun beside liis body. MO-YEARS OLD AUCKLAND. August 3. AYilliam Reeves, an inmate of Knox Home for I nett rabies, was one hundred years old to-day. Less than a year ago he had bis leg amputated. Beyond being slightly deal' and unable to read easilv. lie is remarkably well preserved ami takes a keen interest in all going cm around him. MOTOR-CAR ACCIDENT. I’AL.MFRSTOX NORTH. Aug. 3. While proceeding to Wellington yesterday to attend a ciiitlereme ol I’of.er Board Engineers, .Mr \Y. A. Matters, Chief Engineer ol Manawntu-Oroiia Rower Board, accompanied by Ids wile and voting son met with a serious motor accident. I'lw I rout lyre bursting. caused Ibe ear to ean-ize pinning the eeeiipallts beneath. Mr- Waiters and child escaped with bruises and shock. Waiters sustained a Iracturc of the base of the skull and lies ill Palmerston North Hospital in a serious condition, but retained consciousness throughout. SUDDEN DEATH. CHRISTCHURCH, August 2. John James Jackson, a porter, employed at the Albion Hotel, Lyttelton, died suddenly yesterday, lie had not been looking well during the morning, and the licensee advised him to go to bed. lie collapsed a few minutes later. At the inquest to-day, a verdict of death from heart failure was returned.

CHRISTCHURCH IUNKR URTCI KS. CHRISTCHURCH. August 2. There were eighteen bankruptcies in Christchurch during June and July, compared with nine in the same two months of last year. VITAL STATISTICS. CHRISTCHURCH, August 2. The vital statistics for July were: Births. 2KI; deaths. 131; marriage notices SS; marriages by registrar, 14. In July of 1921. the figures were:— Births 2111; deaths 1 IS; marriage notices (55; marriages by registrar IG. YOUNG WOMAN [.OSES AN ARM. Cll RISTCIIRCIL August 2. A young woman named Fee. slipped when she wa-. stepping oil a moving tram, and a wheel passed over her riglit arm. which luiil to he amputated. charabanc burnt. AUCKLAND. August 3. A lire destroyed a charabanc which became hogged at Ratiimahoc on Sat-

urday while conveying a football team from the city. It was abandoned lor the night, but on Sunday morning it - was found 1 Hat as the result of lire, little was left, but the iron frame. The vehicle was owned by J. L. Gunning. REMARKABLE STORY. divorce bill wanted. WELLINGTON. July 31. A remarkable story ol duping a young girl into marriage by an habitual criminal was untolded in the petition of Mildred Elaine Smyth, of Aianurewn. praying Parliament to pass a Rill ui dissolve her marriage with Maurice James Walkington Smyth. A Hill has been drafted and taken

,halite <>l hv the I toll .1. 1’- - ampheli ntitled •••The Mildred l-'.laine Smyth Divorce Hill, nn Act to dissolve the marriajte of Mildred Klaine Smyth with Maurice James Walkii ei to u Shm tli. an hahitv.al trimimil. It sets forth that Mildred, at the :«!?<* °l eiith tee a. tuarried Smyth, deserihed as a conipaiiy promoter, at her fathei s house at Maimrewa. she believin.it him to he a respectable lnw-ahidino citizen. in August, 1922. Smyth, was convicted, at Christchurch, of arson, and sentenced to live years’ imprison-

ment, ami declared an habitual criminal. Whereas Smyth at various times ' between 1911 and 10:2:2 was convicted on fourteen separate charges of false pretences, also was convicted of other crimes committed in New Zealand and sentenced to lengthy terms, and was convicted of arson, within one month of his marriage, and whereas Mildred married Smyth in good faith, relying on his representations, not knowing his criminal record, etc., the marriage shall be and the same is hereby dissolved. In her petition Mildred declares

that she first met Smyth at Rotokuhu near Rcefton. They liccamc engaged thereafter, marrying at Afanurewa as stated. Smyth wa.s arrested and e.onvieted of arson at Knikourn one month later. She since had discovered that South was a criminal, well known to the police as James Walkington Smyth, alias Samuel Vane, alias foul Barr, Alias Al. Preston, alias Houghton, alias Jones, alias Gibbs, alias lvanc, alias Farquhar. alias Janies. When she married him she was quite unaware that he ever had committed a crime. He was a man of very good appearance. Petitioner had visited him in gaol some considerable time after his conviction, being even then unaware of his past record, but was constrained to discontinue her visits owing to bis conduct.

BUSINESS -MAN SUICIDES. WAIAIATE, August 3. E. W. Foley. Timaru. manager of the X.Z. Express Coy., aged !8. left Timani on Friday or Saturday. His friends commenced a search, finding his car standing near a plantation at Hunter. and while they were inspecting the car they hoard a shot, and a search of the plantation disclosed the I tody. The deceased’s business affairs were in order, but it is believed he was worried regarding obligations incurred for some triends. Deceased loaves a widow and one son. A YOUTH’S SUICIDE. AUCKLAND, Aug. 3. Robert John Shiels. aged Hi. was found dead with a shot-gun hv his side beneath the home of his parents in Wellesley St. West with a severe wound in bis bad. He bad been in ill-health for some time anil was employed at Ihe Auckland Infirmary, visiting his parents at intervals.