DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 August 1925, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[BY TEI/EOBiPH —PEtt PRESS ASSOCIATION - J MuUATT CASE. RE-HEARING XENT WEEK. CHRISTCHURCH. August 18. The second bearing of the charge of wife murder against Frederick Peter Monatt will be started in the Supreme Court on Monday next, before Mr Justice Rceil. The first hearing in the ■Supreme Court occupied several days, early last May, and, after a. lengthy retirement, the jury announced that it could not agree. Great interest was taken in the case, in the course of which, remarkable scientific evidence was called, and each session of the court was watched by a crowded gallery. A WOMAN KILLED. ASHBURTON. August 19. As a result of being thrown out of a trap at a traffic bridge last evening. .Mrs Stmldurt, aged 41, the wife of Loo Stoddart. farmer of Willowby, sustained n fracture of the skull, dying shortly after her admission to the hospital. FIRE AT BLENHEIM. BLENHEIM. August 19. The worst fire in Blenheim for some years broke at 2..10 this morning .simultaneously in two adjoining two storeyed wooden shops in Market S. North, owned by Win. .Murray. One, formerly occupied by A. \Y. Taylor, fancy goods merchant, was vacant and the other was occupied by John Bailey pastry cook and confectioner. The top floor of this building was occupied by the Trocadera tea. rooms owned by Mrs M. Yealiuds. The fires bad a good hold before being noticed but the Brigade put up a wonderfully good JK'lforinaiice using the high pressure water supply and also the auxiliary pumping plant, and had the fire under control in half an hour. It was a great save as the line of wooden simps extended from the scene of the tire as far a.s Girliugs Ltd., in Market Square, and a failure to immediately cope with the outbreak would have meant a fearful holocaust involving practically a. whole block. The two shops to which the lire was confined, were fairly well gutted. The buildings which were very old wore insured for £l3lO in the Sun Office. Bailey's insurance on stock unit fittings was £O3O and Mrs Yealand £IOO both in the United. Earlier in the night an outbreak at the Empire Hotel was suppressed without damage. It is a coincidence that Fletcher. Secretary of tile Underwriters Asso- ( iatinn and other representatives of Insurance Coys are in Blenheim with a view to reducing the lire insurance premium in Blenheim. They had witnessed a demonstration by the Brigade yesterday afternoon aniT were interested spectators at the real outbreak. MOTOR SMASH. ROTORUA, August 18. i.ast night there was a narrow escape from a serious accident. A 12eylimler Packard, owned bv Kllsabs. and driven by I lira, met a seven-sea lel Hudson, ow ned by Mr Low l ie, and driven by Mr Woods, in Tmanekai St. Until ears wore badly smashed. Woods was badlv bruised and cm. The other occupants escaped injury. DEATH IN A MOTOR < All. Cl I RISK HURCH. August 18. While being conveyed in a motor-cur to Christchurch Hospital, I lie* death occurred this afternoon ol Mr Glen Cross, aged 23 years, who resided at Lincoln. Cross was suffering from a swelling <m the neck, and lie was lie-’ ing taken to the hospital in a motor | ear driven by Dr Cooke of Lincoln. j GOVERNMENT CLERK CHARGED. CHRISTCHURCH. Aug. 17. 'Phis morning Detective Sergeant young arrested Noth Mark powder, married, aged 27. until recently einoloved as clerk in the Pnldio Works Department. Christchurch. (barged with the theft of monevs, the property of the Department. The charge on which Fowler was arrested referred to an amount of £8 fis Id. Accused appeared in the Magistrate’s Court before Mr Wyvern Wilson and was remanded till August 2fitli. when it is probable oilier charges will be laid. SAWMILL ACCIDENT. TADMARAXUI. Aug. 18. Alexander Peterson, married, working on a breaking down bench at Malkin’s mill. Kakalii. was struck on the bead by a flying block. lie was taken to the hospital wdiere on operat ion w as i performed. FOUND DEAD. TAUMARUNUI, August 19. C. Lime, a well-known resident ol Otangiwai, was found dead in bed vesterdav morning. Deceased bad been managing a iarm lor the last 2 years and iit the time of bis death was awaiting the arrival of his successor prior to taking up bis own larm at Otorohanga. He leaves a wile and eight children. A FORGERY CHARGE. , GISBORNE. August. 19. Erai Tc Toma, was committed lor sentence for forging his brother s name to a land board voucher for 911. SHUNTING ENQUIRY. PALMERSTON X.. August 19. The Railway Board set up to investigate .shunting conditions at Palmerston North commenced its sitting this morning, the personnel ol the Board being:’ . Brown. District Traf!i<- Manager. Wanganui (Chairman); 11. L. P. Smith. Assistant Railway Engineer (Auckland); J. K. Perry, shunter (Dunedin); S- Schofield, .shunter. (Christchurch) representing the A.S. iLS. advocates; M. .1. Mack. Secretary of the A.S.R.S., representing the men; \Y ,). Robertson, coaching foreman (Palmerston North), representing the local foremen in regard to whose competency certain allegations were made at the coroner’s inquiry into the death ~f late Shunter Carmichael, who died of injuries received in an accident at the local yards.

Mr Mack, ai the outset, said lie understood the chief duties of the ' Board were to enquire into the death or Shunter Carmichael and to ascertain whether shunting, always a dangerous occupation, could not be made satcr than at present appeared at .Palmerston North. He understood certain allegations bad been made against certain local officials who, to a degree, would be on their trial. He deemed it- only fair that they be represented by an advocate. He then proceeded to detail the evidence he proposed to call-

At*the Railway Enquiry, the Chairman explained that Mr Robertson was representing the officials against whom certain allegations were made. Matkin William Roberts was tlie first witness. He said he had nine years service in the Department. He came to Palmerston sixteen months ago as a shunter, although lie bad no previous experience of such in tlie yard. After detailing the accident to Carmichael lie said the conditions of the shunting yard were not eoiuieuinl to the men. Carmichael and the foreman nagged one another. Nagging upset Carmichael, wiTiy was always discussing the attitude of the foreman. Carmichael was nervous, and hightv strung, above the average. Tlie drainage yard was not all that could be desired. There was not a plentiful supply of good hand lamps and the

I lighting of the yard could he considerably improved. As a result of the condition of the yard, witness asked to be reduced to tablet porter, rather than take the risks of a shunter. MEAN AND CONTEMPTIBLE. AUCKLAND, August 19. At the Supreme Court, Ernest Alexander Cooper, aged 19, who pleaded I guilty to breaking, entering and theft at To Awainutu was sentenced to rcl formative detention for twelve months. | The accused stole money from a mail who had previously lent him. some. The Judge eharsicterised the theft as mean and contemptible.