DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 September 1925, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

BV TJS»,EOUAPH —PH KBS AEBN , COPYHIUHI. Ti IKX 1 >EUST( HUMS AT Oil AKI NK. OUAKI’N 10, Sept. IS). Two terrific electric storms passed over Olinkune ami Raetihi at 7.. A!) lasi and al I .do this morning. 'I in* thunder .shook the buildings and Oliakune was plunged into darkness tor half an hour, tliroueli a main l’u>e at the power house blowing out. The li;_dit also shattered a telegraph post at I tael iln. .MOTOR C VOLK KATA LITY. ASiIIiKIMOX, Keplemhcr I’l. A fatal motor cycling accident occurred on the .Main South road on Saiurdav morning. Martin William hallow *JJ. single, sustained a fractured skull. ha I fey was travelling from north to Ashburton ami hall a mile on tb.e Ashburton side ot Dromore the cycle apparently skidded and threw hint. Xo one witnessed tin* accident, two vonne- men lindine him lyino on the road and he was dead before the doctor could arrive.

BODY FOUND. AKII BURTON. September 21. Tl:c body ol Francis ( alsrey. otherwise known as Frank Hobson, aged 7.1. was found In the Ashburton River on Sunday morning. ('alsrey who resided at Tinwald and was better known ns “ The Britisher ” bad been missing from ho nit* lor soim* linn*. ST I* I K E DECK Al* HI) UK K. GISBORNE. September 21. Tbe Tokomaru Bay b ree/.ing Works have received word officially Iron! the Freezing Workers’ Union, that the strike which occurred at the close ol last season has lieen declared oil', so no trouble is anticipated when the new killing season opens. A HEAVY BLOW. AUCKLAND, September 21. A severe westerly gale occurred during the week-end. Tbe frame work ol a new house at Mount Albert was levelled and some ol tbe materia! was blown a distance. Felices were wrecked and window panes cracked by the force of the gale which on the west coast reached almost hurricane force. It lifted the roof of the signalman’s bouse at Manukatt Deads and carried toe wreckage half a mile away. The bar is unworkable since Saturday all ei-noon.

PECULIAR EATALITA*. TIAI A RU. September 2!

A fatality of an unusual nature occurred nL Orari on Saturday afternoon when a young man. Michael Al,avion, was killed by an electric shock whilst measuring the height of the transmission line from Coleridge.

The evidence at the inquest showed that deceased was endeavouring to ascertain the height of the wires by means of a Cliestermnn metallic tape. The tape was carried hv the wind along the wire to a pole where it touched an iron guard and produced sparks. 'I he deceased received a shock I coin which i-.c died live minutes later. The Coroner added the following rider:- ” In my opinion, explicit instructions lor -safeguarding the lives of men should have been issued by those it, authority when giving orders to men to measure the line.

FIRE AT STRATFORD. STRATFORD. September 21. A lire earlv on Sunday morning destroyed three old wooden buildings in Broadway with the contents. There was a heavy gale at the time. The premises included BrocklehauU. fruiterer. and the Broadway Tea Rooms. The insurances, so tar aseortainaolc, are about .£1(100. ANOTHER CAR ACCIDENT. NELSON. Sept. 21. Frig Sinclair of Tahunanui, Nelson, (represntative of Hayman and Co. 'Wellington). Geo. Tilley of Nelson (representative of Thompson Bros. 'Wellington) and Campbell, were returning to Nelson from Afurchison on Saturday evening during heavy rain and snow, when the ear went over a bank near Hope Junction. Upper Buller Valley. Sinclair wta.s (seriously injured, bar the others escaped with bruises. The accident occurred at an isolated s|>ot. and it was some time !>efore assistance fives secured. One man stayed with Sinclair while the other had to walk three miles for assistance. Nelson hospital was communicated with at midnight, and an ambulance with two men and a nurse immediately

set out returning at- nine on Sunday morning after a long journey over a dangerous road, considering the weather canditions. Sinclair is suffering from grave spinal injuries,

LEOPARD STILL AT LARGE . AUCKLAND, Sept. 21. The leopard which escaped from the zoo lias had live nights of liberty. Volunteers scoured the countryside with dogs on Saturday successfully, hut otherwise an organised search has been abandoned as there is little hope of capture till tbe animal is seen and proper bents arranged. Meantime eight zoo attendants, armed with guns and clubs are stationed at the most likelv points. KILLED BV A TREE. HASTINGS. Sept. 21. The two and a half year old son ol Albert A. Jones was struck yesterday by a pine tree which was blown down by n gale. His skull was fractured and iiis arm broken, the child dying almost, instantly. BILLIARD SALOON BURNT. GORE. Sept. 21. Daly’s billiard room at the rear of the Bridge Hotel, Matatira was destroyed by fire at the week end. The building, tables, etc, were destroyed, and were valued by the owner al £2.0!).). Insurance is unavailable.