DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 November 1925, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TEIiEGBSPH PEB PBESS ASSOCIATION.!

SEAMEN FINED. NAPIER, Nov. 10

A sequel to a street brawl, in "which five seamen front the steamer A\ aitemata and three members of the police force wore involved, was heard by the Alagistrate this afternoon. The seamen had I won drinking, and when cautioned by the police to moderate their language launched an offensive. After ton minutes’ encounter the police succeeded in arresting two offenders. Th« Alagistrate did not wish to retard tin progress of the ship, so fined Diehard Morgan £1 I 11s fid, and Thomas Duke £lO. George Trillo. who assisted tho seamen against the police was fined £6. A number of seamen in Court raised the amount to pay Trillo’s fine.

NURSING HOAIE CLOSED

AUCKLAND. Nov. 10

A private nursing home in Owen’s road. Epsom, has been closed becauso there are four definite eases of a certain condition, two of which cases had 'developed a temperature after leaving the institution.

The Health Department sent all tho patients home and took other precautions. The place is not to he used as a nursing home in future.

HOBART TOAVN JACK. AUCKLAND, November 1]

An extraordinary ease of mistaken identity has been revealed. The body of a man that was found in the harbour last Saturday was identified as that of John Gallagher, also called “Hobart Town Jack,” aged 70 years, lie was identified hy a man who said that he was a friend of his of 15 years’ standing, and the body was buried on Monday, it being stated that tho members of his family attended the funeral.

It was found to-day, however, that Mr Gallagher was alive in Ness A'allev, Papakura. This fact is vouched for hv his sou.

Questioned regarding the position, Mr E .K. I fun I, S.M., the coroner, who presided at the inquest, said that he considered that there should he no great difficulty. He emphasised that the inquest had not been concluded and no verdict had been given. A written notification that he was alive would probably he required Iron! Air Gallagher, or else, what would he more conclusive, he could attend, with Hie witness who identified him as the deceased. Probably also it would be necessary to exhume the body ol the deceased for further identification.

Air Hunt thought that it would be in his iiutver, as coroner, to make tho order for the exhumation, but that could lie decided hy relorence to tho Statutes. AUCKLAND. November Id. An unusual ease ol mistaken identity followed the recovering of a body from tho harbour near the fish market. The body was identified by friends as that of John Gallagher, aged 72, whose wife and lamilv reside at Mount Eden. The body was removed to the home where it was viewed by sorrowing relatives. An inquest was opened and evidence of identification was given, hut the. proceedings were adjourned in the absence of information as to how the body got into the wafer. The body was buried on Monday. Yesterday a uric .paper reporl ~i ■ In' happening iva- notned hy a ( hvedoti resident, who declared that lie had seen Gallagher alive on Saturday. AAord was sen[ to Auckland and Gallagher s eldest son visited Ness \ alley esterda v afternoon to satisiy hiiusell. he cause he was among those who identified the body as that of his father. Young Gallagher found 1 1 i- lather in a wliarc a couple of miles beyond ( lovedon.

It is not anticipated any difficulty will arise regarding the re-establish-ment of Gallagher's status as the coroner lias not given his verdict, hut the body will probably have to he exhumed in an endeavour to clear up the dead man's identitv.

CAR STRIKES LOG. CHRISTCHURCH. November 11. Through striking a log. which probable fell from a load of timber being taken along .Marshland road, a motor car carrying A. W. Jamieson and several relatives and a friend, was overturned, and the occupants were thrown out. Jamieson suffered a broken collarbone, Alas Jamieson cuts on the head and lace, shock and slight concussion, R. I). .Jamieson a broken shoulder hone and a strained shoulder; and Aliss E. llavward n bruised arm and general shock.

The log was a heavy one. and could not. he removed without tho services of two men. The driver of the car steered the front wheels clear, but tlie log caught in the hack wheel, stripping out spokes and turning the ear over to hump along several yards on its side, and become badly damaged.

WAGON CAPSIZES WELLINGTON. November 11. One of the State Coal Department’s heavy steam wagons got out of control mi the severe grade at Yogeltown this afternoon, and ended up with a crashing capsize near the bottom of tho hill. The driver, Sydney James, escaped with minor burns and bruises, hut the other occupant of tho eah, George Bloomfield, sustained injuries necessitating his removal to the hospital. Even so. both were lucky in getting ofi as they did. The roadway was so steep that the wheels skidded, and the driver, to avoid going over a bank into a creek, turned the wagon so that it would crash into a bank on the other side of the road.

OBITUARY. NAPIER, November 11. The death took place of Captain James Thomson, master of the steamer Waitemata. now in the Napier port He arrived at Napier feeling ill on .Monday, and entered a private hospital. hut died this morning. He was unmarried, and was aged 49 years. Ho was for many years in the service of the Union Company.

AfATLS DESPATCH. WELLINGTON. November 12. Since the present mail contract commenced oil Ist April, 1924, there have heon six occasions on which mails from Wellington reached London in 28 days, hut the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department has announced a new record, inasmuch as mails which left Wellington on October 13th i>er Alakura, via Frisco, arrived in London on November 9th, twenty-seven days after despatch.