DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 December 1925, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[Til lEI/EGSIPH FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] FATAL COLLISION. NEW PLYMOUTH, Dec. 28. A motor cycle fatality occurred yesterday near Oakura, when Tom Northern, 21, son of an Awakino storekeeper, was killed, and Valentine Green, 20, farm labourer, was seriously injured. Apparently they tried to pass each other while abreast of a motor ear and collided. Northern had his skull fractured and still'ered a compound fracture of the ankle. INQUEST A DJOU BN ED. TIM ARC. Dec. 28. An inquest was opened on the body of- an unknown man. found on the beach on December 25. Medical evidence showed that the body was that of an adult about sft Biu in height. There was no sign of injury prior to death. There was a slight bowing of the loft forearm, duo to an old fracture. Deceased’s age was probably between twenty and thirty, and evidently lie had not been used to hard work. Death probably took place from three to six weeks ago. Police evidence showed a tattoo mark on tlie right forearm consisting of a heart pierced with an arrow, with the letters V. . I. thereon. The shirt, bore the name 11. TV. Scott. The inquest was adjourned sine die to enable the police to make further inquiries regarding indentiti cation. WELLINGTON ITEMS. WELLINGTON. Dee. 28. The yacht Maim when leaving Wellington for the Sounds went ashore it Chaffers. Passage, on the western side of the harbour entrance, though the i/f tlqe harbour oulnuice, but got <ll later very damaged, though the trip was postponed for repairs to bo effected. Two large sunspots groups were visible, one near tile eastern edge, and the other southwest from the centre of the sun, according to Mr G. \ ■ Hudson, of Karori. Both arc visible to the naked eye through smoked glass. Throe smaller groups appear in the western hemisphere.

Eire in the oilier ol the Co-operative Dairy Producers’ .Freezing Coy. at the works. Pipitea Point, damaged the contents before the brigade was able to suppress the (lames, bill a spread to the rest of the premises (which are four storeys in wood, iron and concrete) was in-evented. The origin is unaccountable.

The Director General of Health. (Dr. Yalintine) received the following message from the Director General ol Health at Sydney, regarding the outbreak of infantile, paralysis: “The position is satisfactory and no need whatever for any restrict ions on travelling.” . . , The Ruapehu; which arrived yestwdav from London with 2(52 assisted immigrants, made a record run ol thitry-seven days from Southampton. Unusually fine weather was experienced. An assistant- steward, Cecil Davison, aged forty-two. died on Ihe voyage and was buried at sea. MARAROA’S PASSENGERS. DUNEDIN. Dec. 27. One hundred and ninety passengers arrived at Dunedin this afternoon by Hie Mnraroa on her second voyage from Wellington direct. The vessel made a smart trip of twenty-live hours from whorl to wiiarl, at an aveiago speed of 13.6 knots. Practically all 11 10 passengers are Exhibition visitors, and 135 will have their meals and sleep on board during the vessel's stay of three days. There is- every indication Hint- ibis new service is liecoming more popular, as is shown by the increased number of passengers this I rip. The travellers were highly delighted, as they had a most enjoyable trip, the weather being c.xeeplionallv line and the sea smooth.

PRESBYTERIAN BIBLE CLASS UNION. OAMARU. Dec. 25. The majority year conference of Hie Presbyterian Bible 1 lass 1 liion opened here io-day. Never in the history of Oauiarn has there been such an in||ox. of young folk as Ibis year. The thousand registration mark has been reached and registered delegates have arrived from all parts of the Dominion. A perfectly planned and manysided programme has been arranged. A civic welcome was extended by the Mayor (Mr Jas. M'Diarmid) * hi.- evening. and addresses were given by ihe Moderator of the Oamaru Presbytery, the president ol Bn- Ministers As.sOcintion and the presivk-ut r»i the local executive. I la- Rev. R. M. Kyburti. Diivrinr of Youth Work. replied on behalf of Ihe delegates. ’ll;/* callipers are at-i-ninainda! ed in various primary sehonls and to-morrow morning will form themselves into s t lid v circles. wli.ieh will llli-Ct every morning during the contcrcnre, which is expected lo lasi leu days. Oil Monday the Young Women’s Union will In.id ii-; annual business meeting, and ill the evening the Rev I.Vm-gr Miller. ox-Moderntor of the General Assembly, will lie the sneaker. Each morning during the conference the delegates will divide into sectional meetings, whore special studies of Bible Class and Sunday School problems will he made. The afternoons will he given over to recreation. and various functions have been arranged. Tht' weather conditions art- ideal and indical ii/ns point lo the rnnlereiiro being a great .suc-cosk. DROWNED SWIMMING A CREEK. AUCKLAND, December 28. Albert Cecil Thompson, a resident of Swanson, aged 21. was drowned while swimming a. creek with, iwo other men.

FIRE IN ATCKLAXD. AIT-KLAND. Dee. 26. Examination of the Government Life Insurance Building where the fire occurred on Thursday night revealed that the Stock Exchange and Firth Pumice Company’s offices were a total loss. Every article of furniture was destroyed and walls and ceilings were left gaping. Gillespie’s two rooms wore also swept by the, flames, hut the desks and cupboards were not so burned as to ruin their contents. The passageway on the first floor was badly scorched and the room occupied hy .8. Thorne George, sharebroker, suffered slightly from smoke and witter. The damage hy water is more extensive in the rooms on the ground floor occupied by Hendry and Hay, sharebrokers, and J. Wafts and Co., spoiling goods importers. No water reached the front portion of the building, used as the office of tin' Government Life Insurance Department. The furnishings of the Stock Exchange and of Gillespie’s office were insured in the Eagle, Star and British Dominions office for £l9O each. The contents of the office of the Firth Pumice Company were also insured. Apart from the damage to the" furnishings. considerable structural damage has been dune to the three offices which formed the centre of (he outbreak.

ATI! COMPRESSOR. EXPLOSION. WFI.LIXOTOX. Dee. 28. Apparently the failure of a safety valve on a compressor, used for the supply of free air for motor tyres caused a startling explosion in the Slater building. I.nmbtnn Quay, this morning. The concussion was so terrific that it wrecked two office,-. and a storeroom. Two men in one of the offices were cut about the turns hy flying glass, but the room In which the explosion occurred was, fortunately, unoccupied. The room is used by Firestone Tyres, Ltd., for the air compressor which is capable of withstanding a. pressure of 250 pounds, but there is a safety valve which comes into play at 200 pounds, but apparently this must have jammed. The explosion wrecked the timbers of the room, the electric motors, gas meter.? and cracked the concrete walls. Tt also wrecked a big glass partition between the offices. MOTOR CYCLING. OPOTIKI. Dec. 23. The motor cycle middle-weight championship of New Zealand, ten miles, resulted: Moller (New Plymouth! 1; McCready (Now Plymouth) 2 : Herbert (Auckland) 3. Time 8.46.