DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1926, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

BY TELXGRAPB —PEEBB ASSN., COPYHIOHT. BIG PETROL FIR it DUNEDIN, Jan. G. Blazing petrol, floating on the tons of water that were poured on a fire by the brigade presented a new phase of re fighting to the City Brigade tonight. The first big petrol fire here broko out in the basement of the New Zealand Motor and Engineering Company, in Dowling Street, in the centre of one of tlie busiest Mocks. The adjoining ■ warehouse of Sargood. Son and Ewcn, was menaced, but, after a great fight, in intense beat and suffocating benzine fumes, tlie Brigade extinguished the fire, which was confined to the basement, where out of eight cars stored there, four wore badly damaged, and three others were scorched. One car, valued at £IOOO, and privately owned, was covered with a tarpaulin and it escaped undamaged, all the other ears, with the exception of one. owned b.v J.

Niven and Co., Macnwlrew Bay, and valued at £195. which was damaged considerably, were owned by the Company. On the floor above twenty-three ears, all nearly now and of expensive makes, were stored, but tho Brigade prevented the fire burning through tlie wooden floor. The building and contents were insured in the T.O.A. office, but the amounts are not ascertainaoie.

ELECTROCUTED. EEILDING. Jan. G. Joseph Sonthee. a married man. with three children, was electrocuted this afternoon. Death was almost instantaneous. He was employed by the Manawatu-Oroun Power Board, and | was engaged with a gang on the work of changing over the local system, i which has previously boon owned by the I Borough. .Souther was working near

| tlie top of a pole, and came in contact j with a live wire. He fell back on to j the wires. He gasped for a few seconds. Ilis rescue was immediate, but attempts at resuscitation failed. Dr Cameron arrived a few minutes later, and could only pronounce life extinct. This is the second fatality in j Feilding among the employees of tho Power Board within twelve months. FALSE PRETENCES. WELLINGTON, Jan. G. James Reginald Revernall. travelI ter. described as having arrived from | Australia on December 7tli, and as , known to the police there, was eharg-

! od at the Magistrate's Court with obtaining serge worth £32 from George and Doughty hy false pretences. He "'as not permitted to take the goods when he ordered them, hut later paid for them hy chei|ue. which was dishonoured, he having opened an account in « hank and deposited £1 70s. He was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. MrXFRCKXT IUCQI'P.ST. A I'CKI.AXI). dan. 6. The trustees of the .fiihileo Institute for the Ulinil have received a generous gift of £IOOO from .Mrs 11. \. Massey, and Miss M. f. Massey, as a conlrihnlion towards the cost of the new buildings urgently required hy the Institute. Mrs Massey, in a letter to the trustees, states that it is in memory of her late husband, Horatio A. Massey, who died at Invercargill in Decmber, 1023. He had himself intended making a gift to the Institute.

THEFT OF A S\V\\G. BIJFIXH EIM, Jan. 7

George Cuthhert Turnbull. alias Harry Campbell, wa.s sentenced to two months in the Wellington Gaol this morning by Justices on a charge of theft of his mate’s swag, to which he pleaded guilty.

BRITISH BOWLERS. PALMERSTON N., Jan. 7 The British Bowlers (arrived this morning. They .are playing against eight Alanawatu Centre Rinks this afternoon mid leave for AYellington tomorrow. DEATH FR.OAI INJURIES DUNEDIN. Man. 7. Osgood Harry Ourr. aged 10, who was injured while diving at Brighton on January 2nd. Inis died in the hospital. An inquest was opened and adjourned. INSURANCES. DUNEDIN. Jan. 7. The insurances in the Motor Engineering Coy’s fire are .£OOOO on the building and £5700 on tho cars and fittings in the Insurance Office of Australia. Ltd.

FALSE PRETENCES, AUCKLAND, Janunrv

The story of how six people parted with nearly £6OO on the representation of Robert Ruff, 45. that he was about to start a factory for the manufacture of homo made delicacies, was told at the police court this morning, when Ruff pleaded guilty to four charges of obtaining money by false pretences. John Reed, labourer, stated he borrowed £lO2 from a friend and gave it to Ruff. He got in touch with him through an advertisement. He said he was going to commence business at Auckland for the manufacture of jams and pickles and wanted the money to purchase the plant. John Henry and Frederick Ryder stated they paid £240 for a third share each in the business. Herbert Bately stated he paid £l4l for a half share. Kenneth Reid paid £SO for a half share and Mary Rudely £55 lO.s for a half share and got £l6 back in small sums. Detective Hammond stated the accused admitted the offence. He also admitted getting £2OO from two other men. Ruff was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.