DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 March 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[bt telegraph—rEß tress association. 3

LORRY FATALITY

DUNEDIN, -March 27

When a Public Works lorry was returning from road construction works at Mount Cargill 011 I' inlay evening it plunged 20 feet over a bank. William Heed, single, was buried under the wreckage and almost instantly killed. Kenneth McKenzie sustained a broken leg and four other men including the driver, Frederick Cole, superficial injuries. The lorry was wrecked. All examination showed an important nut was missing from the radius rod of the steering gear which was sufficient to cause loss of control. Cole states that he found the vehicle failed to steer, just before tbo smash. s UPEIIA XX UAT [OX B( >A RD. WEEUXGTOX. March 27. The. [.{nilway Superannuation Knud Board election resulted in the election of the following: John Robertson, representative of the first division. North Island ; Thomas Dobson Webster, reprea.uitative of the first division. South Island; Ernest Dash. Oliver Thomas Carlyle and Robert William Alexander. representatives of the second d vision. MO.XHY ORDER THEFTS. 1f AM ILTOX, Mardh 28 The police arrested and brought before Air Wyverii Wilson at Hamilton a young married man. named Charles Joseph Hugh Curry, aged 8.1 years, on a elmrge of stealing 21-1 2s 97f, the property of the Post and Telegraph Department at Hamilton, hy whom llio was employed until recently in tho .Money Order Branch. He was remanded until April 3rd. Bail was granted in two sums of CIOO each. It is understood that further charges are pending. (•RACE TERRITORIALS.

NELSON*, March 27. 'The C Company of the Nelson, Blenheim and West Coast Regiment (the holders) have again won tho Passmore Shield as the best company in the Southern Command, obtaining 520 points against Oamnru (140) and Ashburton (381), and the Company will now represent the command for tho Campbell Statuette. LORRY WRECKED. CHRISTCHURCH. March 28. A train collided with a motor lorry at tiro Templeton railway crossing. Eye-witnesses of the accident state that both the lorry and tile train were travelling slowly. The driver of the lorry E. Suckling, was thrown out of his scat by the impact, anti landed in front of the engine. There lie was picked tip by the projecting cow-catcher, and thrown aside, anti was so saved from certain death. His injuries, however, were still severe. He was taken to I fie hospital, whore it was found that he had sulFerctl a fracture of the skull and other sere re head injuries. The. motor lorry was complete! wrecked. To-day it, was reported that Suckling’s conditions had improved. PA LA I ERSTOX Kl RE. PALMERSTON' X.. March 28. A disastrous fire occurred early this morning, when Liu; seed-cleaning and food-mixing factory of A. ,1. Painter. ! id., was totally destroyed by fire. Two large two-storey wooden buildings comprised tbo factory. The plant was one of up-10-tlalo cleaning and mixing machines. All that remains are a few heaps of tangled machinery and Inirnt slacks of grain seed. When discovered, the lire had a powerful hold. The Brigade had to confine itself to protecting the adjoining business premises. Fori utiaiely there it ns no wind blowing, and the firemen, nller a strenuous light, prevented the spread of the lire to one ot Palmet.--tonks lending business blocks. Included in the losses were Iwo large motor trucks. The company arc heavy losers over the insurance, which aggregates leu thousand pounds. GIRL’S FACE MUTILATED. AUCKLAND. March 27. Mavis AI act*, aged about nineteen years, sustained a lorrible wound on the face. If was caused hy a rifle bullet. Her brother had left his miliLarv rifle tit. home. Aliss Aiace was alone in the house. Neighbours, hearing a- scream, rushed in and caught Airis Aiace as she fell. with blood streaming from her face. dll? bullet had entered the left nostril, blowing the side of her nose away, and shattering her right cheek lame. She is now in the hospital, and is in a serious condition.

The girl’s mother states that her daughter was a bright, jolly girl. Ihe accident, therefore, is an aboslute mystery. As far ns she knew, her daughter had nothing to worry about. It is understood that the girl was cleaning the gun.

SHEEP STRAI/IXG CHARGES. HASTINGS, March 27

TTcnrv Wood, shepherd, in charge ol the To .Wata Station, at Havelock North., the property of "William Hielimond. sheep farmer, and meat exporter of Hastings, was committed for trial :tt Napier cm June Bth. on live charges of stealing 37 sheep— eighteen of them the property of Richmond, 13 ol unknown. ownership, and six belonging to a sheep farmer named \\ hite—ol a total value of £4O. Ike was also committed on a charge of the theft oi three cattle belonging to Richmond, amounting in value to £2o. and on one ch.ugc of theft of wool, belonging to Richmond. valued at £l2. Two other charges were adjourned. [V was alleged that the. thefts took place at various dates from April, l!)2o. to February, 1926. The bearing Ims lasted two clays and a. half.

NELSON EaTATJTY. NELSON. March 27

A sad fatality occurred at Bainham Cheese Factory'between nine and ten o’clock this morning. The factory manager, .Mr West was found _ shot dead in the Secretary’s office, m the factory. West had borrowed a. hammerless gim to shoot some stray cats that had been causing some annoyance. Lt is thought that his not being acquainted with the mechanism bad resulted in the gun being accidental y discharged. The shot entered the body over the heart. Heath must have been instantaneous. West weighed in the milk this mm nirm. and about ten o’clock, his assistant. not noticing him about, went to look for him. and found him The assistant did not hear the »hot fiied, as ho was in the engine room part of the time, and would not hear a oroat deal from the outside. - West was about 2S years of age. He had been in charge of the factory since January of last year. Hi_ -me originally from Rongotea. NoitL Iland.

TE V CHER S’ PROTEST. OAMARU, March 27

T l, e Waitaki Sub-branch of the Teachers’ Institute have taken strong exception to the Minister’s remarks .. tll at he would hardly recognise the pupils of the Junior High Schools as the old Fifth and Sixth Standards of the Primary School,” as being extrava yant and uncalled for, and an undeserved slur on the primary system.