DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 May 1926, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAM—I'ER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] BADLY GASSED. DUNEDIN, May 17. William Stewart and Frederick Logie, painters, employed by tlie Union Steamship Company, were badly gassed by fumes on board the oversea steamer Port Hardy on Saturday evening. The vessel had been fumigated and the men were taking off the hatches to allow the fumes to escape when they i.ere overcome. They were admitted to ti e hospital in a serious condition but have since improved. ACCIDENT AT TINWALD. ASHBURTON, May 14. Passengers on the Mount Somers train this morning experienced a sharp jolting when the engine collided with a cow that had wandered on the lino in the Tinakl station yard, and was jammed between the carriages and the station platform. A waggon was derailed ami the track slightly damaged, with the result that a delay of seventeen minutes was experienced before tli train could proceed. Fortunately the train was pulling up when the cow got on the line. The animal was killed. The damage to the permanent way did not delay through traffic. KEEPING EPIDEMICS OFT OF THE DOMINION. CHRISTCHURCH, May 17. An assurance that the Health Department was taking every precaution against the epidemic of small-pox in Los Angeles and the epidemic of pneumonic influenza in Victoria spreading to New Zealand, was given by the ITon J. A. Young, Minister of Health, on Saturday night.

With regard to the outbreak of inllueuza in Australia, the Minister said that the Department was fully aware of all that was happening and was taking all precautions. The DirectorGeneral of Health, Dr Valintine, had remained in Wellington in ease of the

necessity arising for urgent action to be taken, but now that the Deputy-Director-General. Dr M. If. Watt, bad returned to the Dominion, Dr Valintine would be available to visit a number of districts for the purpose of conferring with ' hospital hoards on problems and questions that require urgent attention.

Speaking of the small-pox outbreak in Los Angeles and the Eastern Pacific, Hie Minister said that tlie Department was being kept informed of Hie matter the whole time and all developments were reported. In consequence of a case having been brought from tho other side of the world to Australia a few weeks ago instructions had been issued to all pore health officers to exercise the utmost vigilance so as to prevent the entry of the disease into New Zealand. .MAN AND BOAT DISAPPEAR. WANGANUI, -May 17. Mr Slight, of Gonville, reports that while he was watching the river from Inlay early on Wednesday afternoon he inliecd a man in a boat endeavouring to pull in a log floating down stream, and that the boat and the man disappeared.

The police have now obtained two other witnesses who saw a man struggling with a log for. an hour and a half, lie started from the bight near Lamlgunrd Bluff, and suddenly both he and the boat disappeared.

A search has been made, but no trace of the man or boat lias been discovered. The affair is shrouded in mystery. as no one has so far been reported missing, but a theory is that tho occupant of the boat may have been a Maori and that it may he a few days before his friends will miss him. The river was in flood at the time.

TRAM CAR. IN FLAMES. j CHRISTCHURCH. May 17. ! Passengers on the 9.5 a.m. tram from the Square to Riecnrton on Saturday had an alarming experience when tho car was in the neighbourhood of Dean’s Avenue. Without any warning smoke and flames .and strong fumes broke through from ttie under-gear of the ear, causing considerable excitement among the passengers. Most of them were women, and a few became hysterical. I The ear was immediately stopped and the men made strenuous) endcav-l ours to get at the seat of the fire, but were very much embarrassed by the very strong fumes. Water and . sand had no apparent effect on the flames, and the situation became so alarming that the fire brigade had to be called in order to extinguish t'he outbreak. . It turned out later that a passenger line! taken a large bottle of carlxni <1 i - sulphide on to the tram and had placed it in a corner on the platform. The i rocking of the ear caused the bottle to ' lull over and the liquid found its way i to the electrical gear. The liquid then

ignited in some way. the Haines bursting through the woodwork. SUDDEN DEATH. OAMARU, May 17. Edwbrd McKenzie, 67, believed to he from Ashburton, died suddenly this morning at the Empire .Hotel, believed to he from natural causes. -MOTOR BUS ACCIDENT. AUCKLAND, .May 17. A bus owned by the Royal Motor Bus Coy. driven bv Peter Haig was coming from Onelinnga to tho city. M hen opposite the Epsom Methodist Church, it struck a telegraph post and was badly damaged. One p’assenger was killed and two others injured.

Lorine Taylor, aged thirty-three, a book-keeper to A. S. Paterson and Coy., residing with her sister at Onebtinga was found to be unconscious when jiieked up on the road bleeding from the head. She was put in the ambulance but died shortly after without regaining consciousness. Other victims were Eric Canliam, aged 21, single, residing at Mangere and Harry Roy, aged 22, Assistant-Secretary at the Auckland Power Board. Both are in tile hospital suffering from shock. Haig states he was driving at 15 to 20 miles an hour on second gear, having just come up the hill. Before striking the pole lie lc-’aned over to adjust one of the screens which was a full arm’s length away and the bus swerved on to the footpath and struck the telegraph post, which ripped the side of the bus as far Us the second seat. He saw two passengers fall from the bus and swerved out to avoid running over them with tho back wheels. Haig was regarded by his employers as a trustworthy driver.

SERIOUS ACCIDENT. INVERCARGILL, May 17. A serious aeident . occurred at Messrs Trail Bros, and Smithers’ mill at W'aipango, near Riverton, to-day, resulting in Charles Evans married, 50 years of ago, having both legs broken through a tree falling on him. The injured man was brought to the Riverton Hospital, lmt died on the way. The details of the accident are meagre. Deceased leaves a widow and three children. EXHIBITION RAILWAY RETURNS. DUNEDIN, May 17. During the Exhibition period, the number of passengers who arrived at Dunedin by the mail and express

trains was 225,169. In addition, 17 special trains fro Christchurch district brought 7,420; 35 specials from Invercargill district brought 27,327, and 20,918 arrived by 30 specials from centres in the Dunedin district. The grand total brought by the excursion and picnic trains in the local district was 20701, the revenue being £33,817. The grand total from Invercargill district was 72,745 passengers, and the revenue £1,176. FATAL ACCIDENT. PALMERSTON N., May 17. Through falling against a motor car and being knocked oil to the hard macadam in the Square, at six o’clock this evening, a man named Frith, a tea canvasser, sustained injuries from which he succumbed in the hospital less than two hours later. Further, particulars regarding the deceased are not yet available. X.Z.E.L CONFERENCE. AVELLINGTON, May 11. In opening the conference of the New Zealand Educational Institute, Air Coates paid a tribute to the splendid work of the teachers. He said the. desire of the Government was to provide every possible opportunity to every child to advance its future. He announced that as a result of tlie recent Commission on education, a Bill containing certain measures affecting education was being dratted, and it would be submitted to Parliament for consideration. Before this was done, however, those interested would have an opportunity of cunsidering and expressing an opinion on it. He spoke of the necessity of education to liackblocks children, and stressed tho value of agricultural education. He said he hoped the now agricultural college would be a\ ailable next year. BETTING FINE. AVELLINGTON, Aim- 17. AValter George Rodder, aged 50, was charged with using his shop as a common gaming house. He pleaded gml--Iy. The police said he was the agent of other bookmakers, and also that bis takings were about £3O per day, but probably over a period he . averaged £3O a week. lie was fined £3O.