DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 July 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH —rER’ PRESS ASSOCIATION.] MINISTER DEAD. , INVERCARGILL, July 12. Rev. Robert Francis of Bluff and formerly of Oust, Canterbury, and Opotiki died on Saturday after a brief illness. He was sixty-four -years of age and is survived by a widow and a grown up family.

CHARGE OF ABDUCTION. GISBORNE, July 10. Alfred Harry Jones, a farm hand, o Ormond, was charged this morning oi charges of abduction and of indecent assault in regard to a thirteen and. a half-year-old girl. The evidence showed that Jones took tho girl from Gisborne to Rotorua, where he was arrested. At tlio"suggestion of the Magistrate, the indecent -assault charge was withdrawn, there being no evidence in .support of it. On tho charge of abduction, accused’s statement was that lie took the child away because she was having a hard life at home. He intended taking her to his father’s place at Darga vilie. Medical evidence showed that there had been no interference. Accused pleaded guilty to tho charge of abduction and was committed to Auckland for sentence. EARTHQUAKES AND ERUPTIONS. AUCKLAND, July 10. Mr Frederick R. Field, who lias met with some success in the prediction of earthquakes, in a letter to the Press states that Mount, Ngaurtihoc’s activity tad been forecasted on June 11, and hough based on meagre data, had

! proved satisfactory so far. Its accur- : acy from now until mid-September had ; yet to be tested, but increased activity between July 21 hand 27 could: be lookled for and -a greater eruption about 1 August 22. The critical times for the whole world would come' about J lily 27 and August 22. Auckland was not likely to suffer any severe shock, Iriit some of tho‘central and southern parts of Now ijealand were far less secure. The critical times in 1927 Jor earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in New Zealand will come about April 30, Juno I 1 to 7, August 31 and September 26. PNEUMONIC CASES.

AUCKLAND,. July 12. Five fresifi cases of pneumonic in lluenza were reported to the Auckland Health Department during the week end. They came from tho city, Te. kauwhata, Rotorua, Hamilton, anc Pukekolie. The case from the lastmentioned place proved fatal. This makes a total of 27 cases and six deaths in the province for the .month of July. , CASHIER ADMITS THEFTS. ' , NELSON, July 12. Cyril Alfred Spencer, aged 25, pleaded guilty to receiving £lO and failing to account for it, and of committing thefts of various sums amounting to £124, the property of the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association of Canterbury, of which firm lie was cashier and ledger keeper at Nelson. Ho was committed to the Supreme Court, 'Wellington, for sentence. SHOPKEEPERS’ OBJECTION. •INVERCARGILL, July 12. At a meeting of the- Invercargill

Small Shop Keepers’ Association tonight, tlio following resolutions were passed:— “ That this meeting of Invercargill small shopkeepers resent the attempt to close all the shops at between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. daily, ns by so doing most of the small shopkeepers-through-out New Zealand will he compelled to close altogether.” “ That a copy of the above resolution he sent to Sir Joseph Ward, and that ho he asked to oppose any proposed legislation that would mean earlier closing' for the small shops.” FATALTIES. WELLINGTON, July 12. At the inquest into the death of John SaiVuiel Taylor, killed by a Corporation bus on the night of July 2, in Cambridge Terrace, the Coroner said that apparently deceased did not know the bus was so close when he stepped off the pavement. The driver had taken all step’s possible to avoid the accident. .Had ho had a little more time lie would have cleared the deceased. A verdict of accidental death was returned. WAGE CONFERENCE ENDS. WELLINGTON. July 12. The conference which has been proceeding since the beginning of last week over the seamen’s dispute, has concluded. Some matters were agreed upon, while some were not. Both parties agreed to accept the decision of Mr Page, S.M., which will he given in a few days. NOTED NUN’S DEATH. 1 CHRISTCHURCH, July 12. The death occurred in the Convent Ferry Road, on Sunday morning last of Mother Mary Emmanuel of the Sisters of Notre Dame Des Missions, at the age of 79 years. The mueli-loved mother died in the 57th. year of her religious life. The late Mother Mary Emmanuel was a native of Lyons, France, and she made the journey out to New Zealand 48 years ago. - Since that time, Mother Mary Emmanuel has done devoted service in. the numerous Convents belonging tt> the Sisters of Notre Dame Des Missions, both in the North and South Island. At the time of her death, she was the Provincial Econome of her order. THE MYSTERY CLEARED. DUNEDIN, July 12. After Robert Johnsone, -aged SO years, was found on Sunday evening in a street near the hospital with a knife wound in his stomach, an operation was performed at the hospital, and foul play was at first suspected, hut the mystery was cleared up by the injured man, who made a statement to-day to the effect that he fell on the knife while pursuing his pet Persian cat to feed it. lie is not dangerously ill. SENT FOR. TRIAL. AUCKLAND, July 12. As a sequel to a motor bus accident on May I.7th when a motor bus struck a pole in Manukau, the driver, Alfred Hebg, was charged in the Police Court with negligently driving the bus, thereby causing the death of Lorine Taylor, a passenger. In his statement to the police, tho accused said that he was going at 15 to 20 miles an hour at the time and was adjusting the windscreen owing to the interior of the bus being "cry Wjflrm. In trying to push up the windscreen, the bus must have swerved to the left. Passengers in evidence said the

bus was not going at an exce speed. . - > At the conclusion of the evid< | tho Magistrate said that he ag with the counsel for the accused the ease should lie dealt with sunn ily. Ho did not see why the should go to the Supreme Court i I all the expense. An adjournment was made for Police Sergeant to confer with his perior officers, and on resuming, Sergeant said it had been decided ease was serious, and came yithiii scape of the section under which was laid. The accused pleaded not guilty, : was committed to the Supreme Co for trifll.

a . FOOTBALLERS SUSPEND® 0. ■s DUNEDIN, July 12 i- At to-night’s meeting of O.R.F’.U. the case of D. McMeeking, , Ivaikorni Club, and an Otago rep pi; or, who was ordered off the ground . Saturday for striking a Uiiivers nl.-iyer in a match against Vars 5 A, was dealt with. After evidence h 1 been beard a. motion that McMeckl | be suspended was defeated, as -,v • also xm amendment that ho be n ponded for four playing Saturdays. A further amendment that .McAfee ing lie suspended for the remainder the season, w.-.is carried. At a mooting of the Otago Eootli: Association to-night, the incident' connection with the Maori Hil]-Hi«: School Old Boys match played the pr vious week, was re-opened. When tl case came-before the Otago Footba Association on-Monday night last, tl referee stated that ho was jostled b a player named Martin, and.struck !, someone whoso identity was m known to him. At to-night’s meeting the evidence of two witnesses wa heard, to the effect that Martin wa responsible for the Wow struck. Af ter some discussion, it was decided t suspend ALartiti • until the end of tin 1927 season, instead of until the cm of 1926 season, as'decided at 1 the lire vious mooting. infuenza. DUNEDIN, July 13. Since Sunday, two suspected cases ol pneumonia- influenza, have- been hospitallcd and the families isolated.