DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 August 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] OPOSSUM TRAPPING. LEGAL POINT RAISED. WELLINGTON, Aug. 13. Charges of taking opossums with rabbit traps placed off the ground, and failing to visit the traps daily, killing opossums out of season and without a license were preferred against Alexander White and David AVhitc. Counsel raised the point that as the ch,argcs are being laid under the Acclimatisation Society’s regulations no charge could lio during the closed season. The Magistrate said bo would take time to consider the argument. A MAN KILLED. ■ AUCKLAND, Aug. 14. The dead body of a middle-aged man, A. F. Elliott, was found alongside the railway track at the Southdown crossing last night by flic driver of a train. There was a severe injury on the head. The body was placed on the train and brought to Auckland. How the fatality occurred| is not vet known. Deceased was a. resident of Man gore, and was employed by Buekland’s, Ltd. MOTORCYCLIST SERIOUSLY HURT CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 14. As the result of a collision between a motor cyclo and a tramcar, E. W. Adams was removed to the hospital suffering from a fractured skull. His condition is serious. BIBLE IN SCHOOLS. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 14. The Canterbury Labour Representation Committee on Saturday night placed on record its emphatic protest against the introduction of the Religious Instruction in Schools Bill. MOTOR RAIL OAR. WELLINGTON, Aug. 15. A great improvement lias been effected in the passenger service, on the Kurow-Oamaru branch railway lino by the introduction of a Clayton motorcar. The Kurow district is a widely scattered sheepfarming one. The late arrival of the daily trains made the hours of tbo arrival of farmers at their homes very inconvenient.

It seems probable, from the success that lias attended the tests of the Clayton motor, railway carriage in the south that this system of passenger transport will be extended to such of tins branch lines as suit it. The motor carriage is economical and comfortable. Following on the tests, Mr A. K. Harris. General Superintendent of the Railways transportation system, lias returned from the south.

SOUTHERN EXPRESS ACCIDENT, v ASHBURTON. Aug. 15. The south-hound Cliristcliurcli-luver-cargill express met with a mishap just south of Windermere, ten miles from Ashburton. The carriage next the engine was derailed, owing to the breaking of its back axle-box. The rear wheels came off the line, and the train continued for a quarter of a mile with the wheels ploughing up the permanent way.

The passengers suffered a severe jolting, hut none were injured. The engine continued on with the disabled ear to Hinds, two and a half miles away. The remainder of the train, fourteen cars, all filled with returning race-goers, remained meantime standing at the scene. The permanent way was not damaged beyond a disturbance of the ballast. A THEFT. WATMATE, Aug. .14. The premises of Mr W. Barford, baker, were entered between midnight and three in the. morning by way of an unlocked window. Between fifteen and twenty pounds was taken from the till and the bakers’ bags. The burglar was apparently disturbed by the arrival of a bakehouse band at three o’clock as be departed through the front door, leaving the door open. LANDBTRD KIT,LED. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 14. Landlord fell in the Steeplechase on Saturday and broke bis back, and was destroyed. man relieved to be drowned. AUCKLAND, August 14. L. R. Fitzpatrick, a resident of Huntly, reported missing, is believed to be drowned in the river. Searchers discovered his bicycle standing against a telegraph pole and bis cap on the edge of the river bank, where tlhere is a sheer drop of ten feet. The river was in high flood when bo disappeared.

DEATH OE A PRIEST. OAMARH, August 16. Right Rev. Monsignor Mnekay, aged So, died yesterday evening, after a, long illness. Ho was born in Banffshire and ordained in Paris in IS6S. Tie came to Dunedin in 1872; after bolding charges at Queenstown and Wakntipu goldfield for seventeen years he was appointed to Oama.ru in 1890, retiring near the end of last year.

FARMER CHARGED. WAIMATE, Aug. 14

William Morrow, a well-known Willowbridge farmer, pleaded not guilty to. charges of selling or disposing of sixtv-four sacks of potatoes and a quantity of wheat over which he had given an instrument of security under the Chattels Transfer Act. Justices of the Peace committed Morrow for trial bail of fifty pounds being allowed. A PECULIAR AFFAIR. . DUNEDIN. Aug. Id. A curious ease was heard at the police court on Saturday morning when Joseph Patrick Mahoney, an employee of the Hillside Railway Workshops, was charged with having been found might without lawful excuse, in the engine sheds, and manipulating levers and brakes of an engine. The evidence disclosed that accused had-no malicious intent or any desire to interfere with the working of the engine. Mahoney’s excuse was that he desired as a mechanic, to examine a certain type of engine, and it had been his practice on the West Coast, where he had recently lived, to visit, the sheds there for that purpose. The Magistrate imposed a fine of 40s. in default seven days’ imprisonment. MELBOURNE FACTORY FIDE. MELBOURNE, Aug. 15. Cadden’s tyre-repairing factory in the city was destroyed by fire. An unknown man on the premises,, who .apparently was rendered unconscious when the boiler exploded, was burned to deatb. The damage is extensive.