DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 September 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH— rER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

DROWNING TRAG EDY. AUCKLAND, September I

William Frederick Jones, who was drowned at New Lynn and his brother Herbert, wore testing a newly purchased dinghy and when 80 yards off-shore William stood up in the boat to change his seat and overbalanced, with the result that the dinghy was swamped. Both men and two dogs were thrown into the water. The two men clung to the overturned dinghy lmt lost- their hold. Herbert advised his brother to start for the shore. Ho did so and appeared to he making good progress. Herbert seiped the boat, but again lost his hold and .sank. On regaining the surface he caught the painter but could see no sign of liis brother. Margery Rush, aged ten, witnessed the accident and called 0. R. McMillan and N. A. MacKenzie, who went to the rescue,. They could see only one man who was hanging on to the dinghy. McMillan swam to the dinghy and pushed it ashore, Herbert Jones hanging on. The only trace of W. F. Jones was his cap. floating in about twelve feet of water. Had it not been for the promptitude of the child, McMillan says, the tragedy would surely have been a double one.

FRENCH WARSHIP. AUCKLAND, September 4. T’lie French Consul advised that the warship Cassiope will jirobably visit this port about the end of tlie year. The prospective itinerary is : —Arrive, December 17tb, refuel and dock. T/Oave December 25th for Dunedin, the only other New Zealand port to he visited, and proceed to Sydney for a relief crew and then return to her station at Society Group.

MOTOR, FATALITIES. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 4. On Saturday evening Thomas Joseph Ford, a single man, aged 28, of 60. Bishop Street, St. Albans, was driving a car from Sumner to- the City, when the hack tyre burst and the car cap sized, after swerving to the right and left. Ford was thrown out and received injuries to his head from which he died later at the hospital. Bruce Slocombo, who was with him, escaped with slight injuries. Arthur Moody, a single man, aged 20 years, of Plunket Street, Spreydon and W. Stanley Clay, of 295, Eastern Tcrraoo, Beckenham, were on a motor cycle in Manchester Street on Saturday evening, travelling at a high speed They hit a motor car, which was turning in the road, and the driver of the motor cycle, Moody, died a few minutes later. Clay received head injuries and was taken to the hospital, where he is progressing satisfactorily.

WOMAN’S DEATH. WOODVILLE, Sept. 4. On Thursday last, Mrs S. Russell, wife of Mr AY. IT. Russell, licensee of the Post Office Hotel, AVoodville, was found dead in hod. A medical witness gave evidence at the inquest that she had been dead at least two days before ho was called in. There was also evidence that she fell on her head in the hotel passage on the 27th. August, and received injuries to her head. The post mortem revealed that she had haemorrhage of the brain, caused by the fall. The Coroner gave his verdict in accordance with the medical testimony, that she died from haemorrhage of the brain as the result of an injury received through a fall on the 27th. ol August. The Coroner commented strongly on the fact that medical or other aid was not sought at n much earlier period. Ho said, in any case, Tie did not think, even if a doctor had been called in, that the woman’s life could have been saved. SERIOUS FIRE. AUCKLAND, September 5. Fire in the Palmerston Buildings at the foot of Queen Street, early on Saturday morning, did damage .estimated between £IO,OOO and £15,000. The Fire Brigade made a great save, rescuing the caretaker and his family before attacking the flames. The- damage to the building was slight. Ketschmar and Farmer, fancy goods warehousemen, lost stock worth seven thousand pounds, which was partly insured. Harris and Langton, Ltd., lost about £1,500, more by smoke and water than by fire. Other tenants suffered in less degrees.

GRANDSTAND BURNT. DUNEDIN, September 5. 'Yesterday afternoon during the course of the Otago Hunt Club’s meeting at the Wingatui Racecourse, the Steward’s Stand took fire and was completely demolished. How the outbreak occurred is not known, but it is suspected to have been due to the fusing of n.n electric wire. When first noticed, smoko was seen issuing from the roof of the building, and shortly afterwards flames broke through. The appliances for fire-fighting were inadequate, and the flames quickly spread, working downwards, and, fanned by a strong breeze, the whole building was soon blaming fiercely.

The fire quickly spread, and within an hour the building was in ruins. Fortunately the books, jockeys’ scales and other Club property on the ground floor was saved, and the officials were enabled to carry on the remainder of the programme with only about' 20 minutes’ delay. The insurance are as follows: £3250 in the Royal Insurance Co., and £1750 in the South British on the building, and £250 in the Royal Insurance and £IOO in the Rritish Traders on the contents.

Tt is estimated that it "'ill take from eight to ten thousand to replace the building.