DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 January 1927, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

ey telegraph— pbess assn., ronKeax

MURDER CHARGE

STRATFORD, Jan. 10

Jn the attempted ease, James Farrellv. when called by the prosecution, refused to go into the witness box and to give evidence. The Alagistratc told Fovrelly that ho need not answer questions liable to incriminate him.

F'arrelly refused to reply to tho detective when asked it he had any other reason for refusing to give evidence. Thomas McDonald gave evidence that the accused, Taylor, asked for a gun, as Family was trying to tie him up. Davis came along with a gun, and then Taylor chased Family over a fence. When he was some distance away, witness heard tho shot fired. The Hospital doctor’s evidence was that Farrelly’s face was peppered with shots from the crown of the head to the chin, and the sight of the right eye was destroyed.” Family, who on being called, had refused to testify, but on being recalled consented to give evidence. He said that ho had an argument with Taylor about giving him breakfast, and he (Farrelly) ran away up the hill. Witness was lying down when Taylor came upon him. Taylor said : “Come out of that!” Witness replied : “Not ns a prisoner.” The next thing witness knew was that Tie was shot.

John Davies, neighbour of the accused. In his evidence said that Taylor got the loaded gun from him. and said he would frighten Family. He (Davies) went over to where Taylor was. Taylor said he made to fire, over Farrelly’s head, but shot him in the face. Accused pleaded “not guilty” and rehis defence. He was committed for trial.

INJURIES PROVE FATAL. AUCKLAND. Jan: 10. The injuries received by Stanley Baster by a collision between a motor hike and a bus near the merited hospital on Sunday night terminated fatally. BUS DESTROYED. DUNEDIN, January 10. In an effort to avoid a car coming from an opposite direction, near Puketern ki. on Saturday morning, one of H«)l>e Brothers’ buses skidded in the grass at the side oi the road, and turned over three times before it finally settled down against the trunk of a

tree. Fortunately there were only two people in the bus at the time, the driver and another man, and they escaped unhurt. it is understood that the car belonged to Die Seat-Jiff AJcntaJ Hospital and that the occupants were in search of a patient wiio had escaped. 'The bus was left lying on the roadside, and passers-by to-day noticed that it hud been completely destroyed by fire. It is also reported that everything ut a movable nature had been pilfered.

HOUSE BREAKERS. AUCKLAND, January 10. Eight youths named Geo. James Dale, Thomas Henry Mclntyre, Hector Donald Connolly, Noel Desmond AJ.cGonagle, Edward Campbell Eaton, Alfred John Travers, James Norman Richards and Cyril Patterson, all of them under 21 years of ago, pleaded guilty in the Police Court to-day to a series of charges of theft from shops and dwellings during the Xmas holidays. The total value of goods and jewellery stolen was £203. It was stated that in nearly every case entrance to the house had been gained by breaking windows during the absence of the owners. The accused were committed to the Supreme Court for sen tenge, bail being allowed at fifty pounds in each case. A FIRE. ROTORUA, January 10. A billiard room, shop and dwelling in the Alain Street, Mam.nku, were destroyed by fire early on Sunday morning. The owner was Sarah Jane Overall. No cause was discovered. The owner was aroused by smoke and gave an alarm. There \yere no fire appliances available. 'The building proved unsavable. The insurance is £6OO in the Northern Office on the building and £IOO on the stock.

TARANAKI POWER SCHEME. ELTHAM, January 10. Signalising the completion of the Taranaki Power Hoard’s scheme, the turbines are now generating current in Motukawa and supplying over the whole area for the first time. The official opening takes place next month. WAXGANUI MAYORALTY. WANGANUI, January 10. The Labour Party, for the first time in its history, has decided to contest the city mayoralty, selecting Mr W. J. Rogers as its candidate. A. HEAVY FIXE. AUCKLAND. January 10. A fine of twenty-five pounds for carrying on the business of a bookmaker was imposed on William Doolan at the Police Court. Senior Detective Hammond said accused was a billiard marker and was a silver bettor, dealing onlv in small amounts.

CLIMBING MT. TASMAN. A NARROW ESCAPE. TJMARTI, January 10. Dr Bradshaw and Guide V. Williams narrowly escaped death when climbing Mount Tasman, which is 11,500 ft high. Dr Bradshaw slipped, pulling Williams with him. They saved themselves somehow, but they do not know how. They got within 100 ft of the fop, and they were then stopped by a crevasse. They returned to the Hermitage suffering from snow blindness.

MOUNTAIN DISASTER RECALLED. VICTIM’S LEG FOUND. TIMARU, January 10. Dr Bradshaw and Guide Williams, when returning from their climb on Mount Tasman made a remarkable find on their way from Malte Bran on Sunday night. On the left hand side of the Hockstetter Glacier, going up from the Ball Hut, they found the right leg and the loot of one of the mountaineering party who were lost in 1914. The whole foot was perfect, from the ankle almost up to the knee. The leg is knocked about. The three mountaineers lost in 1914 were: Sydney King, of the English Alpine Club; Dave Thompson, guide; and ,T. Richmond, guide. The body of Richmond was found at the time. It is not known to which of the other two the leg now found belongs.

PHI LANTHB (>P IC 11EQU ESTS

DUNEDIN, Jan. 10.

Under the late Sir John Ross’s will the public bequests total £16,200 spread over 12 years. An annual bequest is left to'the following: Home Mission Fund. Foreign Alissions Fund, Widows’ and Orphans’ Fund, Aged and Isfirm Ministers (all Presbyterian Church), Presbyterian Social service Association, Salvation Army, Dunedin, Otago University for commercial educatioia.il purposes. Patients’ and Prisoners’ Aid Society; nil £IOO onen. Y.M.C.A. and Dunedin City Alission, £25 each. Five hundred pounds annually is bequeathed to the Knox College also, for the period ol 12 years. BOY KNOCKED DOWN. AUCKLAND, January 11. Eric Aloroney, aged 4, whose parents resid cat Edcmlale, was knocked down by a motor car yesterday afternoon while running across Lake Road, Takapuna. The hoy sustained a fractured skull and his condition is regarded as serious. A NEW PROPHET. AUCKLAND, January 7. A report is current that Ratnna has a rival in another prophet. Ratann. however, has always denied that he is a prophet, his creed being that lie is merely an instrument in God’s hands for doing good. This new prophet hails from Knrori, on the Main Trunk, and it is said that a number of Ratann’s followers in the Ohakune district arc linking up with him. He proposes to lead a delegation throughout the North Island.

DAIRY PRODUCE OUTPUT. AUCKLAND, January (>. The output of dairy produce in the Auckland province this season still constitutes a record. The butter received into store by the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company since the beginning of July totals 940,9(32 boxes, represent* iug ail increase of more, than G per cent, on the corresponding figure for the previous record season of 1924-20. The total is nearly 14 per cent, more than that for the same period of *u2s-2G. The aggregate increases are. 02,931 boxes and 114,922 boxes respectively. The output of butter for December just dosed was 290,033 boxes, which is the largest monthly aggregate for the three periods under review. December is the Hush of the season and a high yield was expected,’ hut this time it was 32,870 boxes ahead of that in December, 1926, and 36,776 boxes ahead of that one year earlier.

'Tlie cheese returns for the same six monthly period of 1926-27 also show remarkable increase. The total is 82,704 crates compared with 76,553 crates for the same period of 1925-26, and 00,818 crates for that of 1924-25.

MAORI WOAIAN’S DEATH. FOZTON. Jan. 11

While spearing for eels in a creek near Rangitu yesterday afternoon, an elderly Maori woman, Pikihuia Tamati had a seizure and fell face down in six indies of water. Her ten year-old grandson was unable to raise her, and communicated with his mother about a mile distant, and on their return they found her dead. APPOINTMENTS. WELLINGTON. Jan. 11. Members of the New Zealand Agricultural College Council have been appointed as follows:—A. Morton (of Egmont Village, Taranaki); H. B. Stuckey (Dannevirke); N. Francis (Christchurch), and R. H. Roger (Tapanui) representing the Government ; Sir James AVilson, representing tho Board of Agriculture; Professor T. A. Hunter and Air P. Levi, representing AUctoria College, and Hon. Fowlds and Afr T. Af. Wells, representing Auckland University. WELLINGTON. Jan. 11. The same Wellington team as defeated Otago and Canterbury has been selected to play Auckland.