DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 March 1927, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) FATALITY ON COPELAND PASS. DEATH OF -MRS COXDOX. T.IMARU, March 21. information lias been received by tlie police of a fatality in Copeland Pass. It appears that a party from the West Coast, which included Mr and Airs John Condon, were negotiating the Pass on Friday, when they encountered a severe blizzard. Efforts were made by the guides to secure food and blankets, but before their return Mrs Condon expired. Xo details arc available.

ROUGH WEATHER. PALMERSTON X., March 21. There was boisterous weather 111 Xlauawatii over the week-end with violent rain squalls and hail showers and electrical disturbances last night. Nearly three inches of rain has fallen in the last three days but the rivers are normal. Orchards have suffered severely. WOOL SALES. WANGANUI. March 21. The fourth Wanganui wool sale was hol'd to-day. Prices were up one penny on last month’s sale and in some eases reached lid to two-pence. There was a, representative bench of buyers and bidding was keen. Most of the wool went to Bradford and the Continent. CAR. ACCIDENT. BLENHEIXf. Xfarcli 21.

A. motor car driven by Xleikle. a commercial traveller at Nelson, became uncontrollable when the steering wheel suddenly collapsed in the driver’s hands at a bend on the main road from. Blenheim to Nelson at Okarnmio. Tlie car turned over and pinned Xliss G. O'Connor under the car wheel which had to be jacked up before she was extricated. She sustained a- severe scalp wound, concussion and minor injuries and was bospitailed. Xfeikle was thrown out and received a dislocated and fractured collarbone and facial injuries. After treatment in Blenheim he returned home to Nelson. IXIPORTANT LA AY POINT. AN APPEAL ALLOWED. AUCKLAND. Xfarcli 21. Justice MacGregor allowed an appeal by the Inspector of Factories against the decision of XI r Hunt, is.XI.. bolding that sub-section 3 of sections of the Shops and Offices Act which provides that no female under any circumstance may be employed after 9.30 p.m., that it does include a female occupier of a shop or wife of the occupier. Xir Xrnthoncy for appellant, said it was finding guilty and hanging every female shop owner in New Zealand. His Honour said he had given his opinion. His business was to administer tlie law.

MAX WITH BULLET AYOUXD. DUXEDTX, March 21. Edward Morgan, married, residing at York place, was found in the museum grounds on Sunday evening with a bullet wound in his chest. Ho was admitted to the hospital whore it was reported his condition was not serious. MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY GISBORNE. March 21. 1 At the inquest into the death of Thomas ATangus McGeehan, Xl'anagcr of Common Shelton, Ltd., was held today before Air Lcvvey S.Xf. The evidence showed the deceased was cheerful and was not worried in the afternoon when he went out to shoot a dog that had been worrying sheep. Near where the gun was found, there was :• piece of fencing wire binding a gale, which was protruding sufficiently lo catch the trigger. The Coroner returned a verdict of death from a gunshot wound, but that tlic.ro was no evidence as to how tho wound came to bo effected. AN INQUEST. CHRISTCHURCH. March 21. Following on the shooting accident to Robert Radcliffe yesterday, there was an inquest this'afternoon. "William Harry Drunker, aged 18, a member of the shooting plirty, told how the accident occurred Witness, with Radcliffe and three other young men, were out rabbit-shooting.' as was their custom at the week-ends. Between 9.30 and ten a.in. yesterdav, deceased was walking seven yards in front of witness and to the left. Witness was climbing up a rise. He was cocking his gun. when he tripped. The deceased did not fall, but said “A’oti shot me Bill!” AA’itness (bought deceased was joking till he put out a Fund and sank down. Two of the party went for help, and the others rendered such aid as they could to the wounded man. Half an hour after the accident, a shooting party in a- motor ear was stopped to take the deceased to tho hospital. The Coroner returned a verdict of accidental death.

> F.X'-SOLDIER’S CI.ATM. AUCKLAND, March 21. An unusual case was heard in the i Magistrate's Court here to-day before .Mr Cutton, S.M.. in which a returned • soldier, Arthur Stafford, sought to ro- ■ cover from Sir .Limes Gunson (President! and T. B. Hay (Secretary) of the Auckland Patriotic War Relief Association the sum of £SB 2s Cd. The Clerk of the Court intimated that a hearing fee of 25s had to be paid, but the plaintiff said that lie could not pay it until lie got his pension. The plaintiff said that he came back wounded from Gallipoli, and he got a military pension, but he had been refused any further 'assistance by the Patriotic Association. Mr Cut ten : “Surely, the Patriotic Association has the right to administer the money it holds in trust?” Plaintiff: “That money was raised for returned soldiers!” Air Jolmstonc said that Stafford returned to New Zealand seriously wounded. He had a military pension of £4 per month. In 1920, lie went to England, and he came back in 1925. From time to time, the Patriotic Association had supplied him with small sums of money. The plaintiff was getting a military pension of £1 per week and also an economic pension of 30s. He had asked for his hoard to be paid, but the Association thought that a single man with £2 10s per week should be able to pay his own hoard. The plaintiff stated that £2 10s was not enough for a. man to live upon. He said; “f am appealing for justice as a British-born subject.” Afr Cut-ten said the Court had no jurisdiction as to how the Patriotic Association must administer the funds under its control. He would, however, adjourn the case to enable plaintiff to pay-the hearing fee. CYCLE SMASH. AUCKLAND, March 21 A serious 'accident occurred at Papatoetoe this morning, when a motor cycle and a push bicycle collided at the intersection of a side road and the main concrete highway. The riders of both were badly hurt. The cyclist, Robert Holland, a married mjan, residing at 53 Walinsley Hoad, Otahuhu, sustained a compound fracture of the leg and head injuries. He was operated on at the Auckland Hospital this morning and is in a critical condition. The motor cyclist. George Pollard, aged 21, single, of 12 Holonui Road. Otahuhu, was also admitted to the Auckland Hospital, where he is suffering from injuries to the head.

BODY FOUND ON BEACH. DUNEDIN. March 21. The body of Rosanna Elder, a single woman. GO years of age, was washed up on the St, Kilda Beach this afternoon. The deceased, who resided at Alosgiel Junction, had been visiting her sister in Dunedin and had been missing since ten o'clock in the morning.