DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 March 1927, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

I [ey TELEGRAPH—-BEU PRESS ASSOCIATION.] A BIG BLAZE. AUCKLAND, March 27. An old building of twenty-seven looms, at the Great South Road tram terminus, I.i'lorslie, which formerly was the Harp of Erin Hotel, and latterly was used as a hoarding-house, was totally destroyed by fire about two o’cl'ock this morning. The occupants were .Mrs BidgWood (caretaker) and her two daughters and 'one son; also •Mr A. I. » (proprietor of a billiard saloon m the premises) and his wife and ii vd • ur three children, also an immigr. nt. who was staying in the house for the night. They all had narrow escapes' getting out in their night attire. !

Olio of Mrs Bidgood’s daughters had n particularly thrilling experience. Making up to find her bedroom fui'l of smoke, she rushed to the other side ol the room to wake the other children, and, just as she did so, her bed trashed through the floor into the billiard saloon below.

A motor accessory shop and a petrol bowser station alongside the buildings, were also demolished by the fiames. Fortunately the petrol in the tanks was not affected, though the crowd watching the fire expected ail explosion at any time.

Ai'l that was left of the whole building was one chimney left standing and four upright petrol pumps badly burned. It is understood the building was insured for about £3OOO in the Commercial Union. .New Zealand Insurance mill Eagle Star and British Dominion offices. The petrol service station was not insured, as the erection of it had not been quite completed.

RAILWAY PORTER SAVES CTRL AUCKLAND, Mar<h 2(5.

As a train was leaving Ellerslie Station about 0.30 last night, a young girl Aliss Stone, fell between it and the platform, and Porter Powdrcll rushed to her assistance, lie held her head away from the passing carriages and her injuries were confined to shock and a few bruises.

A EIRE. TAIHAPE, March 2i

A tire occurred at Taihape at three o’clock tin’s morning, which completely destroyed an eight-roomed house owned and occupied hv Mr A. M. Ryan. The lire had a good hold whew the occupants wore awakened by suffocating smoke, and 4-key escaped oni'y in their night attire. Guy Ryan i.a son) was burnt about the late and hands. Mrs Ryan is in the hospital, suffering from shock. The others are uninjured. Tec house and furniture were totally lost. They were insured for £1200; hut loss over the insurance is a considerable

A ROB.HERY. ASHBURTON. .March 28. A good haul was made by a burglar on Saturday night when about £250 in notes and other currency was stolen from the residence of J. Rooke.' Tlie money was in a cashbox placed in a bedroom. Entrance was gained through a kitchen window, which was prised open. The bedroom door, drawer and cashbox all of which were locked, were forced open, the cashbox being emptied and left in the house. The family were absent at the time. DROWNED. AVAIROA. March 28. Kelt Buti'cr. a young motor driver out fishing in a launch at Lake AYaikaremoaua yesterday, fell overboard and was drowned. The body was recovered shortly afterwards, hut life was extinct. AUCKLAND MAYORALTY. AUCKLAND, March, 28. An appeal issued by the Progressive Citizens’ Election Committee to Mayor Baildon and Deputy-Mayor AVarnocK, calling upon one or the other of them to retire from tile mayoralty campaign and leave the other with a hotter chance against the Labour candidate. Mr Bloodwortli, has introduced a fresh note of interest into the election. The contest committee suggests il neither candidate will voi'iuitarily withdraw that the claims of both should he submitted to arbitration of a committee of citizens whose filial judgment candidates should hind themselves to ob-

serve. ELECTRIC POWER WORKS DAMAGE. BLENHEIM. Afnreli 28. With the fall of the flood in AYaihopni river, Marlborough electric power hoard’s engineers carried out a careful inspection of the damage caused, and have made a reassuring report. The erection of a new concrete wai'l about ten feet ‘high and one hundred yards long will he necessSry to prevent the river finding its way into its old bed, and big. gangs of men are being put on to work day and flight until it is completed. It is anticipated d the weather remains fine it will he completed in time to permit of . the official switching on ceremony to be belli according to programme early in ALiy. The cost of the work wii'l he fairly heavy tliougb not nearly as aren't as was at first feared, and will fit in with the engineers plans for further development of the scheme as the demand for power increases, so that u. will not he a loss to the hoard. The partly completed dam and head works generality stood up well to the terrific strain subjected during the Hood.

THEFT OF CAR. NAPIER, March 28Tui AVatcne, a native hoy. was sentenced to one months imprisonment 1 converting a car to his o"n - .Magistrate Dyer said lie was determined to stop the practice. PROMINENT MAN DIES. WANGANUI. March 28. Edward Ravnev Jackson, senior partner of the linn of stock and siiition agents of F. R. Jackson and Co died „n Saturday evening, aged 08. He "as well known in business and pastoral circles all over the Dominion. SERIOUSLY ILL. AUCKLAND. March 28. William McVa.v, 70. reported missing since January 21st. and reported seriously ill when visiting a friend m the country is now recovering. MAN KILLED. AUCKLAND. -March 28. Daniel Seale, 70, a resident of Grey Lynn, was knocked down by a motor rnr when be stepped into the street from the shadow of a tree, and sustained serious injuries which caused his death. r.IPTHF.RTA OUTBRE.\K. AUCKLAND. March 23th. Up to Saturday 19 cases of diphtheria in Panntoetoe district have been notified. TWO FIRES . HAMILTON. March 28. Through a spark igniting clothes in the washing shed of Mrs J Watson, Rosstrevor street, afire occurred which partially destroyed £IOO uninsured furniture stored within .

AYhile the brigade was busy and after extinguishing the fire. voluminous black smoke rose from the borough depot in AYard street-, where the brigade rushed to find three tarboilers ablazeThe fire was extinguished by shovelling sand on the flames, , |

CHARGE DISMISSED

CHRISTCHURCH. March 28. A search for a copy of the Koran was one of the features of an unusual case heard before .Air Mosley S.M. this morning telling of a quarrel between tw > native seamen at Lyttelton with its results and causes. Joseph Howard described as a British Malay, was charged that on March 24th. he assaulted Tftbit Saleh so as to cause actual bodily harm. Doctor Cotton said he remembered Saleh being admitted to the hospital. Saleh appeared to he an Arabian and on examination he was suffering from a stab wound in the midline of the neck. It was a dangerous injury. After hearing evidence that Saleh had been drinking and had been logged previously for attacked a man. the Magistrate dismissed the charge. MOTOR RACING. AUCKLAND. Nlyt.h 2,8. The Motor Racing Club’s meeting at Tukapuun Racecourse at times suffered owing to the heavy track. The fastest time of the day was registered, as usual, by P. Coleman, 49 3-5 see. for a one mile lap. A. J. Davidson, in the Glasgow Handicap skidded on the turn opposite the members' stand and his hack wheel crashed broadside into a fence, throwing the rider heavily. No hones were broken. Inn Davidson was removed to the hospital, where earlv this morning he was reported to he in a critical I condition.

Tnknpuun Handicap, 5 miles: —T. Morgan (7Jsec.) I ; J. Ratteliffc (12-Jscc) 2; P. Butler (12]soe) 3. Time 4in in. Sjjsce.

Auckland Handicap, 5 miles: AA’. Allen (losec) f ; AY. Herbert (ser) 2; E. Thai (1 71 see) 3. Time smin. 3soc. Allison Handicap, 7 miles:—L. Curtis (20see) I; J. Arnott (17-Jsee) 2; P. Coleman (see) 3. Time Cuiin. 3l)seo.

Sports’ Handicap. 5 miles:-—AA’. AA bite (25.5 C: ) I; P. Barker (ssee) 2; L. ( oultliard (1 sec) 3. Time 7min. ssoc. Glasgow Handicap. 8 miles: T). Mangnh (losec) 1; AV. Allen (45sco) 2; P. Coleman (ser) 3. Time 7miii. 312-5 sec.

Devonport. Handicap, 5 miles:- R. O'Brien (27J.see) 1; V. Goodwin (47] 2; AA Lite (25sec) 3. Time otniti. 31scc. Renown Handicap, 7 miles: -R. O Rrion (27].soc) 1 ; C. G'odowiu (47] see) 2: ( . AAalker (L ]soc) 3. Time omiri. 37.1 sec.

Birkenhead ILmdieip. 7 miles: R. Ranhv (3.>scc) I : H. Herbert (25sec) 2: R. Coleman (ser) 3. Time smin. 32

Clielentliam Handicap. G miles: P. Coleman (ser.) 1; AY. Herbert (17]sec) 2; J. Arnott (IQsec) 3. Time omiii. 1(3

Filial Handicap. (3 miles:—.!. .Arnott (l!)see) I; H. Moller (3]ser) 2; I. Morgan (ltsee) 3. Time omiii. 381

AI’CKLAND. AI arch •. •I. A. Davidson injured in the motor cycle race on Saturday died at the hospital this morning. CARGO PILLAGERS. AUCKLAND. Alan h 28. Seven seamen were before the Court charged with pillaging cargo from the steamer Middlesex. * Five pleaded guilty. Counsel' for the agents of the vessel stated these men went to the holds with naked lights and might easily have set the ship on fire. ’I no Company did not want the accused aboard again. Air .McKean. 5..A1., said they could le kept in custody until the Middlesex left for AA’ollington. Each was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, to he placed aboard before the ship linai'ly, sailed. ( liicf Detective Cummings stated the pillaged cargo runs into hundreds if not thousands of pounds. AA'liy should New Zealand have to put up with these criminals. Two other men in whose quarters the pillaged goods had boon found pleaded not guilty. Then both stated that Bacon. «ne or 1 lio first lot charged, had given them the stulf. which they dumped overhoard. YOUNG MAN’S DEATH. NEW PLYMOUTH. March 28. A young man named Harley Price, employed at a dairy factory, died in hospital this morning as the result of an accident in the-small hours of Sunday morning, when lie was thrown from a motor cycle, believed through colliding with a cow, wandering on the main south road. ROTORUA ITEMS. ROTORUA. March 28. John Orton Barnett, aged 70. an eld resident of Rotorua, dropoed dead in a street on Saturday. He lived a retried i'lfe and lias relatives in AA’ellington and Dunedin. The cause was heart failure. A man giving the name of St. I vh>s Nice was arrested for false pretences at AVliakatane and brought to Rotorua and remanded to appear at ’I e Puke changed with obtaining £3l 11s. A motor lorry conveying cream from Reparoa to Rotorua went over a hank on Saturday night on the main road. The driver, Alartin Seagliill, was brought into hospital. SAWMILL BURNT. AVELTJNGTON. March 28. A fire at Kilbirnie last night damaged Brownlee's sawmill. Ifiie blaze apparently started in a rfiwdust bin and fanned by a fresh northerly breeze spread quickly to the moulding rack, the drv nature of which made the task of extinguishing the flames in difficult one. The buildings were undamaged.