DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1927, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS.

(B.v Telegraph—

-Per Press Association

WELLINGTON. July 27

Li giving evidence in lii.s own defence, Walling said the news of his arrest was published in the .Saturday morning paper and this was how In's iriends knew ot it. The Crown Prosecutor produced a Dominion and accused could find no such statement. Ills Honour said it was clearly impossible to believe one of the witnesses for the defence, who denied the truth of some evidence for the prosecution, but when asked il be bad been declared an habitual criminal, admitted he had. Asked if a list ot his previous convictions was correct, ho said they wore too numerous to memorise. Ills Honour “Don't you know whether they arc right or wrong?”

Wit lie.*.—There are so many of them 1 dare-ay they are all right".

EARTH SUBSIDENCE. AUCKLAND. .July 27. Bearing all the external appearances of having survived a severe earthquake. a toil-roomed two-storied wooden duelling, valued at £IOOO. in Sentinel Road. Ponsonby, lias been evacuated by its occupants in view of the laud suljsidenee. which threatens to break the structure in halves. About a week ago. Ihe owner. A. J. Millington, noticed a crack which had appeared across the end of Sentinel Road, overlooking the harbour at a point where the street was recently built up by the City Council, and slops constructed down to the sea front of the retaining wall. Although it was apparent that the filling "was subsiding. no serious menace lo Billingfbn's house was contemplated until to-Tlav when a crack across the street above the embankment suddenly widened out to about eight inches. It .spread in a semi-circle beneath the house, virtually allowing the front half of the dwelling to drop seven inches. The plaster within cracked open at a number of points, and t lie door and window frames were, in places, forced into almost a diamond shape. leaving inches ol’c.learnnee between doors and windows themselves and their fittings.Asphalt paths on the sea frontage of the property “waved.” as if hv earthquake action and concrete basing about tile foot of the walls broke apart.

VERDICT OF SriCIDE. AUCKLAND. July 28. At the inquest on John William McLeod, found dead in a cell at Mount Eden prison. Coroner Hunt. S.M. found a verdict, ol suicide bv hanging. The prisoner warder locked Mel.eod in bis eeli' at 11.(1) a.m. to have bis dinner. At 1.10 p.ijfc be found the deceased banging from an electric light braced by a rope comprised of a shirt, towel and neck tie. Deceased was single, aged 41, a baker by trade, and was awaiting trial on a charge of indecent assault.

RADIO LISTENERS LEAGUE. AUCKLAND. July 28. The exeuctive of the Auckland Listeners League passed resolutions. (1) protesting against those financially supporting broadcasting being debarred by copyright from all advance knowledge of what is coming over tin* air. unless they subscribe to the Broadcasting Coy's official organ, the apparent use of which is for propaganda on the Company's behalf; (2) desiring to know if any part of the expense incurred in publishing or issuing New Zealand radio record is or will he derived directly or indirectly from radio license Ices.

INXIBEAIL STRIKE. BRISBANE, July 28

Innihl'ail branch of the* Australian Railway Union decided by 52 votes to 2 to carry on and /handle goods tor the Soutli .Johnstone mill. It is understood the decision holds good until the Australian Workers Union definitely asks that no goods be carried. The decision is regarded as a repudiation of the decision arrived at by the lnnisfnii Trades and Labour Council to declare black the mill and farmers. The Australian Workers Union decided to impose a levy of 12! per cent nil wages of till members to assist the strikers. A number of strikers have been served with summonses by the police for various offences ranging trim obscene language and creating a, disturbance to the upending ot trucks, cabled on Monday.

POLICE COMMISSIONER. CHRSITCI-lURCH, duly 28.

Police Commissioner Mcllveney arrived in Christchurch this morning. He said his visit was purely official, and he would not answer a question whether the reward ill connection with the Burwood murder, had been claim-

BEXZINE FOR FIRE LIGHTING ,T)ANNKATRKE. July 23.

While lighting a lire in a kitchen range this morning, A. S. Berry, a pork butcher, by mistake used benzine for kerosene. An explosion followed setting fire to Berry’s clothes and also the papered walls. Berry, with the lower portion of his apparel well alight seized a little child and rushed outside. After discarding his burning clothing he returned and extinguished the blaze. He is now In tbe~ hospital badly burned about the legs.

F AHA IE R 8 CON KER EN CE. WELLINGTON. July 28

With very few dissenting voices, the Farmers’ Conference to-day adopted the principle of p diticaL action. The Committee appointed yesterday to. report, said it had been unanimous in the following finding: -The Committee unanimously reports that ih its opinion the present political .situation is extremely unsatisfactory to primary producers and that in order to improve this position, it is necessary that some form of political action should Ik.* taken. The Committee docs not think it wise to decide immediately what this form will he. and proposes -it should lie guarded by circumstances. For this reason it recommends it he given power to watch events and report its recommendations to the next C onferenoe, which will he called together whenever, in the opinion of the Committee. the circumstances 'warrant, in order to allow sufficient time for action to he taken before the election.

NEGLIGENT DRIVING VERDICT AUCKLAND. -Inly 28.

At the Supreme Court the jury found Victor Ferdinand Gisenhut guilty of negligently driving a motor car and causing tlie death of Airs Elizabeth Spencer, of Kaiataia. Tile Jury added a strong recommendation to mercy, with which Justice Stringer agreed, when sentencing accused, taking consideration that the race meeting oil the beach was conducted in a very loose and inefficient manner; that defendant had sustained personal loss by the destruction of his own car, and had sustained personally an injury. He also had a good character. Accused was fined £SO and his motor drivers’ license was cancelled for a period of ten years.