DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 August 1927, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

INFANT GIRL FATALLY BURNED

CHRISTCHURCH. Aug

Monica Claire Oldfield, aged five years and seven months, was playing in a bedroom of her father's house at Broadfiekls, near Christchurch, on Saturday morning before an open fire, when her nightdress caught alight. Her brother and sister tried to pull off the blazing garment, and the brother, aged 11. threw a blanket round the girl, hut I lie child was severely burned, and she died in the Christchurch hospital on Saturday afternoon. At the inquest, the coroner commended the brother and ssiter on their prompt action, and a verdict was returned that the child died from burns and shock aeeidentallv received.

A MOTOR ACCIDENT. CORE. Aug. 22. Air and .Mrs T. F. Landels. of Graham Lodge, Alatnura, mot with a nasty motor accident on Saturday night. Tlie oar swerved in loose gravel near Gore and tipped into Charkuig Creek upside down. A following motorist rescued the occupants who were unconscious, being pinned beneath the ear. Both were hospitalled. Airs Landels is suffering from shock and facial bruises and Air Landels severe bruises to the hack.

GENEROUS BEQUESTS. AY EL LING TON, Aug. 22. By his will, the late John O’Kane, of Wellington, made generous provisions for religious objects operating in Greater AYellington. Among the 1 requests which total £.5,000 are £750 each to SI.. Joseph's Orphanage, Up. |>er Hurt, and Catholic Buihlino Bund Wolli ugtoti. prisoner kentexecd. napjer, Aug. 22. At the Police Court Leonard Gordon Hamilton (real name) got there months imprisonment to he cumulative on three charges of false pretences. He was remanded to Wellington when a further charge will he heard. Accused is 19 years oi'd. Ihe crimes were committed at Napier, Palmerston and Auckland. MINERS’ CHARGED. GREYAIOUTH, Aug. 21. Three miners employed at Dobson were charged with having cigarette butts in their possession whilst in the mine. They were convicted and ordered to pay costs. They pleaded guilty, a. heavy penally not being asked.

ARAPUNI HYDRO ELECTRIC SCHEME.

A GRAVE SUGGESTION. AUCKLAND, Aug. 22. A grave suggestion is made by Mr J. Park, a member of the Auckland Electric, Power Hoard, who recently vistied Aripuni, that the Aripunl Hydro-Electric scheme is being delayed, because tlie Government and the contractors have not tried to settle who is responsible for the engineering trouble at the power bouse site. -Mr Park, who is an architect with a large experience, declares that the dispute should lie decided forthwith liy ealling in oversea experts if necessary and the work oil the original site or elsewhere, should lie resumed without further delay. The position is of graver notice than those directly responsible will admit, and to rectify the difficulties existing will mean expenditure of a huge sum. He is most optimistic and admits that until the question as to who will accept the responsibility for this expenditure is sei..cd, the Auckland province will have to he resigned to going without tlie Arapuni inquiry on which a dam is being built, which is nothing more nor less than a. pumice area. Even with extra, precautions being taken, ho, doubts if tins pumice country will stand the test for many years. Should my fears prove correct, tie concluded, the Government will be faced with a very serious problem indeed. That the foundation expected, does not exist is common knowledge in the district and the trouble should not he insurmountable, but the undertaking now involves a great deal more money than anticipated, under the original terms of the contract.

FARMERS FREEZING COY. AUCKLAND. Aug. 22. The Farmers Freezing Coy report states the net profit for flic year was £11,472. The output was the largest on record. The directors recommend a six per cent dividend. SIX MONTHS SENTENCE, AUCKLAND. Aim. 22. To Kata Thompson, said to he a son of a Maori chieftain of high rank, was sentenced hv Justice Iferdmau to six months imprisonment for havin'! incurred liabilities of over twentv pounds without disclosing the oict 111 at he was an undischarged bankrupt. His Honour said lie had received reports from the Official As-

siirneo and Probation Officer. Accused was n half caste, possibly not so familiar with the law as a white man, but he must have known lie was acting dishonestly. He had been bankrupt twice before. After Ids first failure iie was engaged in bind deals and it was reported that some of these were of a decidedly shady nature. Accused had alleged his bankruptcy was due to loans which were not repaid. hut the Assignee after investigation had decided not to admit these claims.

A FIRE FIEND. WELLINGTON. Aug. 22. A fi.ro fiend, believed to lie a dangerous lunatic, has been at work m the suburb of Kilbirnie, where live houses wore set on fire in three weeks.He creeps in at night and sets window curtains and lied clothes ablaze. One room, where two children were asleep, was set alight, and they were nearly suffocated and last Friday an infant narrowly escaped being burned to death. In one ea.se three attempts were made to burn a house down. First one detective kept watch and then a whole squad, hut without avail. Meanwhile, further afield, in Sea.tou.ii* and Lyall Bay, similar fires have occurred and the police and residents there have been kept busy with no result. Twelve places were also broken into lately, lending to the supposition that a burglar was using arson to cover up his tracks. When it was found one place was set on fire three times and nothing stolen, tho authorities came to the conclusion it must be a lunatic. Tit one house the remains of paper he or she had used were found, disclosing the methods employed.