DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1927, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.

SHIPPING AFFAIRS

CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 17.

A Committee .set up by Lyttelton Harbour Board to assemble information to lay before a joint select committee of both Houses of Parliament regarding shipping facilities at present existing between South Island ports and Australia, met this morning for discussion in committee.

CONSTABLE IN TROUBLE. AUCKLAND, Oct. 17. Elwyn Lawrence Hargreaves, formerly district constable at Mangawai pleaded 'guilty at the Police Court to 1 stealing £22 7s 6d the property of Otamatea County Council (fees for dog collars) and obtaining £93 from three persons by means of valueless cheques. Furrtlier, that being a member of the New Zealand Police Force, lie deserted his post at Mangawai on July 27th. It was stated in mitigation that the accused who had a long period of active service and suffered 'from shellshock, nas so affected by the gruesome sight when a man had blown his head off at Kniwaka, that he could not sleep and took to drink, issuing valueless cheques while in a muddled state. He met another man in the city, went to Sydney with him, but later returned to Auckland and gave himself up to the police. Chief Detective Cummings stated during the earlier period of his service, the accused had been quite satisfactory. Full restitution had been made. Sentence was deferred for a report by the probation officer. foreman injured. PAHTATUA, Oct. 17. Cecil Seymour, single, aged 30, a, foreman in the Mauriceville County Council was admitted to the Pahiatua hospital on Saturday night with injuries to his eyes, face and neck through a blasting accident. INQUEST VERDICT. DUNEDIN, Oct. 17. If anybody indulges in racing at high speed there is always an element of danger. These machines wore !n first class order and the accident was prdbably due to a defect in a tube, stated Coroner Bundle, in returning a verdict of accidental death from a fractured skull in the case of Bertie Walter Ealey, who was thrown from a motor cycle when racing on the Waikouaihi Beach a week ago. Evidence showed that the deceased was trying out a cycle prior to a beach race, and at a pace of 40 miles an hour the machine somersaulted, the tyre of tho front wheel being torn off.

MAORI WARRIOR DEAD. GISBORNE, Oct. 17. Taihuka, a lieutenant of Te Kooti, who shared with the latter deportation to Chathams and subsequent fighting, ( but jiy.hiO later (became a loyalist, has died at Wailiirere. His ago is uncertain but must he over 80. Taihuka always insisted that tho Poverty Bay massacre in 1868 would not have happened had the escape deportees, been allowed to seek their goal, in the wild country about Taupo.

COURT SENTENCES. AUCKLAND, Oct. 17. At the Supreme Court Frederick Dixon, aged 54, on nine charges of breaking and entering and theft and i charges of breaking and entering with intent to steal, luul an attack of meningitis, which presumably affected his morals, as ho was previously of good character. He was placed on probation for three years on condition lie took out a probation order. George Clements Pook, for incest at Dargaville, borstal detention at Waikelia for two years. lan Cameron, bigamy, six months’ imprisonment.

BODY FOUND IN RIVER. WAIHI, Oct. 17. The body of Ralph Johnston, aged 52, a farmer and employee of the Waihi company at Wnikino Battery, was found in the Oliineniuri River. Johnston was last seen alive at Waikino on Friday evening, riding a bicycle. A search party discovered the bicycle on the bank.

MOTOR ACCIDENTS. WAIHI, Oct. 17. Alexander Churton, while motoring, met with an accident in the Karagaliape Gorge. The vehicle skidded when passing a motor cycle and went over the river bank. Churton sustained a fractured rib and injuries to the head. B. Warner, aged 27, of Ivatikati, was thrown heavily from a motor cycle on the bridge at. the entrance to Waihi township. He was removed to tho hospital suffering from concussion of tho brain.