DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 January 1928, Page 1

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) STOLEN RING SWALLOWED BY THIEF. WELLINGTON, Jan. 5. Alice .Myra Mann, dressmaker, 31, pleaded guilty to-day to the theft of a ring, valued at £SO, the property of Clarke and Morris, jewellers; also of two rings, valued at £lO. the property of Dorothy limes. The story of the detectives was that accused came from Australia and stayed at a place in the Terrace, where a woman niis-ed two rings, hut no trace could he found of them. Nothing further was heard until last Friday afternoon. when the accused visited a jewellery shop and asked to be shown a tray of rings. When she left, a ring worth £5 was found to have been substituted for one valued at £SO. Accused was followed and questioned, taken to the police station and searched, all without result, but when her correct address had boon ascertained. her room was searched and one of the rings missing from the place in the Terrace was found. This led to accused confessing that she had swallowed the £SO ring. She was taken to the hospital, where the ring was recovered. She had previously been in trouble in Australia. Mr Salmon, S.M. took the attitude that the woman was a professional thief. Tie convicted her and ordered her to pay medical expenses £9 Is on the first charge, in default one month’s imprisonment. On the second c harge she was ordered three months in gaol.

SHOP DESTROYED. AUCKLAND, Jan. 5. When a fire broke out in a shop at 470 Queen Street, early this morning, five people who were sleeping on the floor above, made a. hurried escape in their night attire. Mrs H. E. Kersey, one of the sleepers, stumbled down the stairs just before the flames broke

through her bedroom window, in her night clothes. She ran down the street to the fire alarm, hut fortunately someone else had noticed the blaze a few minutes previously. The fire began in a sliop occupied by Miss U. Herman, eostumioro and dressmaker. Bolls of cloth and silk and other highly inflammable materials in the shop soon turned it into a blazing inferno, and it was only the smart work of the men from the Pitt Street fire station which saved the buildings from total destruction. Those sleeping above the shop were Mrs H. E. Kersey and her husband. M iss Herman, and two Misses Mullott.

They were roused by the noise of crackling timber and the smell of smoke at 5.30 o’clock this morning and made their escape as quickly as possible.

Miss Herman’s stock, which was valued at between £I2OO and £l-100 has been completely destroyed by fire, water and smoke. .Mrs Kersey, whose b-ed-room was right above the shop lost all her wearing apparel. The building, in which the fire occurred is owned by Neville Newcomb Ltd. It is insured with the general accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation for £llOO. The shop and contents are insured with the same company for £BOO and furniture with the British Traders’ Insurance Go. for £4OO.

OILFIELDS REPORT . GISBORNE, Jan. G. Taranaki Oilfields report that Waiapu No. 2 well was drilled to a depth of 2,900 feet in shale; 8} inch diameter casing to 2,890 feet. Gisborne No. 1 well was drilled to a depth ol' 2,140 feet ; B.J inch diameter easing to 2120 feet. Shale from 1.93.1 feet to 1,940 feet, also 1,960 to 2,000, and 2,015 to 2.060. 'flic balance is sand. vSamples of sand between 2.000 and 2,050 were treated with chloroform and show definite traces of oil. A showing of gas from 2,060 to 2,005. Gisborne No. 2 well transport is somewhat delayed by rain, hut is now nearly ready to commence construction work. DEMAND BY UNEMPLOYED. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 5. “Work—not charity,” was the theme of the speeches made by leaders of a. group of unemployed, representing all brunches of trade, that collected in Victoria Square this morning.

Mr ,T. Pearson, who took the chair, said there were men amongst them who had had no food for three days. They did not want charity. They wanted work. They represented nearly every branch of trade, and not merely the labourer, though there were a large number of that class of worker amongst them.

.Mr Brightmore complained mainly of the rations which the Hospital Board distributed. They were not sufficient, he said, and. what was more, the men had to work before they got rations. Sometimes the men were not fit to work after the privations they had suffered. At the conclusion of the meeting, it was decided to visit the Mayor and put their complaints before him. The meeting then formed itself into a deputation to see the Deputy-Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan. M.P.) The procession, numbering about fifty went round to the Council Chandlers, and after a wait of over halt an hour was informed that Mr Sullivan could not possibly get down to-day, hut that he would meet the deputation at noon to-morrow. Later in the day the men waited on the Hospital Rpnrri r.nd the Benevolent Committee decided to increase the allowance to all applicants for assistance. INQUEST VERDICT. \ NAPIER, Jan. 6. At the inquest on John Gilbert de Mo I evils, station gardener, aged 49 years,’ who died shortly after admission to the Napier Hospital on Wednesday. a verdict was returned that deceased died as a result ol di inking methylated spirits.

NURSERYMEN CONFER. WELLINGTON, Jan. 4

The twenty-first annual conference of the Nexv Zealand Association of Nurserymen was commenced in Wellington to-dav. Mr T. Waugh. presiding. Til - Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. 0. J. Haxvken) welcomed the delegates. There xvere 637 registered nurseiies, compared with 593 last year he said. The acreage of the commercial orchaids had considerably increased, continued Mr Haxvken, and 448,000 eases of apples had been exported to Britain last year, and 2000 cases of pears ; 67.000 cases of apples to South America and 5360 cases to Honolulu. The Minister referred with satisfaction to the fact that there had been nc call on the Government last season, for the fruit guarantee which had been extended from 10s to 11s a case. The percentage’ of expensp, however, was very large, amounting to

nearly 10s a box on the apples sent Home. The Government had decided to send a shipment of 200 cases of passion fruit to the Home market, to tost the possibilties of the .same. He felt sure that the Act recently passed, giving the Institute of Horticulture power to grant diplomas in hortieultuio, would prove beneficial. 'I |,o president 'Mr T. Waugh), in his address, referred to the great benefit the Summer Time Act had proved tci the horticulturists. “Undoubtedly,” said Mr Waugh. “ Mr Sidey’s measure has been a good help, and we owe him a deep debt of gratitude. The extra hour of daylight means a wonderful aid to gardening.” The Institute of Horticulture Act, passed last year, inaugurated a new era, and the iiist batch of diplomas awarded oil experience had lioxv been granted, 21 out ol 23 applicants having been successful. He emphasised the necessity of specialising, of not over-producing, and of striving for quality. Mr T. Waugh was re-elected president, -*r D. J. Burrows (Gore) vicepresident for the South Island, and 51 r V. C. Davies (New Plymouth) vicepresident for the North Island. Among the remits adopted were ones urging the necessity for the registration of all growers of plants for sale; for the registration end inspection of nurseries xvliere plants are grown for sale; that the railxvay authorities he asked to fix the same rates on fruit and vegetables xvhetlier for private use or public sale; that the 1929 conference be held at Christchurch.