DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 March 1928, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS.

j (By Telegraph—P°r Press Association.) A SERIOUS FIRE. ( INVERCARGILL, Alarch 23. . Early this morning a fire aceured * in Gallagher’s fruit shop at Otautau and spread to they premises of Gordon Sinclair, chemist,; and Keith's Hotel. All were completely destroyed with 1 most of the contents. The occupants of the hotel made a hasty exit losing most of their personal belongings. MUCH RE TO URXA Af K NTS. WELLINGTON, March 22. In view of the public interest whicli has been aroused by the recent Supreme Court decision in Christchurch regarding euchre tournaments, the following statement is made bv the Attor-ney-General and Minister of Justice (Hon. E, J. Rolleston) : The facts on which the recent decision was based were that: tin* party prosecuted had invited the public bv advertisement to attend certain prent- 1 tses known as the Sydenham Foot ball Hall, for the purpose of playing progressive euchre. A charge of 2s (id was made lor admission, and cash prizes to winners, ol the tournament. The tourimnient was run purely for ibn purpose of private gain. On these Lifts, tile court, following decisions ori exactly the same law which is in force in England, held that the premises were w hat is called in law “ a common gaming house,” and n breach of the provision of the Gaming Act. The essential points in this ease were that an admission fee was charged for entries in the euchre tournament for tbe purpose of winning a prize, and that the prizes of a value equivalent to the money were offered to winners of the ' tournament. “ I have received many letters on this subject from different ■ 1 parts of the country, some of them evidently written on the assumption that a game of euchre had been dot lared 1 an unlawful game. This is not so.. The game becomes unlawful only if played in such circumstances as to constitute the premises where it is played ' as a common gaming bouse. In tbe prosecutions which have recently come i ‘ before the courts, five out of six were ! 1 being ((inducted as a matter of bttsi- : ' ness by private individuals, purely ' for purposes of private gain, and those ' cases differed in no way limn those I of tbe "mil down” or other similar 1 prosecutions '

OBITUARY. i 9 AUCKLAND. Alarch 22. j The death has occurred at the Leper ’ Island of Alakogai of the Rev. Father I Nieonleit. who contracted leprosy there after years of work- among the lepers whom he tended unceasingly. He was (;•_> years old, and a native of Era we, width ho left 36 years ago to work in the Pacific Islands as a missionary. Some fifteen years ago be went as a chaplain to the leper island, and as he foresaw the disease itsell eventually claimed him as a victim. He laboured among the natives with whom he lived since lie worn stricken, till near tlio end, when Ids suffering* prostrated him. VETERAN SETTLER PASSES. t GISBORNE, March 23. j Obituary .--Robert Craill. a pioneer j lev of this district ; aged 90 years. | i ALLEGED ARSON. S i AVELLINGTON, March 23. .! .Another inquest was held upon a. | tire in a building in \A illis Street. ' jj representative of the Eire Board said. J the circumstances pointed to a delih- j orate attempt to burn it down. building was owned by A .11. AAallaeoH and was insured for 61500. A h n; j occurred in a room occupied by A. U .. j Phipps, a tailor by occupation. Kvi-Jj donee was given that kerosene was all. j about and a tin of it was found in j another room. Phipps had three rooms in all. He had a policy for CoOO and ! the insurance company paid him 6140. Pld'ops was not called ami AAatson said he was not sure Phipps know the enquiry was being held. Tlio cuq.i.ry ' was adjourned to obtain his attendance ; hut as he could not he found, there was a further adjournment till to-day. LORRY' DRIVER GAOLED. OPOHKI, March 23. In the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, , y (' Parkinson, the lorry driver, in tv motor fatalitv on 9th. March appeared , to answer charges of negligent, driving, ami being intoxicated in charge ol a motor vehicle. In the former charge the ease was dismissed, and on the |. l ll-'-r the accused was sentemed to fourteen .lays and was prohibited for twelve months otherwise, ami his driving license cancelled for twelve .months. BUSHMAN KILLED . TAI'MARANVi, Alar.h 23. A distressing fatality occurred late vosterdav afternoon at Mangakara, n., ;l r Ohura. when Robert Humphreys. ■ iced 19, was killed ns the result of a tree which he was chopping down, falling on him. Death was instanlanCO US.