DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1928, Page 4

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

A FIRE. BLENHEIM, June 30

A seven-roomed dwelling owned by Airs C. Batty, of Auckland, and occupied by Mrs A. Cummings, was partially gutted by fire this morning. Insurance £550 in State office on dwelling but no cover on contents.

A EIRE. HAYVERA, June 30. A six-roomed farm-house owned and occupied by F. Head ou YY’aitino Road, 5 miles from Opntiako, was destroyed by fire at nine last night: The origin uf Ihe lire is unknown. The family left during the morning to visit New Plymouth and did not return home last night. Insurances arc unavailable.

GAOL FOR DRUNKEN DRIVER

GISBORNE, June 30,

When l lie fifth motorist this week appeared at the Police Court this morning on a charge of intoxication in charge of a. car Magistrate Levvy fulfilled his threat to regard no intoxicated drivers as first offenders and sen tenced Kawau Ratapu to fourteen days gaol, canceling his license for eighteen months.

MAITi HAMPERS. WELLINGTON. June 30. The Postmaster-General (Hon W. Xosworthy) stated regarding the action of the Post Office in manufacturing its own hampers instead of giving the work to the Christchurch basket-mak-ing firms, that it is not a fact that up till two years ago all hampers used in the Post oHite were manufactured ill Christchurch. The Department lias maintained a staff of sxillcd basketmakers for over twenty years, and during that period, in addition to carrying cut all repairs necessary to hampers and baskets it lias manufactured the greater portion of hampers and bavkes used. At times, owing to the abnormal growth in the parcel past business, the Department’s basketmaking staff has been unable to manufacture hampers in sufficient numbers to meet requirements, and on such occasions contracts have been let for the supply of a limited number of hampers.

WUEiC'KED TRAWLER. AUCKLAND, July 1. The Marino Court exonerated the master of the “Thomas Brvnn” for the wreck of the trawler on the Coromandel Peninsula on June 10th., returned his certificate, and made no order regarding costs.

It was found that the wreck was caused bv. the failure of the helmsman and lookout to keep the ship on its proper course and call the master when the weather became thick.

DAMAGE done by gale. WELLINGTON. Juno 80.

Tlic back arch of the centre unit of the Wellington Show building, in the cour-/j. ui erection, was li'o.vn down in the gale last night.

It was a concrete section about 50 feet in length, 22 feet in height, and 14 inches thick. Its weight was about twenty tons. It was reinforced with steel bars, and was stayed in its place with tind'er, waiting for the erection of tiio roof principals. The entire section was snapped at its base, and foil outwards, damaging a quantity of floor timber stacked nearby.

It is estimated that the damage will run into four figures. The wind in the vicinity was stated to have boon s:i great that pieces of timber were ■ aught up and whirled in the air.

SUSPECT ARRESTED. AUCKLAND. Juno 34

A large quantity of clothing, silverware and glassware was stolen from the unoccupied residence of .Mrs .Mabel Russell, in Parnell last night.

Jn the early hours of this morning, the police arrested a suspect dragging a large cabin truck containing household goods.

BROKE WINDOW. CHRISTCHURCH. .Tune 30. ‘‘lt was just a case of an honest man having neither a job, money nor home, getting desperate. It is a ease of real hard luck and far removed from the usual type that comes before Your Worship.” So said the police to-day when Alexander Marinas Christas Turk, aged 59, described ns a cook from Holland, was charged with wilfully breaking a pane of glass valued at ss, the property of the New Zealand Government, and also with being an idle and disorderly person.

Defendant had deliberately broken a window in the old post office so that he might be arrested. He was ordered to come up for sonteneo when called upon. The Sa v tionists promised to care for him.

GAMING ACT CHARGE. AUCKLAND, June 30.

Frederick George Pennell, aged 32, was arrested on a charge of using a butcher’s shop at the corner o,f Shaw Street and Fdondale Road, as a common gaming house. Bail was fixed at £SO