DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 July 1928, Page 1

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) THE SESSION. TO END EARLY IN OCTOBER,' WELLINGTON, July 21a Interviewed after a Cabinet meeting this afternoon, Mr Coates said that tho Budget could he expected within a fortnight. It is his personal opinion that tho session will finish about the first week in October. WAITOMO DISABLED. WELLINGTON, July 23. The head office of the Union Steamship Company received a wireless message to-day from Captain Jaunay, of the company’s collier Waitomo, en route from Newcastle to Bluff, stating that the vessel had become disabled, with a broken tailshaft, at a point about four hundred miles north of Westport. Tho Kaitoke, also a collier, will get away from Westport early to-morrow morning and, on picking up tlie AVnitorao, will tow her to Auckland for repairs in dock. The Waitomo is a steel screw cargo carrier 4214 tons gross, and 2719 tons net. She was built in 1911 by the Northumberland Shipbuilding Coy. Ltd., Newcastle, England, and was engined by Richardsons, West, Garth and Coy, Ltd.

THE DISABLED STEAMER. AUCKLAND, July 24. The Union Company’s cargo steamer Waitomo is drifting helpless in the Tasman with engines disabled, owing to the tail shaft having broken. The collier Knitoko is being despatched from Westport to tow the Waitomo to Auckland for ropnirs. The Waitomo was en route from Newcastle to Bluff and was 400 miles from Westport at the time of tho accident.

■S.S. PUKKKO STRANDED. NAPIER, July 23. Tho breaking of a. mooring line when endeavouring to shift Richardson and Cov’s new steamer Pukcko (735 tons) from one berth to another in tho inner harbour this afternoon, resulted in the vessel drifting helplessly in the channel until she grounded in a dangerous position near the entrance to tho harbour. When the vessel was first moved, she had [no steam up, and thus was unable to resist tho tide when the cables parted. When the engines were requisitioned after the stranding, a cable from, an assisting vessel fouled one. propellor of the Pukcko, the other one being later put out of action by being also fouled. It was dead low tide at tlie time, and the vessel was dangerously near tho rocks at the side of the channel. With tho incoming tide one propellor started in reverse, and this was freed of the obstruction by this means, and, with the assistance of another vessel, the Pukoko was floated off and regained her berth at 7.15 p.m. about four hours after leaving it. She was apparently undamaged although she bumped considerably at one stage.

NELSON AIOTOB ACCIDENT. NELSON, July 23. As the result of a motor car colliding with an electric light pole in AVaimea Road on Saturday evening, George Briggs, a. married resident of Tahunanui, is in the hospital in a serious condition, with a fractured skull and a broken jaw. .Another occupant, Leo Cresswell, was not seriously hurt.

BRIDGE AVASHED AAV AY. HAAIILTON, July 23.. Tho bridge over tho Oketo Stream on tho Hamilton Raglan Alain Road, was washed away by a flood this afternoon. There are heavy rains throughout the district.

A FIRE. BLENHEIM, July 24. This morning F. AV. Dodson’s aerated water factory, an old wooden structure, was destroyed by fire, Dodson having some difficulty, after attempting to locate the seat of the outbreak in escaping. Tho Brigade were promptly on the scene. There was no hope from the beginning of saving the building and a quantity of valuable machinery and stocks of essences. Dodson’s loss is considerable. Tho building and plant was insured for £650 in Eagle, /Star, and British Dominions. BLENHEIAf, July 24. Amended iitsuranco.s are £l5O on the building £270 on plant* and material. The owner suffers a heavy loss.

INQUEST VERDICT. K A AVER A, July 21. A verdict of death by misadventure was returned at the inquest yesterday on Bernard McKenzie, aged 33, who died in the hospital on Sunday evening from internal injuries received on Thursday when he was kicked in the abdomen by a horse, which he was breaking in. Deceased was employed at Kaupokonui as a sharemilker. He came from Ireland two years ago and ns far as is known, has no relatives in the Dominion.