DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 October 1928, Page 6

DOMINION ITEMS.

‘ ACF-OF tßy Telegraph—Per Association.); DUNEDIN, Ot. 1. What looks Rhe. either a. deliberate attempt to set fire to the,. Balclutha Presbyterian "Church or the careless, accidental act of drunken reyellers was discovered oil ‘ Sunday mprning, when the caretaker entered the buildings in preparation for the usual Spnday morning service. He was met at the <Rx>r by a cloud of pungent smoke, and at first he thought the whole building was on fire. It' was soph seen, however, thftt the smoke, camp from a, fire in the pulpit, which was still smouldering. The pulpit had evidently been desecrated • 'by someone enuring the night, and the minister’s chair was little better than a charred mass, while a large round hole had been burned in the carpet, of the pulpit. In a room off the vestry the intruders had been at work, and a window curtain was discovered to have been burned and there wore < several burnt matches lying on the ■ floor. AERO CLUB. FORMED. t ' " . Oct. 3; An Aero.Clul> With i membership of eighty-seven, was formed in New Plymouth toi-night. By an enthusiastic gathering 6'f over one hundred. A Provisional Committee, with the Mayor (Mr H. Y. S. Griffiths) as Chairman, was appoiirtea bo decide on the site, etc. Sir John- Salmond is to he invited to visit New Plymouth. ELECTRICAL TENDERS. HAMILTON, Oct. 3, The tender of a German firm for cables and l boxes for the Matamata Sub Station has been accepted by theThames Valley Power Board. The next lowest tender was 80: per cent, higher than the German tender. One member dissented.'-:'- A W-:'.'-, .A : ; : ■ POLICE/TjgAF. '' !J '/•'-A ‘ FORfeP@Sm^^ioFMClALSv'?''- r - ' WELLINGTON, October 3. Owing to eptnplauijfcs. ( p^afding-, t|m : vate. boxes, ice two letnetK* Pacn • containing £3 . in qotes being placed in a firm’s box. These were found opened and; the money disturbed,, but not s takep., ThereupbhY.Hfe*lJijfiSl ; in* charge Wa’miperih'g l withthe. letters and -with stealing, a 10s note from another letter. This, it is a Ueged dropped,. p.ut -bis pocket -on the way to the Police Station. He is a man, of 37 years, and is regarded as a trustworthy -officer. His name has been suppressed meanwhile. Tlie accused pleaded not^. guilty ,jn _ >l .the Court, and was cdmrhilMd ? Tdr tiridl.

AUCKLAND GIRL DISAPPEARS. AUCKLAND, Oct. 3...... A girl aigj3d Aiiahted -ißopa Minnie lives wifih ' her parents bjapnrinissing from her horn© sine© Monday y morning, and T4re-/ 4Yiter)tained r for ! - her safety. She is a i>i£pH ! of ’’theA Epsom Girl’s Grammar School. The girl left, home presumably for sclio*! with a small attache case which she uses to cany her books, but it is presumed she took in this five of her dresses, which - are. npw . missing. She also took her tennis racquet and shoes. She did not return on Monday evening and when her parents made inquiries they found she had not attended school dajA ... None had seen her, and her parents do not think their daughter is far away. As far as they know sher t liad->.CMifefe-'fts>fshilli'ng.-. in. her possession when ‘she"left home. EX-MATRON’S DEATH. WELLINGTON, Oct. 4. Obituary.—Miss Stott, who lately resigned the matronship of the hospital. CAIt DRIVER FINED. WELLINGTON, Oct. 4. •F. Titus Laurie, a .garage proprietor at Detone, Was fined £25, in default two monthsp and J his license cancelled till May next, for being in* toxicated while in -charge of a motor. H©-struck -two cars and a lady in one wag badly injured. -

FURTHER IMPRISONMENT IMPOSED. WEWJNGTON. October 4. A sentence of three months imprisonment with liard labour was imposed on Gerald Swanson, a labourer, aged 30, who Admitted having 'escaped from Mount Crawford prison on September 30tli. The., sentence is',to be served at jjie expiration of the three years’ imprisonment accused as now undergoing. BODY FOUND. FOXTON, Oct. 4. The body of a child.,, Jimmy Morgan, aged live., drowned in the Manawatu River at Whirokino on iSepfc. sth. was found by a' fisherman, a short distance from the scene of the fatality, this morning. The body of - the native, Kemp, fh-owned ■at Maaiavmtu Heads on Saturdays still missing.