DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 April 1929, Page 5

DOMINION ITEMS.

RECENT DROWNING

i’ll k engineers explanation

By lelou.apii—!‘er I'niss Association.)

WELLINGTON, April 2.5

In consequence of various allocations against the Public Works Dopartniont will l regard to tn<* drowning of Koroma n Holmmii at Waitaki oloctrio works, tin* engineer lias forwarded a report to the -Minister, “ in refutation of tin l incorrect and misleading statcuen.t wliicli lias appeared.” He says llolfinan ordered two men to stretch a. plank from a liaise to a buoy in order to remove a piece of wire rope from the latter. It was dangerous, and the men very properly refused, as there was no occasion to take such a risk, when all that was necessary was to let the barge float down to the buoy, llolfinan then got astride the plank himself, without taking any precautions. probably out of sheer bravado. When lie reached the buoy his weight tilted it and he fell into the river, runnine at between (> and 7 miles an hour, and was drowned.

As to the charge of not providing lifebelts and boats, the engineer says two boats were in constant attendance and six lifebelts wore kept and it was I lolfmaii’s own business, as foreman, to see that one was on the barge. The fact that he neglected to do so was his own responsibility.

HON. E. A. RANSOM".

PAHIATUA, April 23

Hon. E. A. Hansom visited Pongaroa yesterday and inspected the roads and received deputations. He addressed a public meeting at night and was also entertained at a smoke concert. Me is inspecting roads to-day and later proceeds to Dannevirke to attend the Old Settlors function. Mr Sykes, member for Masterlon, was also at Pongaroa.

EXTRADITED

WELLINGTON, April 23.

Extradited from Australia, two men arrived to-day by the Maraiua under escort, and appeared before .Magistrate Page. John Edmond Thomas O’Sullivan, described as a surveyor, was charged with forging a Post Office Savings Bank withdrawal receipt for £IOO. and Douglas Milligan Slater, a clerk, with theft from Archibald Dougall Coombs. The Chief Detective said the amount involved in the defalcations had not vet been determined.

Both were remanded without bail

FALSE PRETENCES

WELLINGTON, April 23

Four mouths hard was imposed by Mr Page, S.M., on William Reid McCasgill, 2(5, a labourer, who obtained a pair of hoots valued at £1 8s and £8 •Is fid in money from Ardrey and Son by means of fals pretences, tendering a cheque on the Bank of New Zealand in which he had no account. Accused had a prior record.

TROUT FISHING

WELLINGTON, April 23

A further encouraging report as to the condition and weight of trout taken during last week has been reported to the Minister of Internal Affairs by the Conservator of Fish and Game at Rotorua, Captain Terex. Kish have been taking freely in Tongariro river and many individual catches of between 40 and 50 for six days have been made, the most successful 5(5, including the limit for one day at Poplar pool. Fish ten pound and over have been fairly common. One oil 131 b was caught in Hut pool. It is remarked, however, that Tongariro is not a beginner’s river.

r\K.M PLOVKD

PALMERSTON X., April 23

A meeting of the unemployment committee decided to telegraph to Sir Joseph Ward that it was reported 03 with 120 dependents, were unemployed locally. The committee suggested filling work on the railway deviation be continued to relieve the situation.

INQUEST VEHDICT. GISBORNE. April 22,

An inquest was held on Fred Horne, dead yesterday m a boarding house bedroom. The evidence given was that deceased was found with a bullet in the right temple, and a .22 calibre rifle alongside. . , , he boardinghouse proprietor stated the deceased suffered from insomnia, and on only one occasion in the past three weeks' did be get any sleep Other witnesses stated that the deceased was worried because he could get no work. The Coroner, Air P. H. Harper, >S.M. returned a verdict that death was due to a gunshot wound, sell inflicted, while in a state of acute mental depression.