DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1929, Page 6

DOMINION ITEMS.

COMPENSATION CLAIM FAILS. i.By Telegraph, Per Press Association.J HAMILTON, Sept. 19. A claim for £222 compensation for injuries to his right hand was brought before Mr Justice Blair at the Compensation Court to-day by Thomas Janies Uibson, against Crawford and Coy, wood and coal merchants, Hain/lion. The .question at issue was whether the plaintiff, when injured, was working on contract or as defendant s employee. The Judge held that plaintiff had failed to prove he was engaged as an employee, and dismissed the case. PAINTER’S HEATH. OAMARU, Sept. 18. Shortly before mid-day on Tuesday the body of Charles Brooker (46), a painter, married, with four children, was found hanging from a rafter in a dairy at Five Forks, where he had been working. He was last seen alive at 9 and gave no indication that, anything was on liis mind. At an inquest to-day the Coroner (Mr W. H. Frith) returned a verdict or suicide while-'of unsound mind. *>;. Medical evidence showed that’•'‘deceased had been attended by a doctor on September 14tli. when a specimen of his blood was taken, the cells showing /a peculiar type of degeneration typical of lead poisoning. In the doctor’s opinion there had been continual absorption of lead into the deceased’s system, probably by contamination of his food with particles of paint. A FELL QVER CLIFF. . OAMARU, Sept. 18. The mutilated body of Charles Rivers, single, aged 61, a labourer, was found at the foot of a cliff on the railway line near the breakwater at 8 <>’clock this morning. Deceased was well-known as an old Rugby player. Latterly he had been living a nomadic life and was sleeping out near the top of the cliff. Apparently he missed his footing and fell over. \ ’

CONDUCT OF SCHOOL BAZAAR. BOARD TAKES NO ACTION \ DUNEDIN, Sept. 18.. gome little time ago the Council of Christian Congregations passed a resolution strongly protesting against the running of an Art Union in connexion with the Caversham School bazaar, and requesting the Education Board to take steps to prevent a recurrence of such a practice. The other side of the story was heard at a meeting of the Education Board to-day when the secretary of the bazaar wrote stating that the, oiiiy tickets sold by children were Queen Carnival tickets representing one vote. The resolution that had been passed was an unmerited reflection on the committee headmaster, and staff of the school. , Mr R. H. Todd said that the sideshows at the bazaar were practically the same as those held at the Caveisham Church bazaar twelve months previously. The Board unanimously passed a resolution stating that it had heard the explanation of the Schopl Committee, and there was no cause for taking action on the lines suggested by the Council of Christian Congregations.

COINED GOLD. , EXPORT TO ENGLAND ‘WELLINGTON, September 20. The steamer Rirautaka, which left yesterday tor England, took 1 5 boxes of gold amounting to £375,000. It was intended to send 25 more but the strongroom would not hold them, and they were returned to the Bank of New Zealand, which was the shipper. Last month £IOO,OOO went to United States. Bank officials had no statement to make as to the reason for this heavy export of coined gold.