DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 October 1929, Page 6

DOMINION ITEMS.

REEFTON MINES IDLE. MISCHIEF IN A PIT. By Telegraph—Press Assn., Copyright. REEFTON, Oct. 7. There is no change in the coal strike. The mines have now been idle a week. During the week-end the boiler in Morris’ No 3 mine was blown out, it is thought by an explosive placed in a tube MYSTERIOUS FIRE NEAR CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 8. An unoccupied four-irooined house at North Beach, New Brighton, owned by Mrs Alexander Simes, was destroyed by fire to-night. The house had been empty for a fortnight, but when it was visited by the gasmeter leader in the afternoon, everything was in order. The origin of the fire is mysterious.

NEW DREDGE A WEEK OVERDUE. DUNEDIN, Oct, 8. Anxiety is beginning to be felt regarding the Otago Harbour Board’s new dredge Otakou. The dredge left Colombo on September 10th. and allowing the usual average of 20 days steaming to bring her to Fremantle, she should have reached the last stage of her long journey on September 30th. No advice, however, of the Otakou’s arrival at Fremantle has so far been received by the Board’s officials.

’QUAKE FUND. WELLINGTON, October 9. The Central Earthquake Fund has reached £138,124. . BONING DECISION. ♦DUNEDIN, November 9. Owing to the decision of the New Zealand Boxing Council in declaring Otago Association had committed a breach of the rules in anticipation of the consent of the Council by entering into contracts for £20() purses with Johnny Leckie, it was decided at a meeting of the executive to cancel all existing contracts with Leckie and overseas boxers, and the Secretary was instructed to notify Pete Sarron and others of the decision.

A BOY’S DEATH. CHRISTCHURCH, October 9. Frank Otten. nineteen, son of the caretaker, was killed yesterday evening by a fall from the roof of the Cathedral Chambers, five stories high, to the floor of an open basement. He slipped while watching a chimney fire nearby. WASH-TUB TRAGEDY. HAMILTON, Oct. 8. ' Sarah Alice Farhurst, 49, Huntly, wife of a miner, was severely burned on September 29th. while washing clothes at her home. She died at the hospital, Hamilton, late yesterday. At the inquest this morning, the evidence showed that flames from the copper fire caught the woman’s elo+ : ing. The husband, coming in response to her screams, threw a rug around her, and extinguished the flames. He called a doctor, and the victim was transferred to the Waikato Hospital, Hamilton.

The verdict was in accordance with the medical evidence, that death was due to heart failure, the result of a toxic condition caused bv burns.

DOMINION BUTTER AND CHEESE.

AUCKLAND, October 7

“I have been overseas to ascertain how* tho quality of our buitter and cheese suits the trade and to make inquiry as to the better handling ot dairy exports” said Mr W- M. Singleton, of the Department of Agriculture who returned by the Niagara to-day. “As far as thq quality of butter is concerned there is little more desired wherever the New Zealand 'product is handled. In regard to cheese, however, it is pretty Well recognised that the New Zealand product is more uniform in quality than that produced in any other country in the world. That is for Cheddar cheese. Regarding flavour, however, it is a little faulty, and it is recognised by the trade that there is just a little room for improvement in body and texture.” HALFCASTE’S SUICIDE. AUCKLAND, October 9. A Halfcaste Samoan .George Brightouse, aged 18 employed as a labourer at Wainui was found dead with his head badly shattered and a shot gun on the floor nearby. He had apparently pulled the trigger with his toes, His father is the owner of a plantation in Samoa.