DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 December 1929, Page 5

DOMINION ITEMS.

UNTRUE STORY. [By Telegraph, Per Press Association.] WANCANUf, Dec. 16. After investigations since Thursday last, the Wanganui police are satisfied there is nothing in the story of the Silverhope mystery, of a settler’s house being molested by a supposed madman.

OPPERMAN’S SUCCESS. CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 16. At' English Park on Saturday night, the Australian cyclist Hubert Opperman, defeated H. G. Watson in a match race. The contest consisted of two heats of five miles each, tandem paced. Oppernum won the first hv twenty yards, and the second by three lengths. Opperman also set a record of 5 min. 19 3-5 secs, for three miles, motor paced. FARMHOUSE FIRE. GISBORNE, Dec. 16. A six roomed farmhouse at Tekakare owned by C. Matthews and occupied by G. Burgess, was destroyed by fire during the absence of the occupants on Saturday night. SPORTSMEN’S SERVICE. WELLINGTON, Dec. 16. ■The first of the special services which have been named “Sportsmen’s Services,” which Canon Percival James inaugurated at St. Paul’s Pro Cathedral, was held yesterday morning at 9.30 o’clock. A half-hour service as the Canon described it lasted 35 minutes, but he explained that it would not usually exceed the prescribed time. There was an attendance of 150, and there were a few men in tennis flannels and holiday attire. Some few accepted the Canon’s invitation to bring their tennis racquets and there were at least one set of golf clubs at the church entrance. After the service the Canon stated his faith had been justified and they had made a good beginning.

BADLY BURNED. WITH BOILING PITCH. AUCKLAND, Dec. 16. Shockingly burned about the face and arms, Frank Andrade, aged 41, a resident of Ponsonbv, was taken to the hospital this morning in a dritieal condition. He was an employee at Mason Bros, foundry. Andrade was heating a barrel of pitch on a stove. He saw the barrel swelling, and rolled it oif the stove and knocked the bung out, when the boiling pitch gushed into his face. UNLOADING STOPPED. WESTPORT. Dec. 16. Because four cars were unloaded from the Orepuki by the crew yesterday, in order to take mails from the hatch, the watersiders refused to allow the unloading of the mails to proceed and the work was held up till this morning, when an agreement to unload the rest of the mails was reached. However unloading operations are now held up through ’*ain. When the mails had been cleared the watersiders would not touch the rest of ithe cargo. It is reported the watersiders wanted the four cars placed back on the ship after the mails had been taken from the hatch, but this was refused. SWTAIMING POSTPONED. GISBORNE, Dec. 16. Owing to the heavy rain on Saturday night the first appearance of Ryan and Griffiths in competition with local swimmers was abandoned. The Australians will appear to-night in the second carnival arranged in connection with their visit. The weather prospects arc good. GISBORNE'S NEW WHARF. GISBORNE, Dec. 16. The Tvahika drawing eleven feet berthed at the new wharf yesterday with a general cargo. She is the largest vessel to berth inside for six vears and much satisfaction is felt locally at the the evidence, of the value of the new port facilities. A FATAL ACCIDENT. WHANGAftEI, December 16. Lionel Hardy, aged 24, of the railway refreshment room staff at Auckland was killed at Maungatauroto as ,a result of a car capping on Saturday afternoon. John Dodds aged 60, suffered a severe scalp wound, and Alfred King fractured ribs. Both were admitted to the Whangarei hospital. Two other occupants were slightly injured. Hardy had been stationed at Maungaturoto some years and was tiansferred six weeks ago. WORKING CLASS LITERATURE DUNEDIN, December 16. The Otago and Southland General Labourers Union decided to forward a resolution to the Minister of Justice denouncing the harsh, cruel sentence imposed upon four members of the working class community a Wellington for reading and having in tlieii posses ion working class literature, which workers in other parts of the world were allowed to read, and calling upon the Minister to have the sentence reviewed with the object of having it removed.