DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 24, 27 January 1913, Page 5

DOMINION NEWS.

ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP.FOE WANGANUI.. fPer Press Association.) ■ Wanganui, January 27. Record entries have been received for the Fire Brigades’ demonstration to be held at Wanganui on the 19th and 20th of February. One hundred and three teams entered, representing 6oO x men, and the demonstration will be the largest yet held in the dominion. For the chief event, the reel and ladder for live men, a total of £OO will be given in prize money. BANDLEY’S LATEST EXPLOIT. Auckland, January 27. John Handley, the Australian boy who was arrested for burglary on Wednesday night, escaped from the police cells on Saturday night. At the rear of the cells is the exercise yard, which is bounded by a brick wall 14 feet high. Bahdley had 'been exercising there on Saturday afternoon, and was left alone at 5 p.m. Half an hour later he was discovred to be missing. He had evidently climbed over the wall to gain the street and passed either the window of the detectives’ room or the window of the Watchhouse. A search was promptly instituted, but so far it has been unsuccessful. PRACTICAL SYMPATHY. Cambridge, January 24. Inhabitants of the town and district will meet in the Farmers’ Clubroom to-morrow evening for the purpose of forming a working bee to erect temporary stables for Messrs Crowther and Bell, who suffered by two consecutive fires at the beginning of the week. This is a somewhat unique method of showing practical sympathy with a popular but unfortunate firm.

OPENING OF WAIRAU BRIDGE. Blenheim, January 24. The new traffic bridge over the Wairau river, near Renwick, on the main road from Blenheim to Nelson, was opened to-day by the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher in the presence of a large gathering of members and visitors. The structure is 2225 feet in length and cost approximately £12,000, of which the Government found half. The first pile was driven on March 4th, Atkinson Eros., Westport, being the contractors. The bridge will confer a great benefit on settlers and the travelling public, as in the winter the Wairau is often flooded, and in the past several lives have been lost in the river.

BEER, BETTING, AND BUSINESS. Waihi, January 24. At the statutory meeting of the Waihi Borough Council last evening no alteration was made in regard to the weekly half-holiday, Wednesday being fixed as heretofore. Only the Mayor and one councillor voted for Saturday. Councillor Corringham, in protesting against the proposal to adopt Saturday in the face of the recent bard times experienced by business people, said: “First they take the beer away, then the races, and now they want to do away with our remaining bread and butter. We’ll have to emigrate next. It’s a piece of impudence.”

THE AUCKLAND EXHIBITION. Timaru, January 2G. A meeting of the delegates of local bodies was held to-day to consider whether an organised attempt should bo made for the representation of South Canterbury at the Auckland Exhibition. A motion was carried, affirming the desirability of having South Canterbury represented, and a commitee was appointed to obtain further information and report in a fortnight. Suggestions included the collecting of sheaves of grain in the present harvest, and making a point of the scenic attractions by a model of Mount Cook.

DESERTING FIREMEN. Dunedin, January 20. In the Police Court yesterday, James Nisbet and John Robertson, firemen,: were charged with deserting from the Hurunui. Accused pleaded guilty, but said that bad food was the cause of deserting. They said they had I complained to the captain and the j chief engineer, but no improvement I took place. Nineteen men had left j the ship since she sailed from Glas- ■ gow. The Magistrate (Mr Widdow- ; son) said that if there was anything ! wrong, the mess should complain to : the captain, and if he would not rei medy the matter ,com plain to the Minister of Marine, who would no 1 doubt make inquiries. Accused were j sentenced to one month’s imprisonj ment, with the reservation that they I be placed on board ship when it was j leaving New Zealand.