COMMONWEALTH NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 46, 30 June 1913, Page 3

COMMONWEALTH NEWS.

ANTI-OPIUM CRUSADE. Perth, June 17. The anti-opium crusade is being vigorously prosecuted in Perth. Today Man Sing was fined £IOO, or six months, for having in his possession half an ounce of liquid opium, and some opium ash. Other Chinese arrested on Man Sing’s premises were fined £5 for possessing opium ash. NEITHER SHOT NOR DROWNED. Launceston, June 16. An inquest was held on Saturday on the body of Catherine Alice Blyth (aged 30), who was found in the North Esk on Thursday after she had been missing from home for a week. A post-mortem i examiniation showed oa bullet .wound in the forehead, but not sufficient to cause death ; also that death was not due to drowning, she not having breathed, after entering the water. It is surmised that deceased shot herself, and, being unconscious, fell into the river. A verdict of suicide was returned. No cause was assigned for the act, except depression at her father’s death recently. SLEPT FIVE DAYS. Melbourne, June 17. A - remarkable but apparently true story;-about a sleep which lasted for ffive days was told to the Melbourne Hospital authorities by a man , who was taken to the institution today, suffering from shlphonal and veronal poisoning. - - ' He was a clerk nairted Alfred Preston (45), of High-street, Northcote. He has suffered for years from insomnia, for which he took a sleeping draught, which contained the poi-sonous-drugs fnentioned. Last Saturday week he took an excessive dose, caused hiin to sleep to the folliwing Thursday. When he awoke he was extremely weak, and subsequently became very ill. He was admitted to the hospital for treatment, but his condition is not considered to be serious.

CITY IN DARKNESS. Launceston, June 17. A thunderstorm passed over the city to-night about half-past nine. There Vasa' in hot vivid flash of lightning, and- suddenly the whole city was pi tinged • ‘into darkriess, : caused by the •* circuit 1 being fused. “ Eon Over tiVdi hours the defect, could not be remedied, and the (theatres 1 / (private' houses, hotels', etc!/ were in darkness. i The utmost confusion -prevailed, to say nothing of [ [great . incdnveniende -at newspaper offices. Everything was held up. After <a long.dplhy,'tlip' electric trams, which 1 were worked on another icircuit, were again running; The central section of the city was alonq. affected, the suburbs being worked on a separate>fcircuit, and there the light -was continued. It was the most inconvenient and unique position the city had ever been placed in, for never..before',had light and for such ‘a long time. ( At the time of wiring'; p,mi) not been restored; “WANTttf W BUY EMU EGGS.” n i" : Sydney, June 17. r A robbery of more than ordinary audacity took, place in ,the city last night. :■/ ' ( -,v David Wilharq. Roberts had hooked his passage by the Geelong for London, and WCflt'down to the steamer to see to his luggage arrangemonts. He was standing on the deck of the vessel when a stranger came up and entered into conversation with him. . tv After a few minutes the genial stranger suggested that they should , take' a walk. It was a fine-night, and Roberts quickly fell in with the suggestion* They sauntered up George Street, when the stranger, after impressing the fact that he too was sailing by the-Geelong, asked for a loan, as he had-’left his money in his cabin, and he wanted to buy some goldmounted. emu veggs. Roberts took a wallet containing fourteen; £5 notes, out of I ; s ir side pocket, intending, as he t xplanned afterwards/fo' give his “friend” £5, but the stranger snatched the wallet containing the notes and bolted. Roberts .made an - attempt to follow him, but the mart disappeared up Kingstreet, and: was lost,in the crowd. A description of .the man has been supplied to the police.