DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 15, 18 May 1915, Page 6

DOMINION NEWS.

TRADING WITH GERMANY. Bee Peebb abbooiaxion. Wellington, May 17. At a meeting of tbe Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce to-day a motion was carried that a conference should be convened of representatives of every Chamber of Commerce, Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Trades and Labor Council, the Farmers’ Union, the Patriotic Society and other bodies interested, to discuss steps to prevent trading with Germany and Austria after the war. The conference’s recommendations will be presented to Parliament in the form of a petition. A suggestion that a poll tax of £IOOO lie imposed on Germans and Austrians was rejected, that matter being one for the Government to deal with. SUPREME COURT. Auckland, May 17. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened to-day. In his.address to the Grand Jury, Mr Justice Chapman said there was nothing unusual in the calendar. The Grand Jury found no bill in tbo charge against Harry Johnsofi, char-' ged with manslaughter, in that as a foreman of a railway gang he failed to see that the guy ropes of a derrick were clear of passing trains. A passing train struck one rope, and a workman was thrown heavily and received injuries causing his death. Alfred J. Burrows, a ship’s fireman, was found not guilty of theft from the dwelling of Police Sergt. O’Grady, of Ponsonby.

0 A young music teacher named John Leslie Lauder pleaded guilty to committing an unnatural act and not guilty to. indecent assault, of which, however, the jury, found him guilty. The judge said the man was utterly unfit to associate with human beings ,as a free creature, and was sentenced to imprisonment for life on tho first charge and ten years on the second.

BREACH OF PROMISE. Dunedin, May 17. A breach of promise case, ;Violet Campbell and the Rev. Ralph Bray, of Wellington, was set down for trial before Mr Justice Him to-day. Plaintiff ■.alleged that during the year 1907, at Dunedin, the parties verbally promised to marry one another, and that on May 6tlr last year Bray married ' another lady. Plaintiff claimed £SOO. Plaintiff further said that, relying on Bray’s promise, she sent him g present valued at £l4l 19s 6d, the freight and postage costing £SO more. Bray returned many of the presents, but the goods when returned had depreciated and she Jiad to pay freight and cartage, for which she claimed a further sum of £lB5 11s lid. Defendant, in a statement, denied the promise to marry, and denied the presents being given. The parties asked time to discuss the question of a settlement. An hour later Mr W. C. MacGregor, counsel for plaintiff, announced that the parties had agreed to a settlement upon these terms: Plaintiff withdraws the claim for breach of promise and also withdraws the assertion that there was a promise. The action was to be discontinued, the defendant having returned as far as possible the presents given by plaintiff, and he will pay her forthwith £SO to cover depreciation and in a full settlement of all claims relating to such presents. Mr Hanlon, counsel for defendant agreed, and tlfe judge said there was no need to enter up any judgment. DEATH AT PORIRUA. PATIENT SCALDED IN BATH. Wellington, May 17. The inquest concluded at the Porirua Mental Hospital on Saturday concerning the death of an old patient named James Hamblyn, as the result of burns which occurred previously. The inquest opened last Monday, when there was not the slightest evidence that deceased came by the injuries. Then the adjourned inquest was re-opened on Saturday, when John Dickson, attendant, who previously gave evidence that he did not know how deceased received the injuries, told a different story. He stated that on Sunday the 9th, he noticed Hamblyn was dirty, and he told an inmate named Perry to take him to the bathroom. Witness was absent for about ten minutes, and during this absence Perry had got the key and turned on the water. Witness noticed five or six inches of water in the bath, but made a great mistake, as without testing the temperature, ho told Hamblyn to jump in. Immediately he got in he fell and commenced to cry out. Witness felt the water and found it too hot. When helped out, Harnbyln did not complain, and the matter was not reported. The next time he noticed deceased was that evening, when the body was blistered, and medical assistance was called, but death followed. Witness admitted an attendant should have been present when the water was turned on, but said Perry got the key himself and it was not witness’s fault. The doctor, giving evidence, said he did not consider the injuries would have been fatal to an ordinary healthy person. A verdict was returned that death resulted from shock of burns while being bathed by Dixon, who neglected to test the water.