NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 157, 8 March 1915, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

ROTTMAN EXECUTED. DEATH INSTANTANEOUS. A PATHETIC SPEECH. BY THE CONDEMNED MAN. "• (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON This Day. Arthur Rottman, the young German, who was sentenced to death at Wanganui on February 13th, for the murder of Joseph McCann, Lucy Mary McCann and John Joseph McCann, an infant, at Ruahine, on the 28th December, was executed at the Terrace Gaol, Wellington, at 8 a.m. to-day. The arrangements were supervised by the sheriff, Mr W. A. Hawkins, and were carried out without a hitch, death being instantaneous.

On the scaffold, when asked by the sheriff if he had anything to say, Rottman in a firm but low voice remarked: "I know nothing of what I have done to those poor people. I am willing to pay the penalty of the crime; it does not appear to me like a horrible sentence but a great relief. I will die happy facing the great entrance into a better life, and May God forgive the man that caused my death and a great many more deaths. If this war had never tatyen plade I would still be a free man. I say goodbye to you all, and God be with you till we meet again.

AUCKLAND FIRE. ,* .. PRIVATE HOTEL BURNT. ] AUCKLAND, This Day, A private hotel, "The Towers," in Newmarket, having 25 rooms, was partially destroyed by fire on Saturday night. One wing of the house, which contained twenty-five rooms, was gutted. The Newmarket brigade reel capsized when rounding a corner and two men were slightly injured. Others proceeded to the fire without appliances. The City Brigade arriving, assisted to extinguish the fire. The building is owned by Mr N. Nielsen, and was insured in the Phoenix for £I2OO. The contents, in the same office, for £4OO. It is estimated that the damage to the building is £IOOO. The proprietor, W. Potter.left the building a few minutes before the outbreak. •j

WELLINGTON FIRE. j IN EXPLOSIVE STORES. 1 WELLINGTON, This Day. A fire broke out in the Harbour Board explosive stores this morning, probably through chemical action and 1 Heakage of phosphorus from tins,which ignited on exposure to the air. The store was full of explosives, gasoline, and cylinders of compressed air. The firemen had an intensely difficult task before the outbreak was overcome. The damage wa s slight. SERIOUS FIRE AT MASTERTON. MASTERTON March 7. The large residence of Mr W. B. Chennells was destroyed by fire at an early hour this morning. Insurances—£looo on the building in the N.Z. office, and £3 ! 00 en the furniture in the Royal. A LYTTELTON SENSATION. * WARRANT FOR ARREST OF CORPORATION OFFICER.

ALLEGED DEFALCATIONS. , CHRISTCHURCH, March 7. Quite „ a sensation was caused at Lyttelton on Saturday, when it was learned that a warrant had been issued for the arrest of a well known athlete and an ex-employe.a of the Lyttelton Borough Council, for an alleged charge of theft from the Corporation's fundta 't i s understood that the person indicated in the charge recently joined t.he reinforcements. The amount of the defalcations is believed to be between £GOO and £7OO. NEWSPAPER PROPRIETORS' J| ASSOCIATION. * TIMARU, March 8. Th,a question of additional cable communication with the North Island was broujght forward by the President. After discussion it was unanimously decided that the President make representations to the Government in the matter.

It was resolved that the Association act in sympathy with, the Federation of Master Printers with respectjp any applications to the Arbitration''Court, Mr Pirani to act as the Association's representative. Amongst other matters dealt ,with were the selling of advertising space for manufacturers of enemy countries; freight on news printing papery and claims for damage to paper. ."■ '