NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 4 September 1917, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

NATIVE YOUTH DROWNED HASTINGS, this day. A native youth, oko Cooper, 16 years ,of age, was drowned while fording the Tukituki, at Kahuranaki, this morning. DEATH OF TARANAKI SETTLER, NEW this day Obituary—Charles Maxwell Lepper, Chairman of the Hospital JB'oard, with which he was connected for very many years. He was also for several years Chairman of the Taranaki Jockey Club Committee and the Metropolitan Committee. A STEAMER ASHORE GREYMOUTH, this day. The steamer Opouri ran ashore at 11.30 last night on attempting to make the port. The* sea had been rough all day and shipping was practically at a standstill. In crossing the bar the Opouri’s steering gear failed to swing her round and she wasT carried on the north breakwater, into the small bight between the inner and outer walls. On striking the staging of the old wall three of the crew clambered ashore and held on to the staging, but the staging gave way and they were precipitated into the water. They got sefely ashore again. The vessel soon became hard and fast. The rest of the crew got ashore without any serious difficulty. The Opouri is now high and dry. An attempt will be made to nefloat her at noon, but no great hope is held as to success. The whole of the engine room and all the bunker coal wa s washed out. The vessel carried a general cargo.

A MAORI IN TROUBLE. AUCKLAND, September 3. A Maori named Jack Pihama, who pleaded not guilty, was committed for trial on a charge of killing, James White Hooker on August 11th, and with causing actual bodily harm (by an act for negligence) to Hooker. The evidence showed that Pihama, who allegedly had committed a nuisance in a street, was being pursued by a constable, and ran on the footpath, colliding with Hooker. The latter complained of pains in the abdomen and legs, and was conveyed to th-e hospital, where he died IS hours later. The medical evidence was to the effect that death was due to the rupture of a cyst on the kidney, and hemorrhage, and that probably little force from the collision would cause the rupture.