NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Taihape Daily Times, 12 March 1919, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

A PRISONER'S ESCAPE

FROM HOSPITAL BATHROOM HAMILTON, March 11. Rupert Anderson, arrested some time ago on a charge of the theft, of a horse, trap, and harness at Tologa Bay, and who was to have.been charged at the Police Court yesterday, essaped from the Waikato ' Hospital, where he was an inmate. The police went to the institution to conduct him to the court, and waited at the door while he dressed. Anderson was left in the bathroom by the nurse for a few minutes, and when he was looked for he had disappeared, having evidently slipped out by another door. His crutches were found in the adjacent grounds. The police are still searching for the missing man.

FRENCH WARSHIP ASHORE

DUNEDIN, March 11

The Union Company has received wireless advice that the small French warship Kersaint went ashore recently on a reef at Morrea Island, .opposite Papeete harbour. When the mail steamer Paloona bound from Wellington to San Francisco was detained at Papeete, she assisted in an attempt to tow the Kersaint off. The Flora, loaded with fruit for 'Auckland was also detained at Papeete to assist in salvage work. Latest advices state that attempts at the salvage of the Kearsaint are so far unsuccessful. The Paloona resumed her voyage on March 8, and the Flora left Papeete on 9th March for Auckland,

ALLEGED CATTLE STEALING

HAMILTON, March 11

At the Supreme Court, Hamilton, ■before Mr Justice Cooper and a jury, Herbert Cunningham was charged with the theft of a cow, valued at £l2 the property of Arthur Frederick, of Honikiwi. Accused pleaded not guilty

Arthur Frederick stated that on January 17 he found that the cow was mising. On lie 21st he saw the caw at Pirongia, in the possession of Mr. Prentice. She had then calved. No one had ever any authority to remove the cow.

Walter G. Moon, storekeeper of Pirongia, stated that by arrangement with Prentice he paid accused.£B for the cow, and received a receipt. Constable Marlow, of Auckland, said that he interviewed accused, who said he may have sold the cow, but rould not remember how he Came by it. as lib. V -v '"' .... Av>«€ ? "S

) he had been doing such an extensive j business buy ing and selling. ' For the defence accused addressed" 'the jury at some length, stating that j he had driven a mob of cattle along ; the road. The only explanation he j could give was that the cow in quesi tion must have been on the road, and ' been picked up by the mob. Accused ! claimed that all his actions had beer-

honest and above board, and he said he had- sold the eow to Mr fully bclhßjArig it to be his own. The case is proceeding.

1014-15 TSOOPS.

DERIVE HOME OX FRIDAY

WELLINGTON. This Dav

The Defence Department is advised that the Hororata, with nine of the i 914-15 drafts, is due at Wellington at 4 p.m. on Friday. The time of berthing cannot yet be stated, as the Public Health Department has to be consulted regarding quarantine. The Defence Department is anxious to avoid holding the troops, and as iho health of the men is reported to have been good there should be little delay 'l- : Next-of-kln coming to Wellington to meet soldiers are warned they must not rely on being able to travel home with the soldiers. The possibility of carrying next-of-kin by steamer to the South Island at the same tinvo as soldiers is practically negligible, nor can soldiers be allowed to stay behind. They must travel with the draft to discharge at their centre. The Auckland section will tic? land at Wellington, but will proceed to the northern port by boat. (

RAILWAYMEN PROTEST

AGAINST LONG HOURS

CHRISTCHURCH, March 11

The following resolution was carried at a meeting of the Locomotive Engineers', Firemen's and Cleaners' Association: . "That we strongly protest against the excessively long. hours our members Arp called upon to work. Often we start work in the early hours of the morning, returning home late in the evening, after completing a .run which runs into 16 to 18 hours, with-

out any time for rest or to partake of a hot meal. This compares very unfavourably with the traffic department which arranges for guards on such trains to be relieved on their return journey. "We also view with concern and disgust the treatment meted out t6ft one of our returned boys, wno, owing to being incapacitated through being wounded while on active service, is now offered a position as a labourer. This is not consistent with the promise that men who were wounded and unable to re-occupy thir old positions would receive a position equivalent to the one they previously held."

DISCOVERY OF PETROLEUM EXCITEMENT AT KAIKOURA OHRISTCHURCH, March 11 TheKaikoura correspondent of the Press telegraphs:—Whilst Home Sros were boring for artesian water at the Farmers' Co-operative shipyards they struck petroleum at a depth of 60ft., the gas and flames from which destroyed the derrick and gear. All efforts to smother the flow were unavailing, and the flames are still as fierce as ever. Petroleum has been discovered on other parts of the coast but no effort has been made to utilise it. The site of the present bore is .t mile from Kaikoura Post Office.

PEEACE MEMORIAL.

AN AUCKLAND PROPOSAL.

AUCKLAND, March 11

The Harbour Board proposes to offer the ,old dock, comprising over an acre of land, valued at £70,000, to the City Council for the erection of a peace memorial, providing such memorial shall be erected in accordance with a suggestion made by the board at a cost ot £20,000. The design as submitted is a Corinthian column 100 feet high, surmounted by a Eon rampant, which, would be visible W vessels entering the harbour.