NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8874, 7 November 1907, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

FIRE IN A FLAX SWAMP. HEAVY LOSS. By Telegraph—Press Association. BLENHEIM, November 6. A fire, fanned by a strong northwest wind, swept over the Marshlands flax swamp, yesterday afternoon, burning about 500 tons of flax ready to be cut, and a quantity of growing flax. Mr Chaytor, the owner, estimates his loss at nearly £I,OOO. A large gang of men fought the fire all the afternoon, and succeeded in saving a portion of the flax. The fire afterwards crossed a big ditch into a raupo swamp at the Maori pah, where a large area was swept, but the damage was unimportant. "SANDBAGGING" IN AUCKLAND. By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, November 6. A young man, named Gordon Henderson, was sn-uck ' on the head, presumably by a sand bag, while returning to Onehunga from a dance. He grappled with his assailant, and escaped with his clothing badly torn. On reaching home he became very ill. He cannot ascribe any cause for tlie attack, but robbery. Henderson had. recently been conducting gaslight sports. TRACTION ENGINE CAUSE 3 FATALITY. MORE STRINGENT REGULATIONS DEMANDED. By Telegraph—Press Association. INVERCARGILL, November 6. At the inquest on Alice Coleby, killed by a. trap accident, the jury found that death was induced by the omission and neglect of the person in charge of the traction engine which was the primary cause of the fatality, though deceased turned her horse in the wrong direction. The jury added a rider to the effect that the regulations re traction engines in dangerous places should be made more stringent, and that the County Council ought to widen the road where the accident happened. SHIPMASTERS AND MERCHANT SERVICE. By Telegraph- Press Association. j WELLINGTON, November 6. ! A ballot ofrnembers of the Shipf masters' Association on the question of affiliation with the Merchant Service Guild resulted in the proposal being affirmed. A conference will be held shortly to draw up an affiliation scheme. I ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. By Telegraph—Press Association. WAIPAWA, November 6. Gilbert Braid, aged 21, shot himself in the right temple at Fairfield on Tuesday night, and was removed to the hospital in a critical condition. ALLEGED ASSAULT AND ROBBERY. MARTINBOROUCH MAN COMPLAINANT. By Telegraph—Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, November 6. Edward Mills, J. T. Donelly. and Harry Wette were committed for trial on charges of assaulting and robbing Wm. Walton, who came from Martinborough on October 31st with £37. Accused decoyed him to a house in Tuam Street, and it is alleged robbed him of £23.

A SHAREBROKER'S INSOLVENCY. CERTIFICATE OF DISCHARGE SUSPENDED. By Tek graph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, November 6. Mr Justice Denniston has suspended George F. Brimblecomb's discharge from bankruptcy for twelve months. Debtor was a sharebroker and a Magistrate. It appeared he sold some property which he had pledged to the petitioning creditor, the Northern Estate Agency. DEATH OF SIR JAMES HECTOR. By Telegraph—Press Association. jWELLINGTON, November 6. The death occurred to-night of Sir James Hector, at the age of 74. THE AUCKLAND BOY BUSHRANGER. PLEADS GUILTY. By Telegraph—Press Association.

AUCKLAND, November 6. William James Crombic, the boy bushranger, when before the Court, to-day, pleaded guilty to horse-steal-ing and attempted robbery. A young lady at whom he presented a pistol said she was not frightened, and smacked his face and he ran away. A Drury settler named Clark related that Crombie presented a gun at him and demanded £3O. Crombie fired two blank cartridges, and continued to threaten witness. Clark sent to his house for his purse which he handed to Crombie. At the same time he knocked up Crombie's gun and downed, him and sat on his chest.