GRAND NATIONAL SCRATCHTNGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 167, 15 July 1907, Page 2

GRAND NATIONAL SCRATCHTNGS.

CHEISTCHTJRCH, this day. Exmoor and Manx were scratched at 9 a.m. to-day far all engagements at the G-rand National meeting.

An old man named John Herid Cumming was convicted , at the Police Court this morning of his third attempt at suicide, the particular medium he confessed to this last time being morphia. According to his own story, dimming suffered a concussion as the result of an accident some four or five years ago, and ever since then a glass or two of whisky has had the effect of so clouding the horizon of life that the only panacea for dispersing his mental gloom appeared to lie in chlorodyne or morphia. This time it was morphia, the venue being Queen-street. Sub-Inspector Gordon suggested, in view of the fact that Gumming had been previously convicted and ordered to come up for sentence ■when called upon, that twelve months' retirement would , be about the best thing for him. To this the magistrate agreed, as being the only way to keep him away from drink, and the attending mania to get rid of himself.

Mrs. Sarah Bitt, residing at Stationstreet, Carlton, was taken to the .Melbourne Hospital on the night of July 6, with injuries to the head, to which she succumbed, The fatality was the result of a difference which arose between husband: and ■wife. After the former had come home in the evening from the races he signified his intention of going into the city. His objected, and urged him to stay at home. Ritt said he had to go, and Mrs. Kitt replied, "Well, if you gOj I shall go, too." Eitt then went out, followed by his wife. He hailed a tramear, in Nieholson-street, and, turning to his wife, who would not leave him, Said, "If you get on the tram I shall jump off." "Very well,-"' she answered, "if you do, I -will jump off, too." ~NLrs. Kitt went inside the car and sat down, while her husband stood on the back platform. At the corner of Nicholson and Palmer streets she noticed that her husband had left the car, and she at once went out to the platiorm and jumped off. She fell heavily on the back of her head, receiving fatal injuries.

The Mayor'of Onelnniga (Mr. J. Xbwe) leaves for Wellington this week. Wtifc in ihe South he "will attend the N.Z. Trotting Association's Conference; as pre--sideat of the A.T.C.