SOUTHERN NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 244, 12 October 1908, Page 2

SOUTHERN NEWS.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) A PENSIONER'S SUICIDE. BLENHEIM, this day. An old man, Charles John committed suicide this morning by cutting his throe t with a pruning knife. He was an old age and army pensioner. DUNEDIN FTRE INSURANCES. DTJNEDIN, Saturday. The buildings and machinery of McLeod Bros.' soap and candle works, which were seriously damaged by fire on Saturday morning, weTe insured as follows:—Guardian, £5000; South British, £4000; Liverpool and London and Globe, £4000; New Zealand, £2250; Royal Exchange, £1750; Queensland. £1500; Standard, £1500; Phoenix, £3000; North British, £1000; United, £750; Australian Alliance, £500. The department gutted was covered by £4150 of this, as under: —Buildings, j £700; steam engine, £200: machinery, £1750; and stock, £1500. This divided among the offices concerned, works out at about one-fifth of the sums allotted above, to each. SERIOUS ACCIDENT. CHEISTCHUKCH, Saturday. Mr W. R. Cooksley, licensee of the British Hotel, was crossing the railwayyard near the station, and was attempting to pass between two trucks which were being shunted, when they came together. Mr Cookeley was caught on the hips by the buffers, and was carried some distance before the trucks could be stopped. The injured man was carried to his hotel, where lie was attended to by a doctor. It is feared tliat the lip-bones are crushed, and that intefnal injuries have been sustained. EARTHQUAKE AT "WiANGANTFI. WiANGANUI, Sunday. A shock of earthquake was felt at Wanganui sbortry after 10 o'clock last night. This makes the fourth earth tremor that has been experienced in the district daring the week. MISCELiLANEOUS ITEMS. this day. Obituary: Mr Peter Niven; aged 80. Deceased had been 40 years in the district. HASTINGS, this day. Speaking to a Press representative, Mr T. B. Goddard, president of the Hawke's Bay Freezing Industrial Union of Workers, deprecated the action lof those unionists who revolt against Arbitration Court awards. "Such action," he said, "is derogatory to the workers. They should remember the Court can make an award only on the evidence submitted, and often has a most difficult teek. - *