DOMINION NEWS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 55, 21 February 1913, Page 6

DOMINION NEWS.

A PAEROA BURGLARY. AUCKLAND, Feb. 19. : Mr R. McCaulfield's house in SJill Road, Paeroa, was entered by some person last night and £l2 in notes stolen from uiider the mattress of Mr 'McCaulfield's bed. Mr McCaulfield left the house at 8.30 p.m. All the doors were locked and lights out. On returning about an. hour later he found all the doors open and a big light burping in the kitchen. The bedroom was disarranged, and the blankets were found under the water tap outside the house. Papers were found scattered about the room, but the money was missing. OPPOSITION AT WESTPORT. WESTPORTT, Feb. 19. Political addresses were delivered tonight by Mr Calvin, M.P., and Mr W. G. McDonald in reply to Hon. F. M. B. Fisher. There was a fairly large attendance. The speakers dealt in detail with the speech, and reviewed the Liberal measures placed on the Statute Book. At the conclusion a vote of thanks to the speakers and confidence in the Liberal regime was carried, but vory few voted. FREE-PLACE PUPILS. QUESTION OF DEFENCE. OHRISTOHURCH. Feb. 19. ' To the Education Board's meeting to-day Mr Anderson (aseistant-Inspec-tor-Goneral of Schools) wrote, "1 have by direction of the Minister to intimate an opinion of the Department- that the conduct of the free-plaice* pupils of secondary schools be not considered satisfactory if the requirements of the defence regulations aro not observed, and Tequestjs accordingly that in future in the periodical reports on holders of free ■ places aud scholarships the matter

will receive necessary consideration among the conditions of tenure to.be fulfilled." Several members protested against this rule as unfair, as children whose parents had religious convictions were subject to it. The matter was referred to a committee, THE AUCKLAND TRAGEDY. AUCKLAND. Feb. 19. At the inquest on the girl Florence Marks, who called at the Siilvatior Army Home on February 4 in male attire, because she was ill as the resuli of taking what was believed to bo per chloride of mercury, the jury returned a verdict that death resulted from noison self-administered, , Evidence was given to the effect that the girl was a mental degenerate. Dr. Kinder said that he had many such cases, and strongly urged the establishment of a home for imbeciles. The jury added a rider strongly recommending the Minister to give effect to the doctor's suggestion.