NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1094, 5 April 1911, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By TelegrapU.-Prcss Association.! « TARANAKI OIL. New Plymouth, April i. The unusual activity reported at No. 8 bore is by no moans abating, and last night developments were such us to ninko it. necessary to la&h Uic pipe down to the receiving tank to prevent it being wrenched away altogether. There is a very .fair .amount of oil flowing continuously, between the casing, averaging abou< eight barrels per day. Yesterday tin stall was successful in cleaning out tlw well to the hat torn, and had hoped to resumo drilling this morning, hut with tho great activity that was shown throughout last night it had silted up again this morning. Everything is going on satis* fuclorily at Nos. i and 5.

BRILLIANT BUT ALARMING. Gisbornc, April i. An alarm of fire was caused at 4 a.m. by a peculiar experience. A crack had developed in n gas main lelt exposed by a sewerage works excavation, and the escaping was was myteriously ignited. A brilliant illumination followed near the centre of the town, and the brigade was called out. i

HUSBAND'S DEATH AND DAMAGES,

Auckland, April 4. In the Compensation Court the case Mary Walmslcy, wil'o of Robert \V, Walmsley, painter, against Frank Sullivan, contractor, was heard. The Court awarded JM6B compensation and .£lO for funeral expenses in connection with tho ccalii of plaintiff's husband, who waj drowned while in defendant's employ when fording the Itaukokoro River.

CLAIM BY STEAMER'S MASTER, , Auckland, April i. In the Compensation Court case Sidney St. John Lidiard v. Frederick Ircdale, of New Plymouth, claiming compensation for an accident resulting in total blindness while discharging cargo from the steamer Pitoitoi, of which he was master, the Court held that his wage of £20 a month and board and lodging (estimated at ]os. weekly) put him outside the clauso of the Act limiting claims to persons earning under «C 5 a week. Judgment waa given, for defendant, with costs (fifteen guineas).

LIGHTER TRUSTY SUNK. Napier, April 4. The lighter Trusty sank at the wharf. In swinging sho bumped against tho Kotuku, knocking a hole in tho lighter's hull below the waterline, sinking with a cargo of 250 casks of cement anil 200 tons of iron. No trouble is anticipated in vo» floating her on removal of the cargo.

FIRE AT GOLDEN BLOCKS MINE. Nelson, April i. At Collingwood, by a iiro in the Goldca Blocks mino on Wednesday last, tho bafc. tery shed and other buildings and plant wero destroyed, exropt tho engine and boiler, which were damaged. The insurance is .£BSO, and the damage exceeds .£IOOO. I'resh plant will be procured immediately, but delay is unavoidable.

GETTING IN CENSUS PAPERS. Christchurch, April 3. The census was taken last night, and tho sub-enumerators commenced collecting tho schedules this morning. Tl» work of collecting will take a consider, able time, the duration depeiulinfl largely on the number of corrections which they will have to make. In some cases in the city householders have left . tho schedules blank, and the sub-cnumera-lors will have to fill them in when thc-y collect tho lists.

GAOL OFFICIAL STRUCK. Auckland, April 3. William Grant Stuart, who was serving three years at Mount Eden gaol for manslaughter at Hclensville, was charged today with assaulting Chief Warder Henry M.'Murray by striking him on the face. Accused admitted the offence. He was ordered to whitewash an outbuilding, and objected because he had trouble with hi? eyes and risked losing his sight. Ac. ensed's conduct otherwise had not been bad. The magistrate ordered him to losr one month's geod conduct marks.

NEWS. IN BRIEF. Feilding, April I. . A slight shock of earthquake was felV at an early hour this morning. New Plymouth, April 4. Splendid rain fell throughout this'dii trict this afternoon,