BRIEF ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 7, 3 October 1927, Page 10

BRIEF ITEMS

FROM FAR AND NEAR

Lord Penrhyn's Estate. —A Press Association message from Loudon states that the late Lord J’enrbyn left £712,131.

Gelignite in Coal.—A portion of a plug of gelignite in its original wrapping has been found in a truck of coal delivered in New Plymouth.—Press Assn.

Normal Time Restored in Belgium.— The Secretary, General Post Office, has received advice that normal legal time will bo restored iu Belgium at midnight on October 1-2.

Junior Reform League.—The monthly meeting of trie northern branch of the Junior Reform League was held on Saturday night, when short addresses were given by Hon. K. S. Williams and Messrs. McGhie and Lewis. During the evening dancing was indulged in.

Indiscriminate Shooting by a Madman. —In a sudden lit of madness a workman at Marseilles, firing a revolver indiscriminately, shot passers-by from a window, and wounded five. Tho house was surrounded by police, who shot the madman as he was aiming at them.— A.P.A. and “Sun.”

British Exchequer Returns.—The British Exchequer returns for six months show taht the revenue fas £328,587,370 and the expenditure £381,757,188. Financial, critics regard the positiop as satisfactory, compared with tlae first sl * month's of last year. The most notable increase in revenue is death duties.— Press Assn.

Empire Shopping Weeks.—The Undersecretary for the Colonies, Captain Ormsby Gore, in opening an Empire shopping week at Coulsdon, urged that shopping weeks should spread throughout the Empire, associating local patriotism with . a wider vision of Empire dip velopment and - revenue.—Press Assn.

Bankruptcies in July.—Tho number of bankruptcies which occurred in the Wellington district during the last month were three, as against four for tho corresponding month last year. For the nine months of the present year, twentynine peiitlons were filed, as against 26 for the first nine months last year.

Child Drowned in a Vat. —Yesterday morning George Henry Bedingfield, tjged three years, while playing . with his brother aged five years, was drowned in a tannery vat of Messrs. Warnock’s Soap Factory, at Grey Lynn, Auckland. His brother was the only witness of the accident. —Special Service.

Rugby Players Injured.—ln the course of a Rugby match between Old Boys and Hikuiangi, at Whangarei, described as the hardest and fastest of the season, two Old Boys’ players, E. J. Aim and F. H. Cotton, were carried off- the field with severe injuries to ankles. Both are masters of the High School!

Missing Accountant.—The whereabouts of - Lionel Comerford, of Christchurch, a well-known accountant, until recently. employed by a city brewing , firm," are not known. Comerford was in the city on Thursday afternoon, but lus subsequent movements are not known to his friends.—Press Assn.

Meals for School Children.—During the winter the Red Cross Society has served over 2600 meals to some of the children in Mount Cook School. In addition it. has distributed considerable quantities of clothing, boots, etc. This service has . been a material alleviation of the unemployment distress in the district. • ■

Service of Flying Doctors.—Through the activities of the Australian Board of Inland Missions a service of flying doctors is being-established to render medical assistance to dwellers in outback’districts. It is claimed that the organisation lias made it possible for people to settle in inland Australia with the assurance that they can get a doctor. —Press Assn.

A Children’s Church.—The Rev. E. Moor, vicar of St. Michael’s, Bournemouth, has inaugurated a children’s church, to replace the Sunday School. The children will provide wardens, sidesmen, lesson readers, organist, ana choir, eventually electing a children’s council to allocate the collections and other business. Mr. Moor says thereby they will be trained in teh responsibilities'of church membership.—Press Assn.

Charges Against Industrial Commissioner.—After a hearing lasting over three weeks, the Royal Commission inquiring into the ’‘Sydney Morning Herold's” charges, against the Industrial Commissioner Mr, A. 13. Piddington. has concluded. The commission has till Tuesday to make a report.—Press Assn.

Strange Murder in Paris.—The strangest murder in the history of the Latin quarter was committed in the apartments of a rich Venezuelan lawyer named Fricens, aged 27, states, a Press Association message from Paris. The victim was Marguerite Gallier, aged 19. Fricens alleged in a statement that he had an’ order from God to purify the world. He asked Marguerite did she believe in God. She replied in the negative. "God directed me to make an example of her. I decided to burn her. and set fire to the curtains, but God extinguished the flames. So I first strangled her, and then ent her throat.

Telephone Service Between Britain and Norway.—The British PostmasterGeneral announces that to-day a telephone service will be inaugurated between Britain and Norway. Communication will be restricted at the outset to calls between London and Oslo. Ths charges for a unit call of three minutes’ duration from London to Oslo will bo 22s fid. from 8 o’clock in tho morning to 9 in the evening, and 13s. 6d. ♦Torn 9 in the evening to 8 in the morning Subscription calls at half-day chaTges may be obtained during the light hours'for minimum periods of a month.—British Official Wireless.

Three-year-old Boy Killed.—'While playing on Saturday. morning in the backyard of the house occupied by his grandparents. Mr. and Mrs. A. McNaughton. Lyttelton. Charles Cooper, aged' 3, a son of Mr. C. Cooper, St. Lilians, fell on the asnhalt and fractuerd the base of his skull. The boy was immediately taken by his father to the casualty ward of the hospital, and received medical attention, but died shortly after his admission. It appears that the boy had been amusing himself bv swinging on a carpenter’s bench which overbalanced nnd pinned him to the ground. At the inquest a verdict was returned that death was dno to a fracture of the base of the skull. No blame was attachable to anyone.