25 YEARS AGO

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 207, 29 May 1936, Page 10

25 YEARS AGO

Death of W. S. Gilbert (From “The Dominion/* May 31, 1911.) Sir William Schwenck Gilbert, the famous dramatist and librettist, died under tragic circumstances on May 29. He had spent the day in London and returned to his home at Harroweald in the afternoon. A few minutes later a friend found him dead in an open-air swimming bath nt Grinisdyke. where he had been teaching his two children to swim. [The evidence at the inquest showed that fie “died of syncope due to exertion while swimnrng to assist a lady bather who was in distress."] * * * In view of the occurrence of another case of plague in Auckland, the District Health Officer (Dr. Makgill) has expressed his intention to work right through Auckland during the course of the next year, beginning with Queen Street and the business part of the city. In that time be hopes to have the most dangerous places rat-proofed. Following the discovery of plagued rats in Queen Street cellars, two restaurants have been closed by order of the authorities to enable them to he thoroughly disinfected ami made rat-proof.