TELEGRAMS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 151, 27 June 1914, Page 11

TELEGRAMS

(PRESS ASSOCIATIONS SAD TRAGEDY IN THE BACKBLOCKS DEMENTED MOTHER'S DEATH. ' WANGANUI, 26th June. A sad tragedy occurred this afternoon at Petangi, the newly-opened backblocks settlement, thirty-soven miles up the Wanganui River, and two miles back from that waterway. Mrs. Sarah Mimi Smyth, aged 37, the 'wife of a settler, had been acting peculiarly since her last child was born, about three months ago. Her four little children are suffering from whooping cough, and she- brought a two-year-old child into the hospital a few days ago. The doctor, noticing the condition of the woman, notified the police, and two ! constables and a matron wont to Pe- | tangi to-day. Mrs. Smyth at first refused to go to Wanganui, but eventually decided, conditionally on the matron taking charge of the baby. The womaH then asked permission to go into her bedroom to dress, and the officers remained outside, telling Mr. Smyth to watch hie wife. Ho went into the bedroom, but at his wife's request went out. She followed him, and immediately cried : "I've done it !" at the same time j throwing a bottle to the floor. The woman became unconscious, and passed away two honrs later, * when being carried to the launch. PRIMARY PRODUCTS FARMERS a"nD MARKETS. CHRISTCHURCH, 26th June. The principal subject considered by the conference of delegates representing the Farmers' Co-operative Associations and the Farmers' Unions was the question of the federation of a Farmers' Cooperative Association in the Dominion. It was recommended to the conference that a schema of federation should be j approved. The recommendation was unanimously agreed to, and a committee j was set up to frame a prospectus and j Articles of association. This decision to , adopt a scheme for the federation of all the farmers' co-operative associations in the Dominion will, it is believed, have very beneficial results. These will be felt more particularly in the North Island, where there are comparatively few farmers' co-operative associations run on similar lines to those in the South Island. There are quite a number there in an embryonic stage, which are being fostered by various branches of the Farmers' Union. There is, however, a great deal of overlapping, which does not make for the best results being obtained from the principle of cooperation. The proposed federation, it is believed, will obviate this state of affairsj and result in the fullest benefit being obtained from co-operation. Messrs. Relph, Newman, and Leigh Hunt were appointed a sub-committee to draw up the prospectus of the proposed wholesale society, and also to prepare the memorandum and articles of association for submission to various associations, and subsequently to the confer- • ence of interested institutions. Mr. Hill, representative of the Bristol and Dominions Producers' Association, Ltd., briefly addressed the conference as to the nature and scope of Ilia associa* tion's operations. The question of the capitalisation of bonuses was discussed at length, the matter having been brought dowii in tlie manager's report. It was unanimously resolved, on the motion of the Hon. J. Anstey, seconded by Mr. Cham- j berlain, "That this conference expresses Us approval of the principle of the voluntary capitalisation of the whole or part of the bonuses by the various cooperative associations." , STEAMERS IN HEAVY WEATHER AUCKLAND, 26th June. A number of vessels which have arrived at Auckland during the last couple of days report that a heavy gale is blowing on both coaste. The Island steamer Talune, which arrived last evening from the Eastern Pacific, and the liner Delphic, which also reached port last night, ran through an exceptionally heavy gale, approaching hurrica-ne force, just before entering the gulf. The cruiser Philomel, which returned this morning from a search for the missing fishing boat Andrew, also re« ported that the weather on th« coaat was exceedingly boisterous. The Government steamer Tutanekai, which expected to reach port this morning from the Cook Island Group, is evidently being delayed by the storm, and is not expected to arrive before to-mor-row morning. The smaller coastal craft are also somewhat disorganised by the high winds and seas. The \Vaimea,_ which arrived at Onehunga this mortoing, had a very exciting time when crossing into the harbour. A mountainous sea was running, and huge waves swept the deck of the steamer, the vessel's cabins being flooded. DEBT ON SHOWGROUND NAPIER, 26th June. At the annual meeting of the Hawkes Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society it was imported that the society still owes £2000 on the new showground at Tomoana, but has made arrangements to pay off £500. which will leave £1500 still owing. At the meeting Mr. J. H. Coleman offered to give another £500, provided the remaining £1000 was raised within the year. , LITIGATION ABOUT A HORSE ( CHRISTCHURCH, 26th June. In the Supreme Court this morning, Mr. Justice Denniston delivered judgment in the case of Clifford Tasker v. the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club (an action for compensation in respect of an accident to the horse Michael Galindo, sustained by the j escape of a draught mare .into the train- [ ing track). The case was heard some time ago, but delivery of the judgment was recently postponed. The motion for a non-suit, or judgment for defendant, was dismissed, plaintiff being awarded judgment for £200, with costs, with £10 10s for second day, second counsel at £3 3s per day. £1 Is for order of discovery, and J35 5s coats of tho present motion.