LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 20313, 23 October 1929, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Mrs Tom Dwan has offered to present to the Wellington Hospital one of the latest electric knives for bloodless operations (says a Press Association telegram). The hospital authorities have accepted the offer and are now having inquiries made in England for the latest and most up-to-date surgical instrument, of type. The only other instrument of its kind in Now Zealand is in the Christchurch Hospital.

Charged on four counts with breaking, entering, and theft, and with being found by night in enclosed premises in Papan’m road, James Lindland Anderson, aged eighteen, and Maurice Hamilton Gregory, aged seventeen, appeared in court at Christchurch. The police alleged that, when arrested, the accused had their shoes off. Anderson had an electric torch, and Gregory had an automatic pistol with one live cartridge in it, a sandbag, and a motor car tyro lover. They also had pieces of black cloth, which might have been used as masks. Mr Stacev, who appeared for Gregory, said the lad was but seventeen years of age, and ho asked that his case should be heard in the Children’s Court. The two accused, ho said, would bo pleading fniiltv. The magistrate said he could not decide the point until he had reviewed the ••ircuinstances of the ease in conference with other magistrates, counsel, and the police. The two accused were remanded until October 29, by which date the magistrate will have made his decision on the point raised by Mr Stacey.

Central Hawke’s Bay, with Waipawa as the hub and the most affected part, was visited yesterday afternoon by the Heaviest rain and hail storm experienced for many years. The visitation followed a spell of warm and dry weather, and was startling in its suddenness. Considerable damage was done to Waipawa business premises and residences through the hail banking up and causing outlets to block and flood over. Dark clouds banked up during the afternoon till suddenly, with a roll of thunder and vivid lightning dashes, the storm burst with terrific mry. In an incredibly short time the streets ami open spaces were covered with a thick mantle of white. When the downpour was at its height it was impossible to see across the street. Heavy and steady rain followed. Tho surrounding districts to the south wore not so severely affected. Two miles north of Waipawa borough however, the country was dust dry, while Waipawa was being flooded. The country is badly in need of rain.

Due to the arrival of three overseas liners within a few hours of one another, the postal authorities at Wellington were called upon yesterday to handle what is said to be a record quantity of mail matter for one day at Wellington. The total quantity ol inward oversea mail matter dealt with was 5,296 bags and hampers. The first vessel to arrive was the Mahcno from Sydney with 423 bags and hampers, comprising an English mail, via Suez, and Eastern and Australian mails. This was expeditiously handled and cleared up. The Tahiti” which arrived in the stream from San Francisco at 2 p.m. and berthed beiore 4 o’clock, brought a very heavy English and American mail, comprising 2,700 bags and hampers. Close behind the Tahiti came the Corinthic from Southampton, witli seventy-eight bags of specially addressed letters and a large parcels’ mail consisting of 1.03 S bags and hampers, a total of 1,110 packages. Of the total of 5,296 packages of oversea mail approximately 2.000 were for Wellington, and the whole of this “ local ” mail was opened and sorted in the day, while in addition all the southern portion of the tlirec mails, and most of that for despatch northwards was got away tonight. .