DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 July 1923, Page 5

DOMINION ITEMS

(Per Press Association.) SCALDED TO DEATH. WELLINGTON, July 23. Lindo Owen Aitchison, a boy of 3£ years, was scalded to death at Petone by the upsetting of a saucepan of boiling potatoes on himself. CHARGE OF MISAPPROPRIATION INVERCARGILL, July 20. Wilson Hodges, agent for the Provident Assurance 0., was committed for trial for alleged misappropriation. The amount involved is £96, FOUND DEAD. DUNEDIN, July 23. The decomposed body of a welldressed man as yet unidentified, was found by the Molyneux River, nearAlexandra, yesterday. HIGH-PRICED FRIESIANS. AUCKLAND, July 20. At a sale of Friesians, Mr McGowan, for the Piri Land Company, bought- a heifer for three hundred guineas, and a cow for one hundred and fifty guineas. ' Mr. A. Collins, a South Australian, bought a cow for two hundred guineas.

FIRE AT HOTEL. DUNEDIN, July 21. The Shiel Hill Hotel, situated on Highcliff Road, Otago Peninsula, a building of 10 rooms, was partially ' destroyed by fire to-night, but the ’ contents were saved. The building is , owned by G. Perguson, and occupied J by Earle Richardson, who holds the ’ license. CARPENTERS’ AWARD. AUCKLAND, July 23. The Dominion award in the. carpen- , ters and joiners’ dispute fixes the j hours at 44 per week, and tlie mini- i mum wage for carpenters and joiners’ < machinists at 2/2g per hour for outside 1 workers, and 2/1 3-4 per hour for fac- 1 tory workers. The award comes into, ; force on August 6, and operates for two years. TOWN HALL FIRE. \ WHANGAREI, July 23. . Kamo Town Hall, which housed the ‘ Town Board’s archives, public library, , and picture show plant, was totally destroyed by fire late last night. No < water supply was available. The li- c brary books, and most of the. Town Board’s documents were rescued. The hall was insured for £5OO, and the picture plant for £3OO, and library for £2OO. The origin is not yet determined, and was possibly due to the fusing of electric wires. ESCAPE FROM GAOL. ( AUCKLAND, July 21. Frank Ballar, a young prisoner, escaped from Mount Eden Gaol at daybreak. He mounted to the top of an unused watch tower, and forced the trap-door. He dropped upon his own blankets to a wall above the execution yard, and then walked to the mam out- ( er wall, where he jumped down near 1 the back of the warder’s house. His . escape was soon discovered. He was 1 traced some distance, but was lost in a I heavy log. Ballar was serving six £ months for breaking and theft, and 1 three years’ reformative treatment. A — 1 MOUNT SOMERS MISHAP. t ASHBURTON, July 23. 1 The guard of the Mount Somers i branch line derailment has been noti- i tied that he will be fined £2, and i transferred to Christchurch “as pun- ( ishment for failing to comply with the ] regulation test of the Westinghouse ( brake.” t This is a sequel to the derailment on June 15, wherein sixty lives, including thirty children, were imperilled. Settlers are now petitioning for a commission of inquiry, alleging the derailment was owing to the serious disrepair of the line. ( RAILWAY FREIGHT'S. BLENHEIM, July 23. Startling statements were made at j the meeting of the Blenheim Farmers’ j Union in regard to railway freight ] rates. ( The chairman stated that there did , not seem to be a fixed rate on the railways for freight. Evidently the ( Department was exploiting everyone wherever possible. When high and unreasonable charges were found out and questioned, the Department rapidly climbed down. It was resolved that the Provincial 1 Executive of the Farmers’ Union be ' asked to inquire into the matter of differental railages on local railways on goods, as between shipping firms and private individuals. i ONGARUE DISASTER. < AUCKLAND, July 23. The inquiry into the Main Trunk disaster continues at Auckland. William Harding, stationmaster, gave evidence that he examined the train before it left the Auckland Station. Everything was in order. James Mackley, locomotive engineer at Auckland, replying to a question, said he did not think that the making of the ends of carriages solid would minimise the effects of such accidents. James Farquhar, a passenger, said that the wounded were removed from the wreckage as expeditiously as pos- i sible. Everything was done to alleviate suffering. Several train examiners at the stations en route, said the train was in good order.