DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 December 1924, Page 5

DOMINION ITEMS

(Per Press Association.) \ AUCKLAND BURGLARY. AUCKLAND, December 30. Burglars entered J. R. McKenzie’s fancy goods shop, Queen Street, during the holidays, and stole jewellery valued at £6O. MISSING FISHERMAN. AUCKLAND, December 30. • Charles G. Stinton left his home at. Devouport-• at 5 p.m. on Saturday to fish in a small open boat, and has not been since heard of. , HARBOUR MYSTERY / WELLINGTON, Dec. 29. The harbour fatality still remains a mystery. It turns out that William Parry, caretaker for the. Union Company, who it was: at first thought was the. unfortunate man, has been on board the Mararoa as a caretaker for some time. FISHERMAN’S ORDEAL. GISBORNE, December 29.A thrilling experience, of Harry Nelson, a fisherman, is reported from' Hicks Bay. Nelson was coasting in an 18ft. boat when he was caught by a heavy gale. Being unable to make land, he dropped a grapple 1 with a good length of rope and rode out a severe storm, eventually reaching the shore safely, after <24 hours. He was without food or water. . WOMAN’S SUICIDE. i AUCKLAND, December 30. Daisy Ella Banks, wife’ of William Henry Banks, - stonemason, committed suicide at Onehunga.- His son heard a fall in his mother’s bedroom at 7 this morning and aroused, the father who, finding the door locked, entered by a window. He found his wife in a pool of blood, with her throat , badly gashed. A doctor was called immediately, but life was extinct. She had complained of feeling .unwell, - . DISPUTE. " GISBORNE, December 30. There are no further developments in regard to the meat loading of the steamer Cumberland. The watersides hold that the abolition of th» contract system of loading' meat, in accordance with the new has been forced upon them by the Dominion Executive, and state that those who voted ift favour of wages as against the contract should come and load the vessel. It is understood that the Watersiders’ Federation Executive instructed the men to resume, but so far none is-- offering. Under the new hourly system mem get per hour, whereas previously they earned under contract as\ much as £2 per day. • ■ . ' ' ■’ ’ .

DROAVNIN G FAT ALITIES. PAHIATUA, Dec. 28. . James John Priest, aged 21, a son of a local resident, is believed to have been drowned at Ngaturi. He' was employed driving a team for the County Council* 'He cycled from town early this morning. His hat and. pipe were found in ‘the, river. The indications are that he carried a bag ot chaff some distance before proceeding to cross the ford. I DUNEDIN, Dec.. 29. At the inquest on Mathewson, who was drowned at AVarrington yesterday, a verdict was returned by Mr H. W. Bundle, coroner, that death was due to accidental drowning. The body of' a lad named Downes, who was drowned in the surf at Port. Molyneaux yesterday, was recovered today. » , i RAILWAY MISHAP. PAHIATUA, Dec. 28. An accident occurred at Pahiatua railway station this' afternoon on the arrival of the AVellingtoh express. AVilliam W. Styles, station clerk, ran alongside it with the object of taking the tablet, and his foot slipped. He swayed towards the train. Tn an endeavour to save himself he clutched at the rail of the tender. He was swept off his feet and was dragged a considerable distance, with his body down between the train and the platform. The engine' driver applied the brakes immediately. The unfortunate man was lying by the rails.

Constable Burrell was a passenger by the train, which was crowded, and with commendable promptitude he arranged for the sufferer’s transit to the hospital. Styles sustained dislocation of the knee, several bruises on the back, and abrasions on the arm: It is feared there is. a fracture of ,the back of the skull.