DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 January 1926, Page 5

DOMINION ITEMS

(Per Freai Association..) BABY STRANGLED , AUCKLAND, Jan. 24. A nine-months’ old hamed McLaren, whose parents reside oh Bannerman rbad, Western Springs, was found strangled to-day, hanging from its cot. When visited only half an hour before the child was sleeping. PIGS’ FOOD CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 25. Because he failed to boil down a horse his pigs were found eating,; Frederick Black, farmer, was fined £5 and costs, at the Magistrate’s Court this morning. CH.CH. TRAMWAYS.? CHRISTCHURH, Jan. 24. The Christchurch Tramway Union, at a largely attended meeting held this morning, rejected the Tramway Board’s proposals for a new agreement. It was decided to refer the dispute to the Conciliation Council, which meets about February 15. BABY DROWNED. PALMERSTON N., Jan. 25. The nineteen months’ old child of Mrs. Brown, housekeeper to Mr. and Mrs. G. Lyne, Awapuni, was found drowned in a fountain nearby the property on Saturday afternoon. The child wandered away and a search revealed the body face downward in fourteen inches of water. DRUNKEN ’ MOTORIST CHRISTCHURCH, -Jan. 25. After leaving a party at 4- a.m. yesterday, George Exton, 36, was found intoxicated in his motor car. He has previously been convicted of a similar offence. This time he was fined £2O. His license which expires on March 31 was suspended and Tie was disqualified from holding a license for twelve months.

RAIN STOPS BUSH FIRE. OHAKUNE, January 23

Providential rain fell at six o’clock last evening, averting serious damage by the bush fires along the Oha-kune-Raetihi road,. Many houses had been abandoned as hopeless. These were saved by rain. Two" dwellings occupied by Messrs Williamson and Henry were burned. Communication with the outlying districts is interrupted, but so far no damage is reported. The wind fell at midnight.

FLOOD AT TAKAKA NELSON, January 25.

Takaka on Friday experienced a heavy flood described as the worst for forty years. The river overflowed protection works and flowed over a very wide area including most of the town. In some lowlying portions, the water reached the windows. Miles of fencing were swept away. The loss in stock was fairly heavy. It was thought that a youth, H. Sparrow, had been drowned, but he was found marooned on an island in the river. Telegraphic communication was broken, but is now restored.

SALE OF POISONS.

TIMARU, January 25.

At the inquest on Caroline Mary Wilson, the evidence showed that deceased endeavoured to secure poison from three chemists, but without success. She then went to a florist and secured a carton of blackleaf poison, saying she required it for her chrysanthemums. On returning home she drank the poison, death following soon after. The verdict was suicide by poison self-administered, the Coroner commenting on the inconsistency of the law which permitted florists and others to sell poisons without restriction, whilst chemists were properly required to comply with the regulations under the Poisons Act.

PALMERSTON FIRES PALMERSTON N„ Jan. 25.

Fire this morning gutted a fiveroomed dwelling in Broad Street, next to the Methodist Church, owned by P. Cowlishaw. The latter was the sole occupant at the time of the outbreak and escaped in night attire through a window. Heat damaged seven large Gothic window panels and several smaller panes of the church windows. The insurance was £5OO on the house and £3OO on the furniture. At five-thirty the bridage was called to the business premises in the Square, White House, where an outbreak was discovered. The prompt arrival of the brigade saved severe loss. Only the walls, ceiling and passage way were badly charred, apart from the damage by water.

PRISONERS SENTENCED.

WELLINGTON, January 25.

At the Supreme Court to-day, Herbert William Upjohn, 20, on four charges of false pretences, was committed to the Borstal Institute for two years. ' • Herbert Vivian Walingtdn, 16, for forgery and uttering, was placed on probation for four years. Justice Read commented on the cashing of cheques of from £7 to £lO to such a boy, and thought tlie tradesmen deserved very little consideration. No order was made for restitution.

Vernon Lionel Clark, forgery and uttering, probation for three years, on condition that he abstained from alcoholic liquor, ami made restitution and paid costs of proceedings. Janies Kanil Markham, breaking, entering and theft, and attempted breaking, entering and theft, and Arthur Douglas, on similar charges, and indecent language, were placed on three years’ probation and ordered to take out probation orders. If they broke the orders, they were to be recalled, and sentenced to long terms in gaol.