DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 August 1928, Page 6

DOMINION ITEMS

' (Per Press Association.)

MISSING SOLICITOR. /

CHRISTCHURCH, August 24

A petition to declare J. B. Batchelor, a solicitor, bankrupt, was lodged in the Supremo Court yesterday.

PHOTOGRAPHER INJURED. CHRISTCHURCH, August 24.

William McKaskell, photographer, when taking a flashlight photograph of the Winter Show, last night, was burnt on the face, owing to the premature explosion of the apparatus. He was admitted to the hospital. His condition is not serious.

FARMER SHOT.

INVERCARGILL, August 23.

Shortly after noon to-day, Cleave Gerrard, a farmer, single, aged 23, ■was found lying unconscious in a stable ,on his farm at Southhillend, with a bullet wound in his head. Lying beside him as a .221 repeating rifle, containing a spent cartridge. He was brought to the Southland Hospital, where he lies in a serious condition.

PRISONERS' SENTENCED.' CHRISTCHURCH, August 24. At the Supreme Court, the following prisoners were sentenced: — George Creasey, 56, bigamy and false statement, nine months’ gaol. It was stated that prior to- committing bigamy, Creasey had been imprisoned six times for “’failure to maintain his wife at Invercargill. Roland Harold Cole, 32, indecent assault on male, three months’ gaol.

Jas. Neil, forgery, two years’ probation.

Edward Tarliugton Horne, breaking, entering and theft, two years’ reformative detention.

TUBERCULOSIS TREATMENT. DUNEDIN, August 24. At a meeting of the Otago Hospital Board, Dr Lyth, Medical Director of Tuberculosis Institutions, commenting on the Inquiry Committee’s report, •stated that the policy of retaining patients longer than the period intended originally was forced on superintendents by the unsatisfactory results of the brief educational treatment. The average stay of patients ,at Pleasant Valley was more than double that in 1912, and the result had been gratifying in reducing relapses. The Committee, in his opinion, was too optimistic about the possibilities of home treatment.

BAG-SNATCHING. DUNEDIN, August 22.

A particularly determined attempt at bag-snatching occurred at about 8.30 p.m. on Tuesday. While a woman was ascending the steps from Phillip 'Street, opposite the Kensington Hotel, to the Main South road, a man suddenly seized her handbag and attempted to wrest it from her. She maintained a firm grip of her( property, however, and when the would-be thief •tugged a second time she was jerked off her balance, and dragged several feet down the steps, receiving injuries to her face.

She pluckily refused to let go, and when she screamed her assailant fled. Several people at once came to her assistance. The man has so far not been apprehended.

TECHNICAL SCHOOLS. WELLINGTON, August 24. A clear assurance that the Technical College Boards need have, no fear as regards the future policy of the Government itn relation to post-primary education, was given by the Minister of Education (Mr Wright) in replying to a deputation from the Technical Schools Association’s Conference today. He said that a report on the subject was being prepared. It showed how the suggested changes could be made, but he hjid no idea- as to the contents. The Government’s decision would depend largely on the cost to the country. The Minister was quite satisfied that , large technical schools had nothing to fear. The Government would not dream of scrapping tlhe large buildings and equipment. He thought that isome districts might be served better by a technical school for post-primary education.

NEW PLYMOUTH STORM NEW PLYMOUTH, August 23.

A cyclone, said to have been accompanied by lightning, was responsible for a startling disturbance in town tonight. A shed was blownbodily across Molesworth Street, and, scattered about the residence of Mr. Bocock. A mass of about 50 light wires was blown down in front of Bocock’s house, which was damaged, windows being blown in, and glass being scattered across the room in which the family sat. No one was seriously hurt, though they were greatly startled. The disturbance was purely local, though there was an electrical storm over the town, with a heavy downpour of rain.

NEW PLYMOUTH, August 24.

In addition to the damage already recorded, last night’s storm unroofed four out of eight shops, in the course of erection in Devop Street, for Mr Fair, of Feilding. The iron covering seems to have been sucked off by the wind, and the wooden rafters were smashed into matchwood. Other shops escaped, but the double chimnoy of au adjoining boardinghouse was blown off, and the roof damaged.