DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 December 1928, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

(Per Press Association.)

BOY’S FOOT CRUSHED. DUNEDIN, December 5. Laurence Walsh, aged 5 years, while playing with his brother at the railway turntable at Port Chalmers to-night, had a foot so severely crushed that amputation was necessary.

JUMP OFF BRIDGE. AUCKLAND, December 7. Henry Edward Ashby, 17, attempted jsuicide by jumping off .Grafton Bridge at 2.45 a.m. He is now in hospital, with fractured legs and internal injuries.

FORGED CHEQUE. CHRISTCHURCH, December 7.

Robert Henry Escher, 23, for forging a cheque, was admitted to probation for three years, provided he made restitution of £9, and refrained from attending racecourses and gambling.

A FATAL ERROR.

WHANGAREI, December 7.

Annie Louisa Simpson, 35, died in the hospital as a result of taking poison. The Coroner found that deceased swallowed an irritant when incapable of knowing the quality or nature of her act.

SOLICITOR SUSPENDED-

CHRISTCHURCH, December 7.

In the Supreme Court, Judge Adams made an order suspending Percival Lewis Gribb Inder from practising as a barrister and solicitor until the Court of Appeal has given its decision in Inder’s case. The ordel’ was not opposed. FATAL DEPRESSION. CHRISTCHURCH, December 7At the inquest at Hanmer on the death of Mary Parker, 18, a domestic servant, the jury returned a verdict that deceased came by her death by poison self-administered, when in a state of mental depression. They added a rider that more care should be taken of poison by station owners. It was stated in evidence that the girl got poison from a storeroom.

FIREMEN’S CONTESTS. WHANGAREI, December 7.

In a series of events between the Dargaville and Whangarei Fire Brigades, W. James, holder of the Gilbert Memorial Shield, won the one-man coupling event in 64 3-sseconds. The aggregate points were: Dargaville 68, Whangarei 55. Most of the times recorded were better than those at the last demonstration, held at the Dunedin Exhibition.

EMPLOYERS ROBBEDPALMERSTON N., December 7,

Tn the Magistrate’s Court, James Ruskin Robertson, 46, timber-yard avorker, pleaded guilty to six charges of theft from the Taringamutu Totara Sawmills, Ltd, Palmerston North, by whom he was employed. The total sum involved was £lO4. Accused elected to be dealt with summarily, pleaded guilty, and was remanded in custody to Monday.

MISSING LAUNCH-MAN.

INVERCARGILL, December 6

The search for George Graham, who set out on Monday from Port Craig in a launch, which was washed ashore on Tuesday, was continued yesterday without success.

Hope was revived when a piece of red pine was found at Riverton, bearing the message, “hurt, stranded on Teek Rock.” inquiries by the police, however, failed to establish the locality of any such rock.

KILLED AT CROSSING. GISBORNE, December 6

■A shocking level crossing tragedy occurred near Makauri, Jibout seven miles from Gisborne, this afternoon, as the result of which a man named John Penny, 45 years of age, 'single, was killed instantaneously. Penny was driving a motor lorry, and despite the fact that he had a clear view of the railway track for nearly a quarter of a mile, attempted to cross in front of a goods train, and was struck by the engine, being killed instantly- The lorry was smashed to pieces. Deceased’s father is believed to be living in Auckland.

NEW TRIAL ORDERED.

CHRISTCHURCH, December 7.

A Supreme Court judgment was set aside to-day by Judge Adams, and he ordered a new trial on the ground that the jury’s finding on the third issue submitted to it, was against the weight of evidence. The case was heard in Timaru, when William Anderson sued John Underhill for damages, as the result of a collision between the former’s motor cycle and Underhill’s delivery van. The jury awarded Anderson £330 special damages, and £3OO general damages, holding that Underhill had been guilty of negligence. On the third issue, the jury held the plaintiff not guilty of negligence.

CYCLISTS INJURED.

PAHIATUA, December 7.

William J. Feasy and John Watson, Pahiatua County employees, met with a serious accident last evening, a short distance from town towards Mangatainoka- Feasy’s motor cycle, with Watson on the pillion seat, collided wAh an Aard service car proceeding to Palmerston. North, when passing the County grader. Watson received a fractured thigh and a cut hand and leg,' and Feasy received severe injuries to his knee and nose, and other abrasions.

Watson is married and has a young family. He served on mine sweepers with the Navy, also with the forces in Italy, and was awarded a special medal by the, American Government for gallantry in rescuing American sailors stranded on a raft in the Atlantic. He was. three times on a vessel during the war which was blown up by the enemy.