DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 March 1929, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

(Per Press Association.)

BOY DROWNED.

AUCKLAND, March 25.

Cecil Francis McEntee, aged 10, when playing with logs in Freeman’s Bay, fell into the water, while trying to recover a belt. His elder brother, bathing nearby, and Harold Lund, responded to his call for help. Lund dived and*recovered the body. Artificial respiration failed.

EXPLOSION ON LAUNCH. AUCKLAND, March 25.

A valuable pleasure launch, owned by W. Sinclair, was destroyed by fire in the upper harbour. The occupants had just been rescued, when the deck vzas burst by an explosion, and the engine dropped out in deep water. The sea was strewn with debris. The launch was a total loss.

POLICE FOR SAMOA.

AUCKLAND, March 23.

Sixteen men have been selected from the applicants for appointment to- the Samoan Police to suplement the existing police force. They leave by the “Maui Pomare” on April 9. Their pay is to be 8/6 per day, plus free clothing, quarters and board, or an allowance of 4/6 per day in lieu of board. Acting-Detectives Waterson and Fell will accompany the Civil Police Force with the rank of sergeant.

PRISONERS’ SENTENCED. WELLINGTON, March 25. The following prisoners were sentenced to-day by Justice Herdman: — Harold George William Stevenson, forgery, uttering, and false pretences, two years’ hard labour. Gordon Francis McDonald, theft, eighteen months’ hard labour. Percy William Solly and Frank Blackham, forgery and uttering, each two years’ hard labour.

WOMAN’S BODY ON LINE. WANGANUI, March 25.

The shockingly mangled body of Edith Maud Atkins, married,, was found by the railway line, about two chains on the Aramolio side of Grey Street level crossing, shortly before 12 o’clock on Saturday night; She was apparently struck by the. goods train from Marton due at Wanganui at 9.20 p.m., but the first indication there had been an accident was not apparent, until the engine of .'the train was taken into the shed for the night. Blood was noticed on the cowcatcher by Driver F. J. Vincent, and an examination of the under gear revealed further traces - of a tragedy. A search was instituted, and the body found.

ARSON AND THEFT. WELLINGTON, March 23

A -further arrest was made during the week in connection with the rob bery and arson at the shop of Robert Young Shearer, Ltd., Lower Hutt, early in January.

To-day, Hewitt Allen Capon appeared before Mr Page, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, charged with -receiving clothing of a total value of £33/19/4, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained.

In asking for -a remand till March 27, Chief Detective Ward said that it was intended to charge Capon with-' arson and breaking, entering and theft at Shearer’s. The accused, for whom Mr O. C. Mazengarb appeared, was remanded until March 27, bail being allowed in accused’s own bond of £3OO, and one surety of £-300.

OPIUM SMOKING. GISBORNE, March 25.

Fines aggregating £5O ; in default three months’ imprisonment, were imposed by Mr Lewy, .M., on a Chinese market gardiner, Wong Dan, 45, who pleaded guilty to charges of being found in possession of, and smoking opium.

The police stated that when they raided the premises they detected a strong smell of opium, but before they gained admission, accused had thrown a pipe, lamp and a small tin of opium through the window. The police found in the building a letter addressed to the owner of the premises, containing a piece of brown paper, Which had been smeared with opium, this being the method adopted to send the drug through the post. Defendant had purchased the opium from a firm in Wellington.

DUNEDIN HOSPITALS. WELLINGTON, March 23. A Dunedin deputation from the Hospital Boar'd and University Council met Mr Stallworthy, Minister of Health, to-day, requesting the establishment of a new maternity hospital and increased subsidy on voluntary contributions for radium. It was pointed out that Otago has only 250 milligrammes of radium, to Christchurch’s 700, Wellington’s 1000 and Auckland’s 500. Dunedin was launching a campaign for radium, and thought a £ for £ subsidy fair. The Minister, while asking the deputation to remember that the Government was still working on its predecessor’s estimates, and that Sir J. Ward anticipated quite a substantial deficit, thought he would have his colleague’s support in the establishment of a maternity hospital. Mr Stallworthy added, in relation, to radium, that there was practical unanimity on the proposal for a! special cancer hospital, and there was no opposition to the suggestion that! it be associated with the Medical School.

SHEEP STEALERS ACTIVE TIMARU, March 25.

South Canterbury runholders complain bitterly of the prevalence of Sheep stealing. S. P. -Hope, one of; the largest holders in MaeKenzie Conn-; ty, states that 3500 sheep were taken: from the Sherwood Downs district last year, in one case a flock of eight hun-’ dred ewes completely disappearing. Hope Brothers are offering £lOO for information of a thief taking sheep from the Grampians and Whalesbacki stations. Farmers say that the thieves raid the flocks in remote paddocks, or take lots of twenty or thirty, in covered motor wagons, and are even, daring enough to cut a section out of the long lines being driven from sales.; Recent losses include a hundred ewes, from the paddock fronting the main; road at Pleasant Point, four hundred! merino ewes from Whalesback, and; eight hundred ewes from another Mac-; Kenzie run. Farmers urge that the; Government should give more help >’in' tracing thieves, and the penalties for) stealing should be increased.