DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 September 1931, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

[MB FBXBB ASSOCIATION.] 'fall DOWN LIFT-SHAFT. NEW PLYMOUTH, September 9. Absent-mindedly pushing a truck on to a ilft cage, that was not there, Patrick Keenan tumbled with the truck down a seventy foot shaft and was severely injured. Keenan is employed at the sewerage works, part of his duties being to push trucks on to a lift, -which lowered them to the bottom of the shaft. When the accident occurred, the lift was at the bottom of the shaft.

MOTOR-CYCLIST’S DEATH. ' WELLINGTON,. September 10

The case is proceeding in the Magistrate’s Court, to-day, in which Frank Hill Wheelhouse Simpson is charged with negligently driving a motor car in Lower Hutt, thereby causing the death of Norman Kjar. The accident occurred on August 2, and it is alleged by police witnesses that, defendant's car swerved to the wrong side of the road, just before striking the on-coming motor cycle. AUCKLAND BRIDGE AUCKLAND, September 9. The chairman of the Auckland Harbour Bridge Company (Mr. C. H. M. Wills) to-day expressed confidence that the construction of the bridge would be started early next year, with British capital and New Zealand labour, and within a few months work would be provided for 200 to 300 men, increasing to 800 or 1000. \ It is estimated that the .bridge will take two and a half-years to build.

THEFT AND FIRE. CHRISTCHURCH, September 10. Burglary and arson charges were preferred against Cyril Turnbull Gribbin, 38, engineer, to-day. Both crimes were alleged to have been committed at the premises of Guthrie, Bowron and Co., Worcester Street, on August 5. The police gave evidence that a fair amount of damage had been done by the fire. Accused had admitted selling brushes stolen from the firm, but claimed that he got them from another man. , Gribbin pleaded not gvilty to the charge of theft and was committed for trial. The charge of arson was thrown out owing to lack of evidence.

BETTING FRAUDS ALLEGED. WELLINGTON, September 9. Further charges in connection with attempts to defraud bookmakers were brought at the Magistrate’s Court today against John Ryan, alias Ryan, a labourer, aged 47, and against Ralph Antomivitch, a labourer, aged 46, who were charged with conspiring together, and also with Alfred Jansen and John Maitland, to defraud Joseph Williams and Peter Healey of sums of money. The accused were remanded until September 16, and were admited to bail, each on a bond of £lO J with a surety of £lOO.

FATALLY CRUSHED. WELLINGTON, September 10. At the inquest, to-day, on Frank Wilfred Weine, 35, married, who was crushed between a lorry and a car at Evans Bay on August 20, evidence was given that the lorry driver, James Phillip Finlay, offered deceased a towThe tow rope broke, and deceased was crushed when the lorry wag backing to position again- Deceased informed his father that he started to pull the car towards the lorry, thinking the lorry was stationary. The lorry driver was unable to see what was happening owing to the load on the lorry.

Coroner Salek said that he was unable to attach any blame to the driver of the lorry. ’QUAKE LOSSES. , WELLINGTON, September 10. The Prime Minister, in a statement to-day, draws attention to the notifications previously made, that the matter of provision in the cases of necessity for thdse permanently injured and for the dependants of those killed or injured, as the result of the Hawke's Bay earthquake, will be dealt with at an early date. In order thht all proper claims may receive attention, he requests all persons who come within the class referred to, and who have not submitted claims for assistance, to send their applications to the Relief Committees in the towns or districts in which they were. residing at the time of the earthquake.

MISSING CAR.

MASTERTON, September 9.

At about 4.45 p.m. to-day, a car coming from Wellington ran into an electric power pole in Carterton, and was damaged. As he had received a cut under .one eye, the driver was attended to by a doctor. Mr H. B. Keenan, the Power Board engineer, took particulars of the car, and its number. The driver gave his name as James Albert Robins, of Vivian Street, Wellington. Later Mr Keenan was listening in on the wireless, and he heard an announcement from Wellington that a car was missing. The description and the number of the car corresponded with that of the vehicle involved in the accident above-mentioned. Mr Keenan communicated with the police. Robins was arrested this evening at a boardinghouse.

PRISONERS SENTENCED WELLINGTON, September 10. Prisoners sentenced to-day by the Chief Justice were:—

William Thomas Grey Foxcroft and Joseph Waiter Maddock, jointly convicted of breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime, and a separate charge of forgery against Foxcroft and against Maddock of breaking and entering by day and theft, Foxcroft was ordered reformative detention for two and a-half years, and Maddock detention at. Borstal for a similar period.

Robert Morgan, 21, stealing and unlawfully opening mail bags, three years’ reformative detention. Arthur Stewart Morgan, indecent assault on a male, eighteen months’ reformative treatment. It was stated that Morgan was 53, married, with a family.

John Cecil Whitelaw Saunders, 21, charges of forgery, uttering and theft, three years’ reformative detention.