DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 August 1933, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

[PKB PMSS ASSOCIATION.] FIRE AT CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH, August 12. Fire suspected to bo of incendiarist origin, destroyed a ten-roomed dwelling house at Opawa. early this morning. It was insured for £2500 (United Office) and had been untenanted for several months, prior to which it was used as a cabaret. CHIROPRACTOR ACQUITTED. NAPIER, August 11. At the re-trial of John Robert Victor Hart, a chiropractor, on the charge of manslaughter, arising out of the death of Henry Gordon Aitken, a verdict of not guilty was returned by the jury at the Supreme Court at Napier this afternoon, before Mr Justice Blair. The case arose out of the treatment by chiropractor methods of Aitken, who was suffering from pneumonia, and who subsequenqtly died. EAST COAST RAILWAY. GISBORNE, August 12. A largely attended meeting of the railway committee to consider the proposals in connection with the NapierGisborne railway, resolved: That this meeting is 6’f opinion it is impossible and impracticable to raise in New Zealand the amount of £1,800,000, by the flotation of a company, to take over, complete and run the Napier-Gisborne railway, as offered by the Government. That efforts be made to interest British capital and with that object suitable terms be discussed with the Government, under which negotiations may be opened, and an option be given if desired.

This meeting is of opinion that the terms outlined by the Government are quite unsuitable, and calculated to discourage any possible investors. That the Minister be asked to make available to this committee all the reports and data now in possession of the Government on the subject of the proposed East Coast Railway. MISSING DISHES. AUCKLAND, August 10. The disappearance of nearly £lO worth of crockery and table silver from the Towin Halil Isupper-room alter the “Arabian Nights” ball, which was held in aid' of the Prosperity Week funds on August 3, is disclosed in the accounts presented to the organisers for “shortages.” “The supper-room closed at midnight on the night of the ball, but when I came down to help in counting the returns next morning I was amazed to see the list of things that were missing,” said Mrs David Nathan, chairwoman of the supper committee. “It is not. merely a matter of breakages, but of articles that were taken away. I am told that some persons took dishes of trifle home for the children. If that is so, many of them have forgotten to bring the dishes back to me. It reveals an extraordinary mentality. I suppose they do not realise that their actions were dishonest.” Mrs Nathan said that while she was in the supper-room on the morning after th e ball a man handed in a brown paper parcel which, when opened, contained a trifle dish. She had been informed that other dishes had been returned in the same way.