DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 May 1936, Page 13

DOMINION ITEMS

[PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] TRUCK DERAILED. CHRISTCHURCH, May 8. A cattle truck was derailed in unusual circumstances* this evening at Hornby. A mixed train from Ashburton was just leaving Hornby station, and it had travelled only 30 yards when one of the trucks left the rails. The train was stopped immediately without any damage to the permanent way, and the cattle were uninjured. The truck remained suspended between those in front and behind until the arrival of a crane from Amberley. The north-bound express was slightly delayed through having to take the down track. FORGED CHEQUES. INVERCARGILL, May 8. In the Magistrate’s Court this afternoon, Joseph O’Donnell, aged 24, a farm labourer, pleaded guilty to several charges of forgery and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. The-police stated that accused was employed by Mrs. MacDonald on her farm at Hokonui. All the cheques involved had been drawn in her name, and were for wages owing to the accused. The latter had filled in the cheques and butts and Mrs. MacDonald had signed them. Later the accused had altered the cheques to varying amounts. GIRL KILLED „ CHRISTCHURCH, 1 - May 9. Medley Phillips, aged 12 years, whose parents live at Canterbury Street, Lyttelton, was killed in the Lyttelton railway yard, late yesterday afternoon. With her brother, Clive Phillips, aged about 10 years, she had entered the locomotive yard at the rear of the Lyttelton station. The two children apparently were playing about a wagon which was standing there, when the boy, according to his statement, pulled the pin which secured the door, and the heavy steel door fell forward, striking the girl on the head. Her death occurred about 20 minutes after the accident.

BLIND MAN’S FATAL INJURIES CHRISTCHURCH, May 8.

Herbert Leonard Washer, aged 48 years, single, a blind man, who was knocked down by a tram on Wednesday night, died in the Christchurch Hospital this morning. An inquest was opened to-day before Mr. E. C. Levvey, Coroner, and was adjourned sine die after evidence of identification had been given. Evidence was given by a brother, Claude William Washer, of 101, Carlton Mill Road, who said that the dead man had been blind for twelve years but otherwise had all his faculties. He had, however, suffered from nerves for the past five years.

BANKRUPT’S LOAN DENIED. WELLINGTON, May 8.

Commenting on the cable messages from Sydney reporting bankruptcy proceedings of the New Zealander, Hector Thirkell, which was published to-day, Mr. J. W. S. McArthur stated to-day that Thirkell could not have borrowed any money from the British National Trust, as he was reported to have done. He could not have got money from the Trust to establish his Manhattan Cafe, because he went into that business two months after the British National Trust ceased operations. The business of the company was then in the hands of the Public Trustee of New South Wales. “Also,” added Mr. McArthur, “it is absurd to suppose that the Trust would have accepted a mortgage for money over land in which he had no equity.”

RELIEF FRAUD. AUCKLAND, May 8. The making cf false declarations under the Unemployment Act, in order to gain material benefits, is a risky thing to do. Lawrence Joseph Keenan pleaded guilty to such a. charge when he was brought before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., on a summons. The prosecuting inspector said that Keenan made a false declaration by stating his daughter was being maintained by him, whereas she had died as far back as 1924, seven years before he had registered under the Unemployment Act. “This man insisted in his false pretence by maintaining taht he had three children, whereas he had only two,” the Inspector said. “We had to make many inquiries and eventually found that he had only two children. He has. defrauded the Department of £39/8/-.” Mr. Hunt imposed a fine of £2O.