DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 February 1938, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

[PEB PBESS ASSOCIATION.]

NELSON COLLEGES. ! NELSON, February 9. Boarding pupils from, various, parts of New Zealand at the Nelson Colleges this year number 399. This is an increase of 82 on last, year, and is a record in the history of the local institutions. WATERSIDER'S DEATH. WELLINGTON, February 9. A verdict that John George Marshall. a wat.ersider, died on December 22 from injuries suffered through being accidentally struck by a. sling of timber which was being unloaded from the Karn, was returned at the inquest to-day. HARBOUR RESCUE AUCKLAND, February 10. Harry Sturdes, GO, single, was rescued from drowning in Manukau harbour. this morning. fie was first seen struggling in the water near the Onehunga. wharf, and was rescued by John Harris and others. Sturdes suffered head injuries, but. it is not known how he got into the water. ALLEGED NEGLIGENCE. INVERCARGILL. February 9. Arising from an accident at Waikiwi on January 27, when a. cyclist. William Connors, was struck by a car and killed. lan Campbell Ronald, a taxi-driver, was charged in the Magistrate's Court to-day with driving negligently, thereby causing the death of Connors. Ronald pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court, for trial. D U N E DINS E N T E N C E S. DUNEDIN. February 9. Charles Hugh Thomas, who pleaded guilty to eight charges of breaking, entering and theft, was sentenced in the Supreme Court to-day by Mr. Justice Kennedy to nine months’ reformative detention.

On two charges of breaking, entering and theft. William Percival Blackmore was sentenced to two months' imprisonment.

RECORD TIGER SHARK TAURANGA. Feb. 10

What is probably a record tiger shark, weighing 953 lbs., and 13 feet long, with a jaw 18 inches long, was caught off Mayor Island by Mr. R. H. Jones, of Rotorua, from the launch Kingfish. The monster fought for an hour and ten minutes.

After it was brought ashore, it disgorged a broadbill swordfish, complete with sword: also one kingfish, two sharks, and a number of mutton birds. TIMARU LOAN POLLS. TIMARU, February 9. Three loan proposals, totalling £326,300, were submitted to the ratepayers of Timaru borough and Timaru harbour district to-day. All three were carried by big majorities. A borough water improvement loan of £72,300 was carried by a majority of 1728. A borough kerbiug and channelling loan of £12,000 was carried by a majority of 1322. A Harbour Board improvement loan of £242,000 was carried, by a majority of 2030. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL AUCKLAND, February 10. The death of a cyclist, on January 1, from injuries suffered when lie was knocked off his machine by a ear on the New North Road on September 22, was the subject of an inquiry by Mr. F. K. Hum, S.M., in the Police Court, this morning. The driver of the car, John Reginald Herring, timber dealer, was charged with negligent driving, thereby causing , the death of Josiah Flower Carter, 38. After hearing evidence. Mr. Hunt returned a formal verdict as to the cause of death, and committed Herring. who pleaded not guilty, to the Supreme Court, for trial. THEFT OF RECEIPT. CHRISTCHURCH. February 9. After a retirement of nearly four hours, the jury returned a verdict of guilty in the case in which Norman Henry Thomas was charged in the Supreme Court with the thet of a receipt for I‘s, signed by Henry Wealleans. Mr. Justice Northcroft was on the bench. Mr. Quigley, counsel for accused submitted that corroboration for the complaintants story was lacking, and that, any sinister aspect of the evidence oilier than that of the complainant’s story bad been satisactorily cleaned up. The Crown Prosecutor. Mr. Donnelly, addressing the jury, said: “I admit that you hpve a very difficult task. You have to choose between two men. one of whom must, be a gross perjurer, willing to go to extraordinary lengths.” NAUTICAL INQUIRY. WELLINGTON, February 9. The result of the nautical inquiry into the stranding of the trawler Muriel on the Sumner bar was made available by the Minister for Marine (Hon. P. Fraser) to-day.

The Court comprised Mr H. A. ,Young, S.M.. with Captain J. F. Crawford and Captain A. R. Pryde. Its decision is as follows: —“The Court, having carefully inquired into the circumstances attending the casualty. find that the' casualty was contributed to by an error of judgment on the part of the master in that he should either have stopped the vessel, taken soundings, and waited for the fog to lift, or should have altered his course well to the eastward iu order to pick up the fog signal at Godley Head.”

The. Court ordered the master (Captain W. Stephens) to pay 10 guineas towards the costs of the inquiry.