DOMINION NEWS

Grey River Argus, 21 September 1932, Page 7

DOMINION NEWS

(Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, September 20. On a £25(1 claim in an action fo libel, E. C. Laurence, proprietor of th Portage Boardinghouse, Marlboroug! Sounds, was awarded £lO by Mr Me Noil, S-M.. against the Wcl’ingtoi “Evening Post,” as the result of thc ’ publication of an advertisement, whicl - stated that the furniture at the Port . ago was to be sold, by order of th t liquidator. Mr McNeil said he wa. J satisfied that plaintiff had not suffercc : any tangible harm, as the result of the . publication, and he would be amply re - eouped with th A amount awarded. Tin r statement was defamatory, if it imput Jed insolvency to a man in business. but here the plaintiff was in fact insol vent, and libel was removed by its ■ truth. However, the advertisement ■ was capable not only of inference that plaintiff was insolvent, but that as a consequence, some of the furniture used ip carrying on the establishment was being sold up to liquidate affairs That innuendo was not, he thought, justified, because in truth, h e was insolvent, AUCKLAND, Sept. 20. The Transport Board decided to-day to give three months’ trial to family concessions in trams on Sundays. Families will be able to travel to the beaches and recreation grounds and return for 2/6. WELLINGTON, Sept. 20. The northern approach to the Waiohine bridge, on the Carterton-Grey-town highway collapsed at 11 o’clock last night, leaving a gaping hole, twenty feet square and fifteen feet deep. Just prior to thc collapse, a heavily laden lorry crossed, and between this time and the arrival of another lorrv the collapse took place. The second lorry had a narrow escape, pulling up inches from the drop, striking the side of the bridge. Water in the recent floods gouged under the sills of the bridge, undermining the road, leaving only the bitumen crust. Temporary repair work is proceeding rapidly. FIRES. TE KUTTI, September 20. Last night’s fire was one of the most disastrous in the history of To Kuiti. There was very little wind, otherwise the outbreak would have spread to the Post. Office. It was only by the efforts of thc brigade, and the fart that there was a ten-feet right of-wav between th, burning building nd the Post Office, that n more serious conflagration was prevented. The work of the brigade was very much hampered by ih ( . intense heat, it being impossible to approach within a chain of the fire. Th e cause of the, outbreak is unknown. McCorkindale’s stock and plant were insured fur £250 (total loss £1000). Bargain stock and fittings £l6OO (total loss £2800), Evans’s stock £l7OO (to tai loss £3000), I.uen Chen, stock not covered. The total estimated damage is between £BOOO and £9OOO. WELLINGTON, September 19. The inquiry into a fire which occurred in an Aro Street residence on luly 12, was concluded this afternoon. Detectiv e Watcrson said that the fire had been started in at least three places, and he was unable to ascertain where the shavings came from. Mr M’Nei.l said it was so a]"parent that preparations had been made to burn the place down that it was deemed necessary to hold an inquiry. He had heard all th ( ». available evidence and it did not seem he could come to any definite conclusion. He returned a formal finding that the premises had been found on fire. lie was satisfied lit had been done deliberately, but I there was no evidence to show who |was responsible. CHILD’S SERIOUS ACCIDENT. STRATFORD, September 20. While playing among som p: hay, the two and a-half year old daughter of Mr and Airs Tom Waite, junr., of Skinner Road, near Stratford, ran a pitchfork into her head just below the ear, piercing j art of th P brain. I She was admitted to the Stratford public hospital in a critical condition