DOMINION NEWS

Grey River Argus, 13 August 1946, Page 6

DOMINION NEWS

FIVE YEARS’ DETENTION CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 12. A sentence of five years’ reformative detention was imposed on William Andrew Smythe, a blacksmith, aged 51, by Mr Justice Blair, in the Supreme Court this morning, for the attempted murder of his wife, Martha Edwards Smythe, aged 52. Smythe was convicted last week, the jury making a strong recommendation to mercy. The accused put cyanide in milk intended for his wife, but she did not drink it. FIRE AT HOSPITAL WAIMATE, Aug. 12. An outbreak of fire in the offices and storeroom of a detached building at the Waimate Public Hospital caused the loss of medical and othei stores estimated to be worth £7OO. The steward’s office was gutted and records destroyed, while supplies in a storeroom to which the flames penetrated through the ceiling suffered from heat. The fire was quickly controlled by the brigade. The cause is unknown. COOK ISLAND UNIONISTS AUCKLAND, August 12. Replies to the references to them in the report of the Federation ot Labour delegates to the Cook Islands were made to-day by Mr. F. Potter, secretary of the Auckland Labourers’ Union and Mr. A. Henry, secretary i?f the Cook Islands’ Progressive Associatio ■ Beth denied the allegation that workers at Rarotonga paid Is 6d each for labourers’ union membership cards. They stated that the two delegates. Messrs. K. Baxter and T. F. Anderson were aware of the true position when they left New Zealand. It was difficult to understand why Messrs. Barter and Anderson should profess ignorance. It was explained in a Wellington newspaper on August 8 that the cards were issued free with nd tags, and that this action was taken at the request of the Cook Island Progressive Association. PLANE FORCED TO RETURN AUCKLAND, Aug. 12. Because of an oil leak in its starboard engine, a Royal New Zealand Air Force Sunderland which left on Saturday morning for Fiji returned to Auckland on three motors. The return trip was made without incident. OPIUM SMOKER FINED GISBORNE, Aug. 12. A Chinese market gardener Chung Hao, was fined £35 by Mr E. L. Walton, S.M., in the Police Court at Gisborne to-day, on a charge of being found in possession of prepared opium. The police evidence was that the accused was caught at his home with a pot of opium and a pipe in hio pocket, and an opium lamp burning in the bedroom. The Magistrate ordered confiscation of the equipment and opium. RAILWAY ACCOUNTS CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 12. An operating loss of £40,220 on the South Island main lines and branches and £2034 on the Nelson line, is disclosed in the railway working account for the four-weekly period ended June 22. During that period an operating loss of £4622 resulted from all railway operations. The gross revenue amounted to £1,146,488 and expenditure to £1,151,110. „ A net revenue of £5539 resulted from operations on the North Island main line and branches, while that from miscellaneous and subsidiary services was £32,093. The net railway revenue for the' period April 1 to June 22 amounted to £316,515. Gross revenue for that period was £3,714,219 and expenditure £3,397.704. £20,000 DEAL AUCKLAND, Aug. 12. Consent to the sale of a 65-acre property on which there is a iesidence of 27 rooms to .Robeit James Kerridge was approved by the Auckland Urban Land Sales Committee. The property is at St. Heliers, Auckland. The selling price, including the contents of the residence, was £20.000. The vendor was' Kenneth Ben Myers. *