WAIPUKURAU

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 307, 11 December 1931, Page 15

WAIPUKURAU

NEWS AND NOTES. (Special Representative.) Mrs Wilson, of Waipukurau, is spending a few days with Miss Handyside of Havelock North. The honorary secretary of the Waipukurau and District Red Cross Society acknowledges with thanks a dona, tion of £1 each from Mrs Paul Hunter, Mrs Joblin and (Takapau) per Mrs St. Hill, for the Sanatorium Christmas fete, also an iced Christmas cake from the Elsthorpe Women’s Institute per Mrs A. Williams. The winners of competitions held for the purpose of raising funds in aid of the St. Joseph’s Church repairs, which were drawn on Wednesday were as follow :—Christmas cake, Mr Severinsen ; boxes of chocolates were won by three children; for a hand-worked table centre Miss Smith was the lucky winner. Joan Mcßride won a pair of hand-worked pillow shams. It has been observed by several local residents that the white butterfly pest, referred to by Cr. L. M. Monckton at the monthly meeting of the Waipukurau County Council, has made its unwelcome presence felt in vegetable plots. In particular, cabbage plants have been the first object of attack, and it is evident that serious inroads are likely to be made by the insect. It has been found that in many homes chicken-pox has made its appearance, and in consequence the attendance at the Waipukurau District High School has been considerably affected In a number of instances adults are sufferers with the complaint. At a meeting of the local Unemployment Committee held on Wednesday night, the Mayor (Mr R. McLean) presiding, a strong protest was made in regard to the position created by the reduction in the amount available for local purposes. This will go forward to tho Minister of Unemployment (Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates), also to the Member for the District (Mr A. E. Jull). The position was considered very unsatisfactory, in view of needs and expectations particularly so having regard to the tact that a special sum (£15,000) has been made available, for the Christmas period, in the interests of the large centres of population. Special difficulty is being experienced or course in allotting work on the basis of the lesser amount available. In response to a telegram despatched by the chairman the following message has been received from the Minister“ Have received your telegram reference unemployment ; matter is being taken up with board to see whether something further might be granted in ’Xmas relief. —J. G. Coates.” CORONIAL INQUIRY. DEATH OF GEORGE DAVIES. Tho adjourned inquest into the cir cumstanees of the death, on December 2nd, of George Davies, Waipukurau. was concluded yesterday morning be fore the District Coroner. Dr. H. W. M. Kendall. Evidence was tendered by Mesdames Catherine Davies, widow of the deceased; Venice Faithful, widow, Waipukurau, and Margaret McCoskery, lan M,. Scott, farmer, Dr. W. B. Fisher, and Constable Biitler. Constable Butler said that as the result of a telephone message on December’ 2 he proceeded, with Dr. Fisher, to the home of Mr McCoskery. He was shown where the explosion occurred, and found Mr George 'Davies lying by the side of a wire fence. He was lying on his left side, badly injured and unconscious. Dr. Fisher and witness turned tho body over and found a flat piece of rusty tin adhering to the clothes on the loft side. Dr. Fisher attended to the injured man and sent for the ambulance. Witness carefully examined the ground near where the body was lying. Immediately’ under the body the grass was burned off and the ground was disturbed. Witness searched for weapons or explosives, but found none. "I have known Mr Davies for nearly twenty years. He was always a verydecent, quiet, inoffensive man and got on well with his neighbours,” said the constable. "From the position in which the body was lying and the marks on the ground, it appeared to me that the explosion must have occurred while the deceased was lying on thn ground. ’ ’ THE FINDING. After adjourning for lunch, the Coroner returned the following verdict: "That George Davies died at Waipukurau on December 2, 1931, from severe injuries to tho chest wall and laceration of the lung, resulting from an explosion, of which the evidence was insufficient to indicate the exact cause.”