TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 April 1918, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

: [run press association.—copyright.] CABLE DELAYS. WELLINGTON,! April G. The Postmaster-General announces ! that advice lias been received from the , Eastern Extension Telegraph Coy, and i Pacific Cable Board respectively that owing to the congestion on the cables the only cable messages to England that can be accepted at present for transmission via Eastern nro full rate messages and for transmission “via Pacific” full rate and E.F.M., to soldiers week-end messages. This means that in the meantime, “deferred” messages to England cannot be sent by either route and that E.F.M. messages to England cannot he sent “via Eastern.” E.F.M. and deferred services from United Kingdom to New. Zealand are suspended by both 'routes.

tree messages of enquiry regarding the condition of wounded soldiers are still accepted. They are sent via the Pacific only and arc liable to considerable delay.

t A SAWMILL BURNT. TAIHAPE This Day. Bennett and Punch’s sawmill «.t Rangntaua, tile second largest mill in the district, was totally destroyed by /lire early on Saturday morning. The origin of the fire is a mystery. The Manager saw all safe at midnight. The stock of timber was not injured. Twenty-six men are out of employment.

HOSPITAL REPORT. WELLINGTON. This Day. Not reported as severe case:—C'ocli- | rano, C. A., (Koiterangi). steamer An trouble. / WELLINGTON, April V. A well-known steamer visiting these waters in connection with a, special mission had an exciting experience on Saturday evening- during the furious north-west gale. The vessel was anchored in Worser. Bay., inside tiho Heads waiting for the weather to moderate, and between 7 and 8 p.m., her anchor commenced to drag, and before enough steam c he raised to get the vessel under weigh she drifted broadside on, on to the beach at Seatown, half-way betweethe wharf and the Peninsula, where she rested on a sand and shingle bottom. The Union Steam Ship Company’s tug Torawhiti was sent out, also,the Janie Seddon. and the tug Natono, and the three succeeded, after considerable difficulty, in getting the steamer afloat. At high water to-day the vessel steamed into port, apparently none the worse for her experience.

FATAL BOATING ACCIDENT. AUCKLAND, April 7. A harbour accident, involving the loss of four lives, occurred near the North Head about 7.15 o’clock last evening. Those drowned are K. Sutherland, boat-builder. Devonport, aged 24 ; Ernest Skinner, aged 11; Jack Skinner, aged nine ; and David Skinner igod six ; whose parents reside in Dona iu Street, Devonport. A boy named Christian Fellesoi, twelve years of age, vlio was aboard, was saved.

'['he five were in a small dingy filling well out in the channel,when the teainor Glenelcr. towing a scow, coining : nto harbour passed close by them. Those on the steamer shouted a warning to look out for the tow rope, but the boat’s anchor had just been weighpd Uid the wind and tide carried the dingy ni to the rope, which, catching the last, canted it over, and before the lingv could lie extricated, the scow •'cashed into it, capsizing it. The steamer and scow each threw out lifebuoys and each lowered a boai. Fellesoi was rescued, but no trace could be found of the others, though the search continued for an .hour. It is stated that those on the dinghy were grouped round a lamp on hoard cutting up bait, and this obscured the light. The bodies have not yet been recovered.

CHINESE RESTAURANT RAIDED. AUCKLAND, April 7. The police raided- a Chinese restaurant last night and arrested fifteen Chinamen. Of these, one, All Yuon, was charged with keeping a common gaming house; AH Lee of assisting and the others with being found on the oremises.

A SHIRKER, FINK'D. WELLINGTON, April 8. Archibald King, described by the police as au absolute shirker, was fined £lO ,or two months, on a charge of resisting the police. It was stated in evidence that he was notified to attend his inedicl examination on 27th February, 1917, but he went back to the hush, where ho had sheltered since. When the police reached his house at Maheiu» Bay King was seen near a hedge, with a light axe in his hand. He said lie would not go to camp and would give the police a go for it. When he. made a hostile demonstration, the police rushed him, and secured the axe, after a brief struggle. !