LATE DOMINION NEWS.

Mataura Ensign, 14 December 1911, Page 6

LATE DOMINION NEWS.

i FIRES IN THE NORTH. BLAZE AT A MINE. I'Kli UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. REEFTON, Dec. 13. A fire last night at the mouth of the Energetic Gold Mine destroyed the survey office and store. There was great alarm at first, occasioned by explosions of paraffin, but the damage was only to the offices and store. The enginedriver, W. H. Saunders, drew all the men out of the mine. The fire being on a hill ,a great blaze was seen all over the ; country and fears were entertained for ithe safety of the men, but fortunately no one was injured. NURSING HOME BURNED. ASHBURTON, Dec. 13. Mrs Ainsworth's nursing home, a seven-roomed wooden building situated in Eton street, Hampstead, was, with ,its contents, totally destroyed by fire shortly after 10 o'clock last night. The ; outbreak was caused by the explosion of 'a kerosene lamp. The building was insured for £350, and the furniture for £l5O. PENALTY OF CRIME. AUCKLAND, Dec. 13. Annie McConnell, convicted on a charge of having shot at Thomas Madigan and caused him actual bodily harm, was too ill to appear at the Supreme Court to-day. The judge said he had decided that she was to be imprisoned for two years and'detained for reformative treatment. j Two men named Henry Green and Arthus Carter were presented for sentence on charges of theft and wilfully damaging certain animals at Holeusville. They were each sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment. I Edward Thomas Hughes, convicted of obtaining money by false pretences, was sentenced to one year's imprisonment with detention for a further period of three years for reformative treatment. | Richard Norman Henry Williams, for the theft of £7 in gold from his workman, was sentenced to one year's imprisonment with hard labor, to be followed by four years' detention for reformative treatment. I John Everett, who had pleaded guilty to a charge of having during a drunken squabble in the forecastle of the steamer Remuera stabbed a fellow-seaman, was sentenced to three years' with hard labor. I Charles Raymond Victor Stairway, • a half-caste Maori, and his wife, Milj dred Stanway, came up for sentence on admitted charges of theft and forgery and uttering. The male accused was ; sent to gaol for one year, to be followed Iby two year's reformative treatment. The female accused was remanded to see if her father would take charge of her. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

DUNEDIN, Dec. 13. T u e institution of rural science courses in district high schools has made such a favorable impression upon country people that Otago Central has guaranteed a sum o.f £l5O towards the salary of a third instructor to take classes in that district. Contribution guarantees a salary of £3OO a year, as it receives a £ foT £ subsidy from the Government. The Education Board this morning proceeded to appoint an instructor and Mr C. S. Ridley, of New South Wales, was finally chosen for the post. He is 25 years old, was a pupil teacher at Sydney Training College and Hawkesbury Agricultural College, and since 1908 has been Government experimentalist at Yaneo experiment farm. TARANAKI'S WEALTH. ELTHAM, Dec. 13. The unfavorable season is seriously j affecting the milk supply but the amount paid out is greater than for the corresponding period of last year. For the three months ended November the Eltham Company manufactured 627,595 Y.i of butter, paying out £25,920 as against 677,5931b and £24,559 for the corresponding period of 1910. The output of butter boxes and cheese crates by the Egmont Box Factory shows a decrease of 10 per cent, compared with last year. FOR THE CHILDREN. GISBORNE, Dec. 13. An anonymous donor has given £3OO to the Children's Home, for which Lady Carroll recently presented two acres of ground. The gift is covered by a £ for £ Government subsidy. CHARGE OF THEFT OF MONEY. WELLINGTON, Dec. 13. At the Magistrate's Court to-day Frederick William Green, a middle-aged man, formerly secretary of the Welling,ton Working Men's Club, who was ar- | rested by Acting-Detective Bailey, was I remanded until the 20th inst. on a j charge of having stolen about £2Ol, the property of the club. Bail was allowed in the sum of £IOO. COMPENSATION FOR ACCIDENT. BLENHEIM, Dec. 13. The Supreme Court yesterday and today was occupied hearing a case in which Margaret Corliss sued the Marlborough Timber Company for £2OO damages for the death of her husband, John Corliss, at Opouri Valley, when the company's engine was derailed. There was another case, in regard to Ander'son, who was killed at the same time and place, and it was agreed that the evidence in one was was applicable to the other and that the same verdict, if any, be accepted< , Considerable evidence was called with the object of showing that defendant's tramline, from which the engine war; derailed, was defective; that deceased, although he had knocked oft work for the day, w-s still in the employ of i)v company while on his way from the birsli to the mill, and that the rate cf jip"ed of the engine was excessive. The defence was tl-'at the line was a suitnH" one. Deceased was on the engine at hiv own risk. Mr O'Regan. r f Wellington, apponrer] for claimants and Mr F. G. Russell, of Christchurch, f.v- defendant. A verdict was returned for £3OO.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.

THAMES, Dec. 13. An electrical storm of unusual violence occurred this afternoon. Immediately afterwards rain fell in torrents. One particularly loud crash was followed !by what looked like a meteor; it flashed from west to east. A large tree was uprooted and fired. Intermittent flashes and loud reports continued for some time, causing real consternation. Reports from the back cuntry state that for over an hour the whole district was illuminated. In one instance an electrical apparatus flashed out as though it had been fired. The weather is now calm but dull and threatening.

DISCOVERY IN A BATHROOM. WELLINGTON, Dec. 13. This morning A. S. Bellerby, a sheep farmer, from Gisborne, was found in a bathroom of the Grand Hotel with his throat cut and a razor lying in the water beside him. A doctor was sent for and ordered his removal to the hospital. He had been staying at the Grand Hotel since Sunday.