FAMILY PERISHES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25030, 21 October 1944, Page 6

FAMILY PERISHES

FIRE TRAGEDY COUPLE, SON AND DAUQHTEB (P.A.) "WEST I PORT, Friday 11 When the house of Mr Elias Martin 7 'X ; of Hector, 23 miles from West-port, waa i destroyed by fire at 3.30 o'clock' this : ' morning, the four occupants, all mem' bers of the family, lost their lives The victims were Mr Elias Martin, aged 62, under-man "r----ager of a mine at Seddonville. Mrs Mona Mary Martin,-aged 62. Mr Wilfred Martin, aged 31, electrician employed by the Westport-Stock* ton Coal Company. "Ift: Miss Esme Mona Martin, aged 34, dress maker. ' j;-' ; The Martins had previously lost son, who was killed in the mine. Payroll of £l7O Lost Mr Martin, sen., was under-manaeer for a mine at Seddonville, and it j s understood that the afternoon before the tragedy a payroll for the mine amounting to about £l7O was eivon to .Mrs Martin for safe keeping. It u believed that this payroll was destroyed in the fire.

The fire was first discovered by W r George Torjborson, a farmer, who lives across the road from the Martins. The Hames then had a good hold. Mr Tori borsen could not make an entry into the house, because of the, fierceness of the Hames. The building was completely destroyed. 3 One Survivor o! Family It was not until about ten o'clock this morning that the fire had abated sufficiently to enable the police to remove the bodies. They were oxtensivelv charred. *

Only one member of the family su r . vives. He is Mr Allan Martin, who U married and lives about half a mile nn the road. Up

The house, which was of four rooms was close to the township of Hector' and about two miles off the main road' .Mr .Martin, sen., had lived in the district for about 30 years, and as well as being under-manager of tbe mine at Seddonville, he also carried on a. dairv farm at Seddonville, running between •'SO and 40 cows. HOUSE DESTROYED OWNER SUFFERS BURNS AUCKLANDER'S MISFORTUNE (0.C.) ROTORTJA, Friday A five-roomed lakeside house a mile and a-half from the Xgongotaha township was burned to the. ground yesterday and the owner, Mr C. J. Lovegrove of Auckland, suffered burns necessitating treatment in the Rotorua Hospital. Mr Lovegrove was attempting to light a fire in a stove with the aid of motor fuel oil when it suddenly flared up burning his face and hands. Mr Lovegrove dropped the fuel container and the flames spread rapidly. The Ngongotaka fire brigade was unable to cope with the fire, there beine only a two-inch water main in the area, and the house and contents, including furniture, two outboard motors and fishing gear, were destroyed. The building was insured for £4OO and the contents for £IOO, but the owner's loss is estimated at over £IOOO.

DAY IN PARLIAMENT LAST OF THE ESTIMATES ONLY ONE ITEM TO PASS (S.E.) WELLINGTON, Friday Six more items of departmental expenditure were approved by the Hoots of Representatives today, leaving ons more to pass to finish the Estimates.,,. The rotes passed, which totalled £1,584,687, were for the Internal Marketing Division, Rehabilitation ment. Valuation Department, Laii&i and Survey Department; Lands for Settlement Account, and Small Farmi''. Development. ■ . The vote for the State Forest Service was under discussion when the House adjourned at 6.5 p.m. until Tuesday afternoon. LOCAL' AND GENEBAI Holiday Arrangements For. the convenience of advertisers', the Herald office will be open on Mob* day, Labour Day, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Normally, orders for advertisements are not received by telephone after 6 p.m.; on account of the holiday, telephone orders will be accepted on, Monday between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Shortage of Blade Shearers

A statement that the present shortage of blade shearers was partly the sheepowners' fault, because of their lack of support in providing sheep for shearing classes, was made by , a member of the Christchurch Industrial Manpower Committee. He said that youne men* at technical colleges were keen to learn blade shearing, but frequently it was impossible to get sheep for them to learn on. The deputy-manpower officer, Mr H. LI R. Read, said there was a surplus of machine'shearers, hut blade shearers were difficult to obtain. Boy Manages Farm A tribute was paid by the No. 1 Armed Forces Appeal Board to the lo-year-old son of a member of the-Royal New Zealand Air Force when it was disclosed in evidence that the boy had been managing his father's 87-acre dairy farm for the past three years. When the father entered the forces, he reduced his herd to 25 so that it would not be too big for his son, who was then only 13, to handle, but through his diligence and efficiency the lad had been able gradually to increase the number of stock again and the property now carried 38 cows. Hostel Accommodation Need Suggestions for the establishment of a hostel in Auckland for bovs and prls earning small wages were placed before a meeting of the Auckland Vocational Guidance Advisory Council at a meeting last night in a report .from us social committee. It was stated that employers :who needed labour recruited it from a distance, and they should_ be preared to co-operate in the provision of suitable living accommodation by taking a financial interest in the movement. Such contributors should hate some call to nominate certain employees for the accommodation available. It was decided to refer the question to a special meeting to be held next month.

Work in Factories "Parents feel that they do not wish their daughters to work among noise t dust and vibration, to be forever standing or sitting at a job and to have no variety of occupation and no definite training," stated a report which received at a meeting of the Auckland Vocational Guidance Advisory Council last night. The report was prepared b.T Miss W. McXaughton, of the l° ca centre. "In the case of some * a( >; o r *L work this is only prejudice, since firm® have done all they can to offset a"? disadvantages. In other cases, notm: ng has been done, and until such condition are remedied, these firms will have a certain difficulty in recruiting employees."

Protection ol Opossums A report in favour of the continuation of the protection of opossums n been approved by the council or t Wellington Acclimatisation p° ;j The chairman, Mr D. J. Gibbs, sa that if the protection were removed m would be deprived of their seasonal cupation, as inexperienced P? rS r.. r would trap in the summer, when was of little value. Last year, trie u ernment received in licences and t the sum of £0416. It would be, an .» vantage to extend the season and the society was given a fuTI s ' iar T| 0 - the opossum revenues it could emp expert trappers permanently to . infested properties. There rO . then be any necessity to lift the P , tection and a valuable industry w be retained.