NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3149, 22 July 1914, Page 29

NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS.

AUCKLAND. Som3 time ago a motor cyclist named Bennington collided with a cart, and a boy named Martin fell and received internal injuries necessitating an operation at the hospital. The lad’s mother has been awarded £l4O damages against Bennington. ■ A large area of land is being taken up under the Hauraki pastoral lease. Twenty thousand acres have already been applied for. The veterans of the old Fourth Waikato Regim e r.t and the Hamilton Borough Council have set up a committee to' make arrangements to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the arrival of the regiment at Hamilton on August 24, 1864. It is proposed to ask the Government to grant free railway' transit to veterans and their wives, and the council will banquet the survivors and their direct descendants. It is also proposed to erect a monument to commemorate the occasion. WELLINGTON. The funeral of the late Maori, Takarangi Mete Kingi, took place on the 19th inst. The deceased was buried with military honours. About 5000 people were present, including leading Natives from all parts of the North Island. MARLBOROUGH. At the Marlborough Poultry Show, New Zealand championships were awarded to J. A. Kitching, Blenheim (Black Orpingtons and utility Wyandottes); C. Sowman, Wellington (fantail pigeons); K. M‘Lsnnan, Wellington (utility Orpingtons). WEST COAST. The coal output for the past week was as follows -Westport Coal Company, 12,954 tons Bcwt (coke, 54 tons Bcwt); Westport Stockton Company, 3375 tons 4c wt. CANTERBURY. One of the final phases of the Kaiapoi “ joy ride” incident was disposed of in the court on the 18th, when the girl, on a charge of drunkenness, was committed to the Receiving Home. The magistrate said he would not allow the relatives to have charge'" of the girl. The Guardian states that it is probable that the average prices for breeding ewes, and, indeed, for all classes of sheep, realised at the clearing sale at -Ealing on the 17th constitute a record for any clearing sale held in Mid-Canterbury since the big Cracroft displenishing sale of 10 years ago. The 1269 breeding ewes offered averaged 28s per head, while the rest of the sheep, totalling 1404, averaged 27a. Breeding ewes made up to 31s. On Saturday night, at Jollie’s Pass, John Ritson, a labourer, attempted to cut his throat at the hotel bar. The man, who had been drinking heavily, is now out of danger. The launch Jean Wilson, which left Lyttelton 16 days ago, had an exciting experience. Heavy gales started on her return trip from Kaikoura with a second launch, the Kingfisher, in tow. The oales increased, and the Jean Wilson had to cut the Kingfisher adrift. Later, when the Jean Wilson was in peril, she was sighted by the steamer Petone, which towed her to port. Mr George Thornton, one of the engineers employed by the Canterbury Pro-

vincial Government, who had retired for many years from active- work, died. to-day at Sumner. Mr Thornton was engaged under the late Mr Edward Dobson in the construction of the road over the ranges which connected the east and west coast.