DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 12, 27 December 1911, Page 2

DOMINION NEWS.

(Per Press Association.) Auckland, December 25. The Mayor of Auckland stated on Saturday that the City Council would advertise outside New Zealand for a city organist. Already he had had a dozen applications from America and England, so it was evidently already known that Auckland had a new organ and a vacancy for the post of city organist. Over 21,000 people attended thh recent festivities in connection with the opening of Auckland now Town Hall. The volume of business transacted in the property market in Auckland during the past feiv months has been phenomenal; in fact, the “spurt’ dates back at least twb years, during which period two thousand buildings have been erected. Some of the leading land agents express the firm opinion that the land market is quite sound, and that nothing in the nature of a passing boom is occurring. They attribute the extensive building operations largely to the increase in population. Enquiries concerning land values show that they have been well maintained during the past twelve months. A young married man named Arthur Smith was arrested on Friday night on a charge of stealing whisky that belonged to the steamer Delphic, then in port. Accused appeared in the Police Court on Saturday, when it was explained that he had been working on the vessel and had been found in possession of whisky taken from a case hi the Delphic’s cargo. Prisoner was sent to gaol for three months. Gisborne, December 24. At the inquest on the death of John Klein, a Russian, aged 35, who had been chunking heavily, the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony, that death was duo to syncope arising from the fatty state of the heart, and added a rider that it was of the opinion that if the deceased had had proper treatment and nourishment his life would have been prolonged. Napier, December 24. At 2 o’clock this morning a fourroorned cottage at Port Ahuriri, occupied by George Dixon, was destroyed by fire. Mr. and Mrs. Dixon were away on holiday in Auckland. The body of a boarder named Lars Anderson, better known as Charles Anderson, was found in the ruins. Anderson was a fisherman, 41 years of age, and a widower. He had no relations in New Zealand. There is little fresh to report in regard to the wharf trouble. A conference of employers was held to-day, but there was nothing done beyond deciding to communicate with other centres. Both sides are firm, and further developments are likely. Christchurch, December 24. Early yesterday morning Martha Parish 63 years of 'age, wife of Isaac Parish, of Burwood, was found dead in bed. At the inquest a verdict of death from heart failure was returned. During the past two or three months extensive improvements have been effected at Lancaster Park, and yesterday afternoon the park was formally re-opened by the Mayor, Mr. J. J. Dougall, who said that th 6 regeneration of 'Lancaster Park was an event of i which Christchurch people might feel proud. The park had been open for iover) thirty years, and during that time-there had been played there some of the closest contests yet recorded in the history of New Zealand sport. An unusual kind of accident occurred at Lyttelton just before 2 o’plock this afternoon. A number of empty carriages which had been brought down by the 1.25 p.m. train were detached "to be shunted on to another line. The engine “kicked” the carriages clear, , but owing tp ,tlie points not being cleared they fan,hack on the same line and collided) heavily with a train that',was standing at the station platform. The passengers on the train receiyed a shock, and a little girl who was in the act of stepping on to the train was thrown on the platform. Fortunately nobody was injured. The hand rails and buffers of the train were twisted and broken. The final figures show that the voting on the prohibition issue in the. Christchurch licensing district was— Against National prohibition, 10,668; for national prohibition, 12,268; informal, 871. In connection with the two issues—local option and national prohibition —it may be noted that in all 47,603 voting papers came under the notice of the returning officer and the scrutineers. This is the biggest count in the history of the city, and the time it occupied was five days. A , large proportion of informal papers had both issues struck out or both left untouched, indicating that the voters concerned did not wish to vote on the licensing issues. Dunedin, December 25. Isabella Gumming, aged 83 years, died suddenly at her residence in Mornington yesterday. Deceased, who resided with her sister, also an old woman, was attended by Dr. Church a few months ago for bronchitis, At that time Dr. Church had difficulty in getting into the house, deceased’s sister objecting to a doctor being called in. Deceased caught chill on Tuesday, and took to her bed on Thursday. Dr. Church cannot give a certificate of death.