DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 22, 9 January 1912, Page 6

DOMINION NEWS.

NEW HOSPITAL MATRON. (Per Press Association.) Napier, January 9. Miss Rose McDonald has been appointed matron of the Napier Hospital. She is at present matron at tlie Dunedin Maternity Hospital, and was previously for six months acting as matron at the Dunedin General Hospital. A WANTON ACT. Auckland, January 8. An attempt was made recently to destroy tho electrical plant at the ■ Queen’s Theatre. The theatre, as usual, had been darkened while the programme wyis screened, but a start had hardly been made when it was noticed that the current was shortcircuited. The machinery was immediately stopped, the manager explaining to the house that it would be necessary to make ah examination of the plant before proceeding. The investigation revealed that a piece Of iron wire had been twisted * round one of the brushes of the dynamo, and pushed into the machine in such a- manner as to cause serious damage. It was only by the greatest good luck that the machine was not entirely destroyed.

BATHS FOR LEVIN. Levin, January 8. The swimming baths erected out of the Coronation subsidy and the municipal money, tho total cost being £SOO, are practically complete. The official opening is being arranged. The Carnegie library at Levin is now open, and is meeting with public patronage both from local townspeople and farmers of the district. NEW SETTLERS. ■Wellington, January 8. The steamer Somerset arrived in tho stream this evening, but will not berth till morning. She brings from England 188 third-class passengers, 39 of whom are assisted immigrants. Seven farmers and five domestics arc included. Maggie Papakura, who took a troupe Of Maoris to Australia and England, also returns in the Somerset with about 20 Maoris, the rest remaining at Home. Maggie Papakura will return to England in about four months to be married. The Somerset had an uneventful voyage. The Drayton Grange arrived to-day, an'd brings 14 assisted immigrants. THE HANMER SPRINGS. Wellington, January 8. The Hon. T. Mackenzie, Minister in charge, of the Health Department, today Informed a deputation from HanmerCwpfticli' coniplaihed that several matters in their opinion required looking into, that the place ought to be leased and managed. It was distinctly djfficuitrfo-']dokt after thehe. places from such a distance. Did it not all show that the Government was very foolish-do--bother-with - these- places -at • all!’ Ministers should have, something else to do than to be bothered with the iadinihist'natioii, of .These n-osbrts.', neveYv.be made payJahdeiv existing conditions. As Government run institutions they would never be permanently satisfactory. “Take Rotorua,” he continued. “We have had more objections from Rotorua' proportionately than ham any other place. A great deal of this opposition was carping criticism,' hut there is a lot of it merely' political. If Rotorua is not satisfied with what has been done, what can lie done with oihcr A- place.Jike could s|wpjs those resident and interested-, in t|;e place. Those people could do a great deal-of minor work, which did not involve a big cost. He pointed put that the Government spent something like £IO,OOO in thedast three yeais in improvements in and about Hannier. He reiterated that in his (.pinion the best thing that could be done was to lease the place as a : sanatory im.

MAGISTRATE OVERWORKED. "V Gffey-inouth, January S. Mr; Felix Chmpbcli, chairnn.n _ of the Chamber of Commerce, sitting as a justice of the Peace this morning, strongly reflected on the Justice Department in not providing v a i ta.aeiit magistrate for Greymouth, where the work accumulated. JurJic' s and the public he said, were inconvienced by adjournment. The matter needed prompt attention by the Justice Department. Mr. Campbell wished his remarks not to be construed as a reflection on Mr. Hewitt, who was being overworked. BITTEN BY A BEAR. Christchurch, January 8. . A sensational incident happened at Wirth’s circus to-night, when a bear attacked its trainer. Sid. Rose, the trainer, who was in the cage, took a bear by the foreleg and led it for a promenade. They were half way round the cage when the bear hit out suddenly with -its free paw. Tlie man went down with the boar-upon himj its teeth lixed in his arm. ■Mr. 6. Wirth, who was near, seized a great billet of wood and rushed into the arena. He struck the bear on the head, and then lost the wood. McGuinnis, a menagerie hand followed, armed with an iron bar. As he belaboured the beast, Herr Schmid, the trainer of the polar bears came to the fight with a heavy pitchfork. At the same time a half-caste entered the cage and beat the beast with a piece of piping, and while the bear was beaten off and kept had:, the trainer was pulled out and taken to the hospital, Ids wounds being a lacerated am and thigh and heavy scratches about the body. Amongst the audience there was great excitement, women shrieking and men shouting. NATIONAL PEACE COUNCIL. Christchurch, January 8. The National Peace Council met today to consider the present situation regarding the threatened prosecutions under the Defence Act. After discussing the matter fully the following resolution was carried, “That this Council most emphatically protests against the action of the Government in threatening prosecutions under the Defence Act, with the intention of intimidating boys, notwithstanding the fact that it was clearly stated by the acting-Minister of Defence on the floor of the House, prior to the elections, that no further prosecutions under the Defence Act would be instituted, and that instructions to this effect have been issued in a recent memorandum to the military authorities.” The Coucil discussed the probability of any prosecutions being instituted, and decided that in that event they would at once take vigorous steps to

organise and make effective the opposition to the scheme throughout the Dominion.