DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 13, 21 May 1913, Page 5

DOMINION NEWS.

0 MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE. [Per Press Association.] Hastings, May 19. A Maori named Wi Rae, aged 35, hailing Iron Waimaraina, disappeared under somewhat strange circumstances on Saturday night about ten o’clock. Rae, in company with another Maori named Shamrock, left Hastings for Waimaraina on horseback, and when a short distance from a bridge which, spans the Tutituki river, Rae had occasion to dismount. Shamrock being in a hurry to reach Waimaraina did not wait for his companion, hut rode on. Since then Rae has not been seen or heard of. Constable HefFerman, of Havelock North, searched the locality where Rae was last seen by Shamrock, but was unable to find any trace of bis whereabouts. His saddle was found on the roadside near the bridge at a late hour on Saturday night. Up to 7 o’clock to-night all search had proved abortive. CABLE COMMUNICATION. Owing to the continuance of bad weather, the Government steamer Futanekai has been unable to commence the work of repairing the cable in the Strait, and has temporarily given up the attempt. Under those circumstances, the Telegraph Department advises the public that if they are anxious to got telegrams through expeditiously, they should adopt the “urgent” code, otherwise their messages may be subject to delay. AN INLAND TELEPHONE SERVICE. A metallic trunk telephone wire from Gisborne through to Tokomaru and Polaga Bay is now in course of construction. THE BLACKBERRY CURSE.

Hamilton, May 20. A settler at Ohaupo sprayed the blackberries in a paddock where he kept his stock. Some weeks later the stock were put in the paddock and thirty-five cattle, mostly heifers, sickened, and eleven died. A DIVORCE CASE. Wellington, May 20. A decree nisi was granted in the divorce suit, Henry Ernest Harvey v. Ruby Ella Harvey and James Gilpin on the grounds of misconduct. PALMERSTON NORTH SESSIONS. Palmerston North, May 20. The Supreme Court opened to-day with a very light criminal calendar. Groves and Fairley, the prisoner escapees came up for sentence. The former was sentenced to six months for gaol-breaking, two years’ for forgery, the sentences to be concurrent; the latter got six months for gaolbreaking and two years for being il • legally on premises, the sentences to l>e concurrent, and three years refomative treatment. Both accused had a list of previous convictions. I*■ i A MENACE TO HEALTH. Timaru, May 20. The Hospital Board to-day resolved co prosecute a young woman for travelling by rail when suffering from diphtheria. ■ Two doctors, members of the Board, said this was a very •.erious matter, as the consequences had proved. The young woman did not know she was ill and a source of infection. Before the resolution was passed it was stated that a penalty vvas not to be asked for, but as a beans of warning others a prosecution should be instituted. A BURNS STATUE. Timaru, May 20. Considerable interest is being taken -n the ceremony of unveiling the .tatue of Burns in the Park on Thursday. A special train has been arranged from Dunedin, and excursion fares from Christchurch and Camara. The statue is of marble, the bust being life size, set in a Coromandel granite block. It is the gift of Mr J. Craigie, M.P., to the town, and is placed near the entrance of the Park. Sir Robert Stout is to be the principal speaker at the ceremony. NAPIER’S HARBOUR SCHEME. Napier, May 20. The Napier Harbour Board to-day decided to instruct its solicitors to prepare a Bill for introduction to Parliament, authorising it to take a poll of the ratepayers on the question of raising a loan for the construction of the inner harbour at Port Ahuriri, capable of accommodating large vessels.

THE BIBLE IX SCHOOLS. Tim am, May 20. Dr. Cleary, Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, addressed a meeting of about 400 last night against the Bible in Schools League. A resolution against the League’s proposals was moved and seconded by two I nitarians, and carried unanimously. TKACHFJRS’ SUPERAXNTTATIOX, Wellington, May 20. At the quarterly meeting of the Teachers’ Superannuation Board twentv allowances, ranging from £ll IPs Id nor annum to £l5O per annum, and totalling £IOBS 18s 2d nor annum, were authorised. Allowances to hm widows and children, totalling i- U>s per annum, were granted, as neie

refunds totalling £1561 9s 7d to per* sons w ho have left the education service. BREAKING AND ENTERING. Greymouth, May 20. At the Magistrate’s Court to-day La arson Webster, alias Wm. Smith, on a charge of attempting to break and enter the dwelling of Isabella Kornish, a widow residing at Blackball. was committed to the Supremo Court for trial. AN EXPENSIVE PETITION. Dunedin, May 20. A recount of the votes recorded at the recent municipal election at Port Chalmers, which was decided upon as a result of a petition by Mr Lnnn and others, was completed to-day. The result was four votes behind the low>st successful candidate, instead of one as declared previously, Mr Lnnn was ordered to pay the costs of the recount £2 2s, court costs 4s, and the balance of deposit of £lO to be forfeited. The recount showed that votes for only two candidates out of 1.5 had been correctly counted in the lirst instance, though the discrepancy in each case was small.

A CLAIM FOR DAMAGES. Wellington, May 20. At the Supreme Court, Henry Shapcott and his wife Sophia Francis, \ claimed £3OO general damages and €33 Gs special damages from Melville H. Robertson, hotel keeper and motor car proprietor. The case {fros© out of an accident in which Mrs Shapcott was knocked down and run over by the car. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiffs with £175 genual damages and £33 6s special damages. \ AN ASSAULT CASE. Invercargill, May 20. At Otautau, yesterday, James Chambers, 35 years of age, was charged with assaulting Archibald McArthur and doing him grevious bodily harm. The facts as 'stated are that the accused was in the Orawai store, when a Territorial who had been at camp, came in with a bottle of wdxisky in his pocket. Accused w r ent to take die bottle, and McArthur, who was in charge of the store, asked him to .save, which he refused to do, and diallenged anyone to remove him. Mc\rthur aproached accused, who struck lira on the forehead with the bottle of whisky which ho had in his pcs••esoioir, inflicting a nasty wound. He vae committed for trial, bail being allowed.

'STORMS IN WESTLAND. Westport, May 20. A cyclonic storm yesterday did a good deal of damage at Seddonville, when a six-roomed cottage was destroyed and several other buildings lamaged. At Charleston, St. Mark’s Anglican Church was completely wrecked.' There were other losses at both places, but no damage is reported in Westport.