DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 281, 25 November 1914, Page 5

DOMINION NEWS.

A "LITTLE ENGLANDER."

[Feb Peeeb association.] Christchurch, November 24.

Mr Philip Snowden, M.P., at present visiting Christchurch, was accorded a civic reception, and was also entertained by the New Zealand Club. He has given several addresses to i crowded audiences. In the course of a speech at the Choral Hall he said the whole of his twenty years of political life had been -pent in aiming at bringing about peace amongst democracies. Whatever were his views on Britain's foreign policy, they were the views of all the members of Radical and Labor parties, and nine-tenths of the members of the Liberal party. Again he was said to be a "Little Englander." He was quite content to bear that reputation when it was also the reputation of John Morley and David Lloyd George.

GOLDMINES FEEL THE PINCH.

Auckland, November 24.

The proceedings at the' Warden's Court at Thames yesterday, were of more than usual interest, owing to & number of ' goldmining companies seeking protection. These applications were the result of the stoppage of pumping by the Thames Drainage Board, which has caused operations to cease in many of the deeper levels. The financial stringency of the war made it difficult for the Board to get in payments from the companies, which in turn discovered that the shareholders could not pay calls-, and so pumping operations ceased. Protection was granted for six months in all cases. The Warden, however, stipulated that the mines should be thrown open to tributers during the period for which protection was granted. SUICIDE. Greymouth, November 24. George Arthur Smith, aged 40, married, a visitor from Christchurch, committed suicide by jumping from the Cobden bridge this afternoon. Smith was recently released from a mental hospital on probation. The police are dragging for the body, but have not yet recovered it. UPPER HUTT EXPLOSION. Wellington, November 24. The Supreme Court is engaged ton, day in hearing a civil action arising out of the disastrous fire and explosion at Upper Hutt on March 28. Plaintiffs, Herbert Benge and Herbert Piatt, claim £1750 from the Guardian Assurance Company under a policy of insurance issued by the defendant company, which claims that the loss was caused partially by an explosion, and that the conditions of the policy were not observed. A DASH FOR LIBERTY.

Invereargill, November 24

James McDermid, who escaped from custody yesterday while working at Otatara, was recaptured this forenoon in the vicinity of a house near the seen© of his bolt. McDermid had crossed the river, entered the house, and abstracted clothing and provisions. When found, he had by him a butcher's knife, also taken from the house. No resistance was made, and the prisoner was escorted back to the reformatory. He will duly appear before the court to answer a charge of attempting to escape from custody. INDECENT ASSAULT. Palmerston, November 24. Alfred Leonard Cobb, a youth of 16, was found guilty at the Supreme Court before Justice Hosking to-day, of indecent assault upon a girl of six iyears. In a second charge of a similar nature against Cobb in connection with 'another child, the jury failed to agree, despite that the judge in summing up 'directed the Jury to return a verdict of ! I "not guilty" on the grounds of insuffiIcient corroboration. A new trial was ordered.