NEWS IN BRIEF.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1066, 12 July 1917, Page 5

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Arrangements for the erection of tho new factory at Takamatua are well forward (says the Akaroa "Mail"). The builders, Messrs Jamieson Bros., of Christehurch are assembling their material for the erection of the building. The decision to enlarge the building will enable the installation of a whey butter plant and pasteuriser. Inquires are being made for the necessary plant, ! and the directors are doing everything j in their power to seo that the factory is opened at the beginning of the milki ing season. When the' matter of storage of dangerous goods came before the Spreydon ! Borough Council last night, the Mayor i (Mr W. H. Winsor) said that some people did not know that they were not | allowed by the insurance companies to i store more than eight gallons of petrol within 50yds of a building unless contained in a specially-made concrete place. If these " regulations were ignored and a fire occurred, the insurance companies would refuse to pay out. The Mayor had lately had to build a concrete shelter for his own use in storing petrol. The regulations [should be especially noted by storekeepers. At '2 o'clock on Sunday morning the occupier of a shop, situated in North Street, Timaru, was awakened by a peculiar sound (says the "Post"). On investigating lie found that it proceeded from tlie work of a man who was engaged in boring holes in the panel of the front door leading into the shop. The arrival of the occupier on the scene caused the man to stop and make off. An examination of the door showed that two holes, each an inch in diameter, had been bored through a panel, the intention being to make an aperture sufficiently large to allow ingress for the hand," so that it would then have been possible to have unlocked the door, and obtain admission to the shop. When the cables were felling of Australia's share in the capture of Bapaume, one message gave a list of lads who had been buried in an explosion arranged by Fritz for that very purpose. Among the names a North Brunswick (Vic.) woman was shocked to see that of Private W. Sturrock, aged 19. That was her own lad's rank, name and age, and she hardly dared believe the Defence Department's assurance that he was still safe. But the really astounding part of the story was only made known when her son wrote to her on April 5, detailing how his battalion of Pioneers had had the duty of clearing away the debris of the explosion in order to recover the bodies of the victims and give them more kindly interment. Under 10ft of earth five dead were found, and one of them was the other Private Sturrock, also aged 19. Mr W. Hutchinson's boot shop in King Street North, Duuedin, was entered by burglars one night last week, and out of his complete stock, valued at about £6O, boots worth £4O were stolen. The burglars evidently used a skeleton key. On Saturday night Mr Hutchinson was going home after fulfilling his duties as a doorkeeper at His Majesty's Theatre, and when passing Mr Lacey's saddlery shop, near the Museum, he noticed a man standing on the footpath. Almost simultaneously another man came out of the shop and slammed the door. Mr Hutchinson became suspicious, and called "Police!" and, as the incident took place near the North Dunedin Police Station, a constable was soon on hand. Both men had by this time got some distance away, and they were not overtaken. The "Otago Daily Times" remarks that it will be rather disquieting to the people of Dunedin to learn that several cases of premises being entered by burglars have been reported to the police within the past two or three months, and it behoves all to see that their houses are securely locked, and to keep a sharp look-out for susjueious-looking characters. A peculiar point cropped up at a sitting of the Military Board in Wellington. A wireless operator aboard an ocean-going steamer had been drawn in the ballot, and he appealed on the ground that he was not a New Zealand reservist, being a native of Hamilton,! Victoria, though he had been employed, from time to-time on various vessels trading between Australia and New Zealand. The point at issue was whether his domicile could be considered to be New Zealand. The bright idea occurred to Mr Oonsidine, one of the members of the board, that though the appellant was bom in Australia he might afterwards have resided in New Zealand. It was determined that the matter merited further inquiry. The appellant was not present to be cross-examined on I the point. The chairman (Mr 11. J. Beswick) explained that the subtle law point involved was the "intention" of the appellant. If in the inner recesses! of his mind he meditated when he got | sick of the sea to retire to take up his residence in Nov.- Zealand then he must | be regarded as a New Zealand reservist, If on the other hand he regarded Aus-1 tralia as his present and future home he j was a true Australian. The board de- j citled that before the case could be I finally disposed of a statutory declara-1 tion would have to be obtained from the J appellant or he would have to prysent himself for examination. A BAEGAIN AT £27 10/-. Second-hand Douglas Motor Cycle, 2J h.p., 2-speed gear-box, just overhauled h.p., ready for the road. Jones Bros., Ltd., agents Harley-Davidsou and Douglas motors, Clock Tower, Manchester Street. . .2