VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

West Coast Times, 22 March 1910, Page 4

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

TELEGRAMS.

[BS TELEUnarH —PER PKEdJ AD<vu.nON. i RECLAIMING THE PIAKO SWAMP. AUCKLAND, March 21.—Further efforts are to be made to secure a portion of Piako land for a miners settlement. SUPREME COURT. WESTPORT, March 21 .-The Supreme Court (under Justice Chapman) concluded its Westport sitting to-night Abraham Price, charged with indecent assault, was found not guilty. “No bill ” was brought in in a charge of alleged fraud against Brosnahan. Judgment was reserved in the case, Wesley v. Sibree and others, trustees of the Millerton Colliery Medical and Accident j Relief Association, being a motion for ; mandamus to have some statement of claim submitted to arbitration.

A SHOCK OF EARTHQUAKE. WANGANUI, March 21.—A sharp shock of earthquake was experienced here at two minutes past six this evening. WINTRY WEATHER. WANGANUI, March 21.—The weather here has undergone a complete change, being now wet and cold. THE DANGERS OF FLANELETTE. CARTERTON, March 21—At the inquest on the four-and-a-half-year old daughter of W. J. Macauley, of Carrington Settlement, the evidence showed that she was burned to death through her night-clothes, made of flannelette, catching fire. The jury added' a strong rider to the verdict condemning the use of flannelette by which many lives were sacrificed and asking the Government to impose a prohibitive duty on it in the cause of humanity The material was denounced as dangerous to life and inimical to health and that it should be banished from every household.

JUVENILE OFFENDERS. DUNEDIN, March 21. Reginald Lawson, aged 21, and Anthony Reuben Anderson, aged 16, pleaded guilty at the Police Court this morning to several charges of house breaking and theft. Between November and March, over £3lO 4s worth of goods, mostly jewellery, were taken. Property to the value of £2OO 4s hag been recovered. Some of the property had been pawned. Both lads were committed for sentence. ANOTHER SUICIDE. NEW PLYMOUTH, March 21—An Imperial pensioner named Francis Eastfield Bilton, aged 79 years, suicided by cutting his throat this morning. Both he and his wife had been drinknig heavily lately. He leaves a large family ALLEGED INCENDIARISM. AUCKLAND, March 19—At the conclusion of the Coroner’s inquiry into a fire in the ironmongery store in Jervois Road, Ponsonby, on February 26th, in which it was shown that the outbreak occurred in more than one place, the police arrested Walter Bates, the occupant 'of the premises who was charged with having wilfully attempted to set fire to the building with the intent to defraud the Royal Exchange and Standard Insurance Companies, SURCHARGES CEASE. DUNEDIN, March 21—Surcharges on intercolonial passenger and freight rates, occasioned by the Newcastle strike, ceased as from to-day.