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Newspaper
Ashburton Guardian
Location
Ashburton, Canterbury, New Zealand
Date
Dec 27, 1910
Page
2
A Canadian branch meeting of the engine drivers Firemen and Cleaners Association debated temperance and prohibition while noting railway service duties and public perception. Local items include heavy Christmas Eve traffic, shopping, and sport events plus obituaries and notices.
The report notes Sir William Steward's current visit to Ashburton. Maori village entertainments have opened a hall at Clontarf in New South Wales. Due to crowding during the week Christmas 1910 is called Black Christmas in London. The Sydney Morning Herald estimates New South Wales wheat yield at five million bushels.
Christmas Day celebrations filled churches with large congregations and festive decor. St Stephen’s held Holy Communion at 8 30 and 11, with evening prayer. Rev B Whitehouse led sermons on Isaiah and Psalm passages. Holy Nativity offered Mass at 8 and 9 11, with floral altars and New Year blessings. Rev Fathers Hanrahan and O Hare presided. The Deacon Donnell led services at Hinffeltori and inds.
Members fired four matches at 200 400 500 and 600 yards with handicap and four prize aggregates. Top scores: Bugler McKenzie 127, Captain Tucker 118, Corporal Bradshaw 117, Private Ross etc. Results list Pte Tutty Pte Ross Corpl Gourdie Brophy and others in order.
Australian champion Harry Pearce beat William Webb by two lengths in a hard 2 mile race on the WanganuI River. Pearce led early, stretched ahead by a length at the mile, then increased to four lengths near the finish as Webb tired. A strong head wind influenced the race and Pearce is to meet St Arnst next.
The funeral of the late Colonel Somerville was held Sunday at Matarawa Churchyard near Wanganui. Local Volunteers formed a guard of honor and a large muster of veterans attended as the Ven Archdeacon Jacob conducted the service and the Garrison Band played The Last Post.
Wellington reports large coal consuming concerns hold unusually heavy reserves. The Railway Department stocks a hundred thousand tons, described as exceptional, amid fears of a potential miners strike.
Sydney boxing report states local middleweight Smith badly outfought world champion Papke and won in the tenth round on a foul though the title was not at stake. Both men carried extra weight. Lang defeated Burns in twelve rounds with heavy punishment.
December reports from Auckland Wellington and Dunedin recount multiple fatalities and injuries. Aciee S caps's body remains missing after a suspected self harm, while Mrs Thompson and Mrs Mallett suffer injuries from a trap accident. Two men, Dillett and Whittaker, are lost after a Christmas flood incident on the Inangahua river. Alfred Millar Hogg dies suddenly near Balmacewan golf links, heart disease cited.
The Midland express with 500 holiday passengers derailed near Hawes after colliding with two light engines. A fire broke out in the refreshment car and the train burned to ashes. At least nine people were killed and a medical student perished as rescuers freed others. The explosion of a gasing tank and high winds fanned the flames.
London report states Sutton a twenty one year signalman admitted moving two engines from a branch to the main line to clear southbound traffic. Rain prevented him from seeing the engines he forgot, and he signalled the express as clear causing the drivers to misinterpret the clearance.
Bartonek a divorced man is arrested on a murder charge after Louise Weas a blouse maker is found dead. Police locate body parts in a laundry basket with other pieces in a newspaper and charred bones in a stove in his room.
A group of children crossing the Great Central line at Bolsover after a kinematograph show were struck by a passenger train and killed. The youngsters were returning to Bolsover Colliery Company's model villages singing carols when trains in opposite directions trapped them. The accident drew hundreds of witnesses.
Alfred Albert Cash killed his wife by slashing her throat then attempted suicide at their Parakai boarding house near Helensville. Mrs Cash died within half an hour. Cash, wounded but not fatally, faces inquest. He is a 42 year old seafarer and former Kaipara Steamship Company master. wife 34.
Information reached Dargaville that a man named Davis and his wife perished in a Tokatoka house fire while asleep. Police and the Coroner have proceeded to the scene. no further details are available.
An incomplete remark hints at weight loss concerns and a drug named PHOSPHOS claimed to restore a constitution. It mentions large battles sold by chemists, but details and context are missing. The brief appears as an aside or ad fragment from a historical page.
The Bolton colliery disaster inquiry heard that several workers who died had recently complained of the pace and planned to seek other work. General Booth offers to place fifty orphans in suitable homes. A separate report notes clashes as the Hyacinth searches for arms in Durbar with Arab forces casualties rising.
Two Russians arrested in London identified as aiding Goldstein to reach his home. Police shadow others as they await further light from wounded officers. Goldstein’s body stored in a mortuary glass case with formalin for identification.
Madrid reports the French steamer Jeanne Conseil sank after colliding with a Spanish vessel near Alicante. Only one crew member survived, with twenty six drowned in the disaster.
Sydney quarrel ends in murder as two Glebe brothers Wellman fight after a party. William shoots Dennis and is arrested. In Brisbane Mr Maxwell the government sugar expert travels to New Zealand to review matters for the Dominion Government and consult Sir Joseph Ward. Also a Bulliinch mine report from Perth notes 965 tons crushed yielding 12 ounces per ton. A Melbourne street smash injures ten as cable and electric trams collide at Prahan Chapel and High.
On December 27 at 9.40 am five people were swept by a strong undertow while bathing at Moonee near Cuff's harbour. Four drowned: Miss H McKenzie, Miss B McKenzie, Mrs Herd, and a young man named Taylor. The fifth survivor was not named in the report.
Pomroy, riding at forty miles an hour at Gilga sports ground, steered his machine to shield a crossing pedestrian. He saved the man but sustained fatal injuries in the resulting crash.
Ethel Nicholson died after struggling in the Brisbane River while her father tried to help her. Both were unable to swim and drowned. Ruby Oxford also drowned in the surf at Burlding's Heads, with no rescue possible.
The twenty third annual New Zealand Chess Championship Congress opened in Timaru with eleven contestants including a Norfolk Island player. First round results show Mason beating Mason, Barnes drawing Hicks, and Davies defeating Grierson as Simlop defeated Fox with others including Mara and Gyles receiving byes. Second round pairs are listed for morning play.
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