DOMINION NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2694, 27 December 1909, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS.

LAND HUNGER. 1 Pick Pilesk -Association.l NAPIER, Dec. 24. Evidence that the land hunger is still unappeased is furnished by the fact of there being 184 applicants for three sections in Piri Piri block. The ballot was held yesterday, F. A. Feierabend, H. C. Yarlow, A. Emma Jane Anderson being successful.

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. MASTERTON, Dec. 24. A man named Albert Victor Sly was charged at the S.M. Court this morning with attempting to commit suicide last evening by swallowing oxalic acid. Accused said he was tired of life. He bought threepence worth of oxalic acid at a chemist’s shop. He went to Opaki, where he boiled it in a pannikin, and drank it. A settler, noticing his condition, administered a strong dose of salt and water, which counteracted'the aetion of the poison. The man’s condition is not serious. Ho is a recent arrival in the country. He was unable to obtain work, and only had one shilling and a half-penny in his pocket. EXTENSIVE COAL DEPOSIT FOUND. WESTPORT. Dec. 24. Boring has disclosed the existence of a valuable and extensive new deposit of hard coal at the depth of SO feet iu the vicinity of Seddonville State colliery. The find promises to be a most important one. A REMARKABLE ESCAPE. *~TIMARU. Dec. 26. A man, said to be intoxicated, fell off the north-bound express yesterday at Pareora. An engine and van were sent for him, and found him unhurt. THE FRIENDLY SOCIETIES BILL. DUNEDIN, Dec. 24.: The friendly societies forward the Premier a strong protest against the abandonment of clauses 15 and 16 in the Friendly Societies Bill, and hope the Government will bring forward an amending Bill next session to allow the position to be reviewed on its merits, a small minority having succeeded in preventing the adoption of adequate contributions.