It is customary for Mr Bradley to visit his shop in the evening, and on this occasion he arrived at 8 o’clock. Leaving his keys and coat on the counter, he switched on the light in his workshop and proceeded to the back of the premises. On returning he found the light out, and saw the dim outline of a man’s figure in the shop. Mr Bradley passed some remark about the failure of the light, and he then received a heavy blow on the head, which knocked him down, and when he made a determined effort to grapple with his assailant a second blow prostrated him on the floor. On recovering consciousness an hour later he sent a passing boy for a policeman, and Constable O’Connell, who was accosted, sent for Dr Evans. Chief Detective Bishop, accompanied by Detectives Cameron and Hall, arrived a few minutes later, and found a broken beer bottle, which the assailant had evidently used in his attack on Mr Bradley. With the keys which he had found on the counter the intruder had opened the safe and stolen the sum of £28 in notes. Mr Bradley, who did not see his assailant clearly, has fortunately not been seriously injured by the cowardly attack.
Military age protest
A number of letters have been received by the president of the National Welfare Association from members of Parliament in reply to the resolution forwarded by the association, protesting against the calling up of lads under 20. The Prime Minister, writing on August 23, states that up to the present no proposal has been made by the Government to call up compulsorily youths under 20 years of age. The Minister of Defence, in the course of his reply, says: "It is quite true that the matter of reducing the age at which young men are to be called up for service from 20 to 19 years has been under consideration, but no definite conclusion has been arrived at. You may rest assured that before anything is done the gravest consideration will be given to the subject. I might remind you that in all other parts of the Empire the age is 18, whereas in New Zealand it is 20." Messrs A. S. Malcolm, A. Walker, C. E. Statham, and T. K. Sidey, M. P.s all state that they are in entire accord with the views of the association, and will support the resolution.
Piping oil ashore
A novel method of discharging oil, and one that has probably been put into operation for the first time in New Zealand, has been adopted in connection with the unloading of a vessel now lying at the Rattray street wharf. The oil cargo was brought to this port in bulk. A pipe has been laid under the wharf and the street, and the oil is being pumped through this pipe from the ship into tanks in the yard of the Otago Iron and Steel Company. The total quantity is understood to be about 10,000 gallons, and the oil is crude oil, to be used principally for the engines of the auxiliary schooner Houto, which is owned by the Iron and Steel company.
Conscience money
An Invercargill business woman got a pleasant surprise on Saturday morning (says the Southland News), when she received anonymously, through the post, two £1 notes. In a letter the sender explained that the money had been owing several years. — ODT, 30.8.1917.
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