NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1975, 4 February 1914, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By TcheTitih.— Press AE'sooatlon;.! —, r--3HOCKING AFFAIR. AND AN EXEmISrY SENTENCE, New Plymouth! February ft.'. .At the Supreme Court to-day Daniel Warren, alias Slutfroe, a)ia.s Wilson, pleaded not guilty to a charge of tb,o tnan's'latightor of llazel . Stitniey, asofc guilty to a ■.olia.-r-go of causing griovbus bodily irarni, with intent, and rilgd hot guilty to a charge of Causing /grievous bodily harm. Mr. C. H. AVesipii appeared for the Crown, aiid Kir, A, H. JohjistoiiOi with Mm Sir, Jintlierfurd, for ..tho -accused.

Iho evidence disclosed that, while a'c* eusett and the woman were driving in.a, gig from Hawera to Stratford they-.had a nrunkeii .votf, in. the course of whicli ■aeeused soyer.ely knocked the woman about. She- was admitted to the Stratford Hospital suffering from .delirium tremens, which, the medical cvi'dcntH B'thtcd, had beeii brought on bv her in* injuries. .Blio died in the hospital cighteen days later.

necused, who had seventeen preyjqus convictions, ranging from vag< raiicy and .theft, was foijnd .-guilty oir tho. third count, and was' sentenced t<j .three years' hard labour, and ten yeaf s' reformative treatment in New -Plvnidtftb gaol, . " .

IN THE KING'S NAME! . s Au.cklahd, February 3. - Mr. Cutten, S,M'.,- gave reserved judgment in the case .police y, Roalie., m winch the, latter, a taxi-driver,, was charged that ho refused a fire, A coii* stable eallod upon Rooko to drive a, druu'lvon man -to flitt station, and on Rooko deeliiiittg, the constable put a.uOther -driver pri th.o. tad i'or that purpose. The Magistrate said it "was .tho duty of tho driver, to keep his vehicle clean., and. it was''impassible' for him to do so if he-was compelled to carry drunken iiieii or persons with soiled clothing, Hs did .not think the by-law reasonable,. and theteforo dismissed tho ease.

MITtERY CHARGE WITHDRAWH GKristohufor!, February 3. The Domain fete 'lottery caso came beV foro Mr. % 'W. -Dishopj S,M., again tljis morning, having .been adjourned irpm tho previous wee'V-i H. J., Boswick, _ chairman 'of tho Christchureh Domains Boardj was .charged last Tuesday with (istablishing a schmijc by which prizes were gained,by a mode of chance,, .to' wit, an art uhio.n in cOniiectioii with the Gl.iristehurch Poniaiu Rose Carni* yaL' whioh art -u'iu'o.u was drawn ,?t Olif istcburch on December 31,. 1'913. Mr. Bcswick assumed all responsibility in the matter this morning, Siib-luspee-t'o.r M'Kiiiuoft said he-.had been instructed hy t)jo Commissioner of Police to ask that the.■charge-bo ■withdrawn, as the object of the .prosecution had treoii attained, ami it was not desired to m : ako Mr. Beswick the 'scapegoat for the oitissfina of tfliris'tchurch. His Worship allowed the charge to bo with-, drawn, as long, he said, a-3 the public understood that this sort of thing could not be allowed. 'If no ■withdrawalhadbeen asked for ho would oii-Iy-hato in,' flicted a nominal penalty.

■ LIGHT CALENDAR. TimaTU, February 3. t &t-the opening of the crimiiinl ses,.. .sions this morning Judge/ 1 Peiini.stoh PQii£i:atukted tho Grand ifttry and tlio ■district o:n. the lightness of -tho calen* da.r. (Jas.. Mitcbelli who pleaded iguilti, in ■ tli'o COirrt below to a. charge- of Setting frro to a cottage, in Geraldine, war sentenced' to lifno months' imprison* ■nje.nt; Iraittioe Price, .bor.seircakc-r.; of Ash'burtoi], pleaded.tzi.i'ilty to'the tlio.fi of a horso, trap, and hitrho.ss.' A sentence of six mouths' ..imprisonment was .imposed, ■ In the- jhird : case, Vvliicli,- isnot .completed, twojnen (oii.o a. .taxidriver) are- charged with robbery with violence. - ....

TRAINS DEI-AYEp. , Puhectiri, jfobruary .3. , Owing' to' dej'ay ciiii'sed' north of 'Oiiinaj'u by the wash-out on. "tho :rii'ihway 'liue.i .jcho .first express fvOiii. phrisfc' cliurcii did not reach here till ?.20 p;m.. ■leaving |or Inverca.rgill. lo -minutes later-. 'J'jie secoiid. express frorh 'Oiristchufeji is O.spected... to be about t\v(, .hours late... Tlie-friiin on the O'utfam lino, was .de.loyod thfe morning :by water $11' the line, but flic afternoon train got throu-'gh: safely. Bain is reporicjl from .most districts in CitiigO,

BOOKS, Urn Piymoulhi FchrnaTyl . At tho Siipre.mo Cfeurt t.Orday liaviJl : Gm.itli Fox. -late of Jlaivcra-; store' ■keener, ple'aidod -not gu'-ilty -to a charga ■of failiivg to keep proper hooks of' aft-count.-...AJter tlio evidence of the Disi triefc otticial AssiSrecß- and two accountants had been heard, accused was ac* (y-uitted. - . ,

SUPREME COURT, TitnsrM, FcTirnftry -3,

1 The Supremo Court; criminal sessions, opcjied this morning. Tho.ro was a light calendar, janics Mitchell, on a charge of .arson at Geraldifte', was sentenced to nine months, 1 vnifiriGdTi- . menti ; Ivanlioo Price, for stealing \a horsq aiid trap, to six months. STRIKE RELIEF FUNDS, Ghristchufch, Fobruary 3. The, strike relief committee- reports that £2-169 »ts. collected for thfc period eliding JaijUary 20, and £1.866 b.xlieMdec!, leaving £303 in Jia.nd. Tlia chief items of expenditure w.efe; .Ho--lief orders,. £1572:; railway fares, £93; • expenses of meetings, ifeffi. ,TEPID BATH fOR MEAT WORKERS Chrlstchurcli, Fetruqrv 3. A tepid birth was opened at tho Belfast works of tlio Canterbury Meat Company to-day,. The hath, has been' constructed by -the- company for tho . uso of its employees, palmerSton loan proposal, palnierstor)) February 3. ,The Borongh Couijcit decided this evening to submit a loan to the rater payors for £100)0(30 to acquire the. g'afi works owned by a private company. AUCKLAND GOLD RETURNS;, Auckiandi February 3. The gold rettfrns frojn 'the Auckhiue 1 ' ■distrie't during tho : p.asi .year' amounted to £880,448. The Wifilil mfho "heacietf tho list with returns, valued at £331,99.5. ' '