NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 189, 9 May 1944, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF

i Woman Juror

For the first time in the history of the Supreme Court in Palmerston North a woman juror was called yesterday. She was Mrs. Linda Bennett, of Worcester Street. Her name was called on a case but she was challenged by Mr. 11. R. Cooper, representing the city council in the action concerned, and her services were not availed of.

Wounded Man Again Conscious. Admitted-to the Wellington Hospital on Thursday night last with a .22 bullet wound in the abdomen. Richard Chorley, soldier, is now reported to have regained consciousness, but bis condition is still serious.

Heavy Waikato Frost. For five days in succession there was frost at Ruakura last week, the reading being 13 degrees. Six degrees was registered in Hamilton. It was the heaviest frost since last winter and the ground was covered with a mantle of white.

Assault Verdict. In the Supreme Court, Dunedin, Richard Edward, Skull Wilson, who was acquitted on a major charge of attempted murder but found guilty of assault at Owaka, causing bodily harm to Robert Victor Caley, was sentenced by- Mr. Justice Kennedy to nine mouths’ reformative detention. —P.A. Polish Thanks.

The Acting-Prime Minister, Mr. Sullivan. has received the following message from the Polish Prime Minister. London: —“Please accept and kindly convey to the Government and people of New Zealand the Polish Government’s and my own sincere and cordial thanks for the good wishes extended on Poland’s National Day.” Unclaimed Train Seats. The imposition of a surcharge on persons reserving seats on trains and then not claiming them became operative yesterday. Any traveller who fails to notify the railway booking office at least 24 hours before the train departs that he will not require his reserved seat, is liable to a fine of 3/- for a seat up to 160 miles or 5/- if the journey is over 100 miles. Duck Shooting. Most of the Wellington sportsmen who set out on Friday night for their.favourite stands by the Manawatu and Wairarapa lake areas to see the dawn of the duckshooting season on Saturday will not return till today, so that reports are as yet meagre. It is expected that the number of shooting licences issued, by the Wellington Acclimatization Society will exceed that of last year.

Farm Land Sales. A request was contained in a remit passed at a meeting of the Waikato executive of the Farmers’ Union in Hamilton that the Government should expedite the work of the Land Sales Court, particularly in the transfer of farm lands. It was stated that a long delay in putting transactions through the Court caused uncertainty and held up. preparation for the new season’s production.

Union Seeks Re-Registration. Efforts are being made by the Auckland Drivers’ Union to re-register its. section which was deregistered by Cabinet in January during the bus drivers’ dispute over Sunday pay. The whole of the Union in the area within 2o miles radius of the Auckland chief post office was deregistered, but accordins? to the secretary the first section for which registration is sought comprises the bus drivers. Freedom of the City of London. . The 8.8. C. has arranged for a special transmission of the ceremony at the Guildhall, London, on Wednesday, when the honorary freedom of the city will be conferred on Mr. Fraser and Mr. Curtin. The transmission will begin at 9.4 a p.m. New Zealand time, and will conclude at 11 p.m. The special transmitters, beamed on Australia and will be on the frequencies 10.42, 12.095, and 12.04 megacycles, equivalent to the 19, 24 and 25-metre bands respectively. Watches from Switzerland. After a long shortage, numbers of men’s wrist watches of good type have arrived in the Dominion from Switzerland. They have stainless steel cases, which expert watchmakers state are equal in appearance and superior in durability to those made in , the precious metals. They are expensive, judged by prewar standards, ranging in price from id to £l5, and the majority are priced at about £lO. Women’s watches are still virtually unobtainable. Electricity Economy. The effect of the introduction of the water-beating control order, and the measures taken by users to conserve the consumption of electricity in Hamilton are reflected in the returns for the quarter ended March 31, 1944, compared with the corresponding period last year. The figures show a reduction of 5.22 per cent, in the commercial load, and a reduction of 23.08 per cent, in the domestic supply. The revenue reduction amounted to £1693, or 12.1 per cent. Fiancee’s Release Asked. “Quite frankly, this is a new one on us,” said the chairman of the Armen Forces Appeal Board in Auckland, when a returned soldier from this war appealed for the release from the Air Force of his fiancee, whom he wished to marry and then go dairy-farming. “On what grounds are you making this appeal, asked the chairman, “public interest or undue hardship?” “I presume the young lady is supporting the appeal,” remarked a member of the board, which agreed to recommend the release.

Jail for Blackmail. . “Blackmail is a Very ugly crime, said Mr. Justice Northcroft in the Supreme Court, Christchurch, yesterday, when sentencing Brian Douglas Borton, cleaner, aged 20, to hard labour for 18 months on a charge, of demanding money with menaces. Ilis Honour added that blackmail consisted of robbery by mental torture. The wrongdoer added to dishonesty the much more horrible offence of calculated cruelty. It was only the prisoner’s youth that saved him from a very much more serious punishment.—P.A.

Auckland's Kat Week. Auckland’s annual rat week has officially ended. Altogether nearly 7001 b. of barium carbonate —the poison used—was made up during the week. Originally 4001 b. was purchased, but the demand was so great that a further large order had to be given. Three varieties were found in Auckland —the brown, or Hanovarian, rat, which specialized in burrowing; the black, which had a thin coat aud la-"e ears and was an expert elimber, and finally the Alexandrian, a small rat with a white belly and gpod climbing powers. Question of Taste.

University students have at times some wild notions of what is humour in its application to good taste. One of the pranks played at the Opera House, Wellington, on Saturday concerned a lad in the gallery with a rod ami.line from which hung a dead fish. This pungent object was waved, raised and lowered till it chanced to touch some of those in the stalls and dress circle. As it swayed toward the dress circle women shrunk and shrieked. An airman stop ped the caper when he seized the line and snapped it.

Johnston’s Hill. Because of war conditions no material improvements had yet been carried out in the Johnston’s Hill Public Domain, says the annual report of the Karori Progressive Association. However, when more labour could be got, the association could be assured that their representative (Mr. H. S. B. Fletcher), as chairman of the joint committee in this matter, would do all possible to have the planned improvements carried out. The report adds : “It has come under notice that a certain amount of destruction has taken place in the domain, through people da stroying trees and taking away ferns. It would bo helpful if any members who see or hear of such destruction would bring the matter under the notice of the executive committee.” Notable Totara. Before the residence of the late Mr. Tai (Taiporutu)'Mitchell, C.M.G., in Ohinemutu village (Rotorua), stands a fine totara tree, often commented on by visitors. This tree was taken as a sapling from (he bush on the lower slopes of Ngongotaha, the mountain five miieu to the east of Rotorua, on Mr. Mitchell’s wedding day, 4.3 years ago, and planted in his garden the same day. Most pakeha people like to live at some little distance from their near .relatives. Not so tile Maori. Mr. Mitchell's relatives eluster round the old home al llhiii" inula. One of the sights in the grounds is the motor garage, made highly ornate by the use of line specimens of Maori wood carving.