LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 19796, 21 February 1928, Page 9

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The meeting of the committee of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, held yesterday, was presided over by Lady Sim, others present being the Mayor (Mr W. R. Taverner), Dr Seideberg, Mesdnmes Clark and Foster, Miss Runciman, the Rev. G. E. Moreton, Mr J. M. Callaway, and tho secretary. The business consisted of the secretary’s report, which stated that sixty cases had been dealt with during the month.

Under the will of the late Eliza Reid, of Dunedin, which appoints the Public Trustee executor, a legacy of £2OO is given to the Churches of Christ Bible College, Dunedin, for the establishment of a scholarship for students of the college (to be known as the “James Reid Scholarship ”).

Reserved judgment was delivered by Mr Justice Ostler in the Supreme Court (Palmerston North) on an appeal by the Woodville Borough Council against the decision of Mr S. L. P. Free, S.M., in dismissing five informations for alleged breaches of the building by-laws. Tho appeal was allowed, and the matter was referred to the magistrate to fix penalties. The case was one in which the defendant was charged with erecting a party wall otherwise than in accordance with the by-laws, and also lyith failing to pull down the wall within a reasonable time after_ notice to do so. The magistrate decided that the law had been settled in a previous decision of the Supreme Court, in which it was held that a certificate by an inspector was conclusive proof that tho building was in accordance with the bylaw.

Before Mr E. 0. Lcvvey, S.M., at Gisborne, a Maori named Tom Dennis appeared on charges of negligently driving a motor car, thereby causing the deaths of Edna and Faith Third, aged eight years and five years respectively. The children were knocked down by a car driven by Dennis as they were crossing the road to school on February 1. Dennis was also charged with driving in a manner dangerous to the public, but the second charge was deferred. Dennis pleaded not guilty to the first charge, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.

The greater part of yesterday’s business at the Methodist Conference. Christchurch, was taken in committee. The Theological College Council ns composed last year was re-elected with one alteration. The Rev. \V. J. Elliott was elected to the council. Dr Laws was reappointed as principal of college until 1931, and Dr Ranston was designated as his successor. It was decided that D Ranston go to England to study college methods before he takes over tb" duties of principal. Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., gave his reserved judgment at Christchurch in a charge against F. W. Johnston, solicitor, of Christchurch, of using an rnilicepsed vehicle for heavy traffic purposes. The facts, which were admitted, were that Johnston carried to his farm a quantity of kerosene for farm work, using for its carriage a motor caravan. The magistrate held that the kerosene was to be used for commercial purposes, being for farming for profit, and that the vehicle was subject to the heavy traffic regulations. The defendant was convicted and ordered to pay costs. A serious fire .broke out at Ellerslie, Auckland, yesterday afternoon and re-' suited in the' complete destruction of two houses. A two-story house in which two families wore living took fire firsthand in a couple of minutes the building was an inferno. After a quarter of an hour nothing remained hut a tall chimney-stack and a heap of blazing timber. The neighboring house, occupied by Mr Kane, an employee of the Railway Department, soon caught alight. This house also burned quickly, though the piano was fortunately saved from the building. The two-story dwelling was owned by Mr A. E. Tatley and occupied by Mr Harry Brockbank, who lost everything.