LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 19798, 23 February 1928, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The jury acquitted Heaton Clyde Burgess at the Supreme Court, New Plymouth, on a charge of using an instrument for an illegal purpose. The jury disagreed after a four hours’ retirement on a charge of false pretences against John Howard AVilliam Tapp, and a fresh trial at the next session was ordered. Tho hearing of the petition of Henry Rothery, contractor, of Glcndowie, near St. Holier’s (Mr Findlay), against the Crown (Air Meredith), for £379 7s 8d damages to a road roller, was concluded in the Supremo Court, Auckland, when the jury returned a, verdict in favor of the Crown. It found that tho collision was not due to negligence on tho part of tho Railways Department, but that the driver of the roller contributed to it by his error of judgment in not notifying tho tablet porter. By nine to liiroc tho jury rejected the claim that the crossing was in a bad state of repair. Judgment was entered for the Crown, and Air Finlay was given leave to move for a new trial within fourteen days. An important decision was made by the Wellington Harbor Board, when it agreed to the provision of a floating dock with a net lifting power of 15,000 tons. The dimensions of the dock arc more than sufficient to enable‘it to lift the largest ships trading to New Zealand, and provision is made tor future lengthening if required. The general dimensions arc:—Net lilting power, 15,000 tons; overall length over plafonus, 560 ft; length of dock over pontoons, 503 ft; overall width of dock, 114 ft; clear width between fenders, 83ft; draught of water over keel blocks, 24ft; lifting timeq 10,000 tons in two hours. Provision is made for fullire, lengthening hv a iurtlier 09ft.

A small number of ex-soldiers find that they would like to avail themselves of the concessions for proceeding lo university degrees, having been unable to claim the concessions earlier. In spite of the repeal of the legislation the University Council has decided (reports a Press Association telegram from Christchurch) that it will do all it can to help deserving cases. The following resolution was carried by the council to-day;—“That the council should consider applications from returned soldiers who have been prevented from pursuing their studies for some years because of war.disabilities.” Consideration of the cases of five ap. plicants was remitted to the Wellington committee with power to act. An unusual interruption occurred in tho hearing of an information for assault in the Gisborne court, when counsel for the defendant disclosed that information was being carried out of the court to witnesses who had been ordered out of hearing. A woman in the case was brought before the magistrate and ordered to remain at hand, hut while waiting to bo dealt with she explained to a policeman that she had given tlm information as alleged. The magistrate immediately adjourned the hearing to allow plaintiff’s counsel to consider the question of withdrawing the information in the case as his witness had received advice on a crucial point of cross-examination. After a short adjournment counsel said that his client had agreed that it would be unfair to proceed with the case owing to the defendant’s counsel being prejudiced in his right of cross-ex-amination through the interference of the woman. The magistrate (Mr E. C. Lcwey) issued a stern warning to tho woman, and advised her to keep awav from the court.