LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 20140, 3 April 1929, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL

In tho Police Court, Auckland, Percy James was charged with laying totalisator odds at the Ellerslio Racecourse. Chief-detective Hammond said that James was detected taking nets in front of the Leger enclosure. ') hen he was found by Detective 0 Sullivan, James had between £6O and £7O on him. He was merely a silver or sly bettor operating in front of the totalisator, and was only in a small way ot business. Counsel said that James was a respectable married man, who had yielded to the temptation of augmenting his earnings by doing a little betting during the Easter holidays. James had never been in any trouble before. The magistrate (Mr W. R- M'Kean) imposed a fine of £lO, which was paid immediately.

An inquiry into the deaths of Joseph Cable and William Mackinnon, which wore caused by the explosion on the dredge Kiaoue, was opened at Wanganui. James Dalziel, assistant engineer, after describing what had occurred, said he supervised the cleaning of the tunnel where the explosion occurred. The stores in the tunnel consisted of heavy oil, grease, one tin of kerosene, a tin with a small quantity of terebin, and also a few empty tins which had contained paint, but he found no trace of petrol. He noticed a lead pipe bilge pump melted for about a foot. The inquiry was adjourned until APKeague has sufficiently recovered to give evidence. Jewellery, silver, and a pair of binoculars valued at £75 were stolen from the homo of Mr A. H. Pascoe, 6 Fairfax road, Epsom, during the holidays. On Good Friday morning Mr Pascoc and his family-went to stay at Titirangi, and on return yesterday, it was found that the house had been ransacked. Entrance had been gamed through the kitchen window. The thieves evidently made a careful search of the inside of tho house, although they missed an amount of £lO belonging to Air Pascoe’s son. A serious view of the alarming spread of tuberculosis amongst the Maoris was taken at a meeting held at Waiapu Hospital when a visit was paid by tho Minister of Health (Mr A. J. Stallworthy). Air Oates (chairman of the board) stated that at the last meeting half a dozen fatal cases of T.B. were reported, and the hoard wanted to know what could be done to prevent the spread of the disease. Alaori parents refused to send affected children to a sanatorium. The Alinister said lie appreciated the gravity ol the situation, and promised to give the matter his careful consideration. Ho state 1 that the department had paid £16,500 last year for hygiene amongst the Maoris.

Tlio three men from Stokes Valley who wont pig limiting in the Tnrarua Ranges, and who had been missing since daylight on Sunday R-.t, turned up at Mr W. Mexted’s residence at Pahantanni at 2.30 o’clock yesterday 5 afternoon. The three sportsmen — Messrs A. Cameron, C. Fraser, and E. Farley—the oldest of whom is twentynine, "though fatigued by their long exposure, were little the worse for their sojourn in the open. They explained that they lost the track in the mist and wandered down the Whakatiki stream until they .struck the Moonsliino, when they crossed the range to Mr Mexted’s homestead. They stated that the weather had been quite fair, though it was very cold in the ranges on Monday night. The wanderers were hospitably' entertained by Mr Mexted, who, after they had enjoyed n good rest, motored them to their homes at Stokes Valley.

Short-lived liberty was enjoyed by Bartholomew M'lliroy, aged twentytwo, who escaped from the Waikcna prison camp yesterday morning and was recaptured later in the day. M'lliroy was ordered lour years’ refill mativo- detention by Mr Justice Blair in the Auckland Supreme Court on March 17 on six charges of making false documents and three charges ot theft involving over £6OO. A measure of notoriety was gained by .M'lliroy on February 13, when he escaped from police custody by jumping through a window. He had been taken to a house in Ponsonby road to collect Jus effects prior to going to the Auckland prison on remand, and he eluded Ids escort, securing freedom which lasted only a few hours.