STOLEN FIREARMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 March 1917, Page 3

STOLEN FIREARMS.

Boy Emulates Desperadoes. j Auckland, March 12 Emulation of a gang of desperadoes as portrayed at one of the local pie* ture shows, resulted in a boy aged fifteen being charge! in the Juvenile Court with the the't of a gun, revolver and a quantity of ammunition, valued 1 at £B. I According to the police, the lad secured a- mask and made his way at night to the rear of a gnu dealing shop in Queen Street, He climbed round by a rainwater pips, and havi'.g broken a skylight, entered the shop, where be secured the weapons. The boy then set off for the Waitakerei Hinges. Af-er firing 12/ worth of ammunition he threw the gun into a creek. The Chief Detective said that he had received his unfortunate inspiration from pictures which showed details of masked baa braDgers. Tha mother was ill and the father, who was goiug to the front, had left the boy with relatives, who apparently could not control him. The juvenile probation officer said that the father held rather strong views regarding pictures of the character mentioned, ' The Magistrate . I feel just as Btiong’y, but what can I do ? The lad was committed to Weraroa Training Farm, and his father was ordered to pay the value of the ammunition need. Another lad, aged eixteeD, in no way known to the first boy, was charged with stealing from the same ehop on tha same night a rifle, razor, gun cleaner, revolver, packet of razor blades and other small articles of the value of £5, Tha Chief Detective said that the lad, while employed by the owner of the ehop, romoved the goods and the same night returned and took them away. Ha was one of the greatest actors and moat untruthful lads tha Chief Detective had met in a lengthy police experience, -He was living with elderly people, and ssemed to think he could do aa he l.ked. All the articles ha! bsen recovered with the exception of 2/ worth of ammunition. The lad was committed to We rare a. Fire Brigades’ Conference. Dunedin, March 12 The annual conference of the United Fire Brigades’ Asoooiation opened at Balclutba to-day. The report stated that the excess of 1 assets over liabilities waß £392 14/7, against £576 10/4 las fc year. The 1 membership now was 135 brigades. 1 Out of fewer than 3,000 members, * 1,030 had enlisted, and 87 had been 1 killed and 116 wounded. The conference decided to appoint a deputation to wait on the Minister of 1 laterual Affairs, urging that further f efforts should be made to obtain finan- I cial assistance from insurance com- i panies. towards the upkeep of ell brigades, whether under fire boards or not. It was decide! to bring before tho Efficiency Board the question of assisting the Government in the enlistment of eligible members without unduly weakening the strength of the brigades.

A motion was carried disapproving, of any brigade superintendent appealing for the exemption of any member eligible for active service.

Search for OpiumDonedin, March 12 Sergeant Thomson and , Constable M’Lonnan visited a Chinese market gardener’s house on Forbury Road, in search of opium on Saturday night. They were in plain clothes. When the sergeant announced himself as an officer, is is alleged that five celestials became very excited aDd attacked the police with a pitchfork and bamboo. A Stiff Fine. Dunedin March 14 Young Kim, wno had been twice previously convicted, was fined £SO at the Police Court for having possession of opium suitable for smokiug. Film Censorship Tightening. Dunedin, March 14 Hon G. W, Rnssel states that the censorship of cinema film is to be con- - aiderably tightened, ample time having been given to importers to instruct their' buyers as to the New Zealand standard. Appeal OismissbdChristchurch, March 13 His Honor, Justice Sir John Denniston, dismissed the appeal of William Pollock, convicted of betting in a train goiDg to Ashburton races by Mr Bailey, S.M., with ten guineas costa against the appellant. Nautical Enquiry. Auckland, March 14 The Nautical Enquiry into the col* lision of the steamer Arabura and a Home Liner at Gisborne, has opened. Captain Goddard, master of the 1 Home Liner, in his evidence, said his > vessel was at anchor until just before i the collision. The third officer ra* ■ ported there was a heavy strain on the ) chain. I Witness found this was so, and ‘ noted that tbs riding light was baic-

>ng brightly, and all the lights were burning. They commenced to heava on the anchors at 10 40 p.tn. At 10.59 the anchor was up, and the ves-el went slowly astern. Shß had no way on. When he saw the Arahura crossing the bend or the Wimmors, he immediately gave ilia order to «»op. He s-.w the port and masthead lighis of the Arahura about a quarter of a mils away. His vessel, though not going ahead, may have been drifting with the tide, which was setting suorgly lo the north-east, Goddard sa‘d as the Arahura anpr. ached, fi e was leading across the Wirnmt.r&’a bows. He gave the -order “slow ahead,” one mieuts before he saw the Arahura. His vessel bad not gained headway, before the order “stop” was given. At 11 1 tbe order was given “full speed astern.” Witness thought hia vessel waa going astern when tbe Arahura Btruck her. He did not notice the Arahura alter her course at all. She sesmed to bo cutting across the Liner's bows and then seemed to swing to starboard and drop on to the bow of the Liner. The vessels bumped, and the Arahura swung roand pausing clear. The Arahura did not signal or whistle while she was coming on nor did the liner signal to tbe Arahura. Witness did n'ot know the regulation under the Harbours Act, re (he use of a whistle. He thought, as the Anbura was tbe overtaking vessel and his vessol was stationary, that tbe former would automatically give him. a clear birth.