TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1918, Page 4

TELEGRAMS.

[PI3K PIIESO ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.] PBCVfIHSTANT politic AC ASSOCIATION. OAMARK February 22. At a largely attended meeting of Protestants to-niglit, Rev. J, M. limes (Tinumi) and the Rev. .T. Lawson Robinson delivered addresses. A branch of the Protestant Political Association was formed. The meeting was orderly throughoutand the resolution forming the branch was carried unanimously.

FOR. THE BLTND. WELLINGTON, Feb. 23. The Postmaster General, in response to a request from Auckland Returned Soldiers Association, has agreed to allow Braille literature being sent through the post free of .charge. This is particularly lor the benefit ol blind soldiers, but the benefit applies also to others similarly affected.

BETTING- CHARGES. WELLINGTON, Fell. 29. As the result of the recent arrests of bookmakers, a' number appeared in Court this morning. 'For betting on licensed premises, Henry James Wales was fined £4O, and James Henry Re-

el's £2O. Rogers was also fined £lO for laying totalisator odds. John Laid low Walling, for keeping -a , common gaming house, wajs fined £SO, and Arthur Walling, for'assisting in conducting it £25. * ILLEGAL OPERATIONS. THE LAW ON THE SUBJECT. AUCKLAND Felruary 21. In the Supreme Gaurt, Mary Rush alias Haslett, was sentenced to live years imprisonment, but having performed an illegal operation on Elsie Macfarland. Air Justice Stringer said the prisoner had been convicted cm vory'clear evidence. He was unable to find any circumstance to mitiga'te 'the offence. It had been suggested by counsel that the severity of the punishment in these cases might cause reluctance on the part of -juries to convict. This was fairly evident, hut if the law was too severe it, should be altered. It had .also been said that the. immunity enjoyed by persons who submitted to illegal operations shrould be taken into account. The law said that while life imprisonment might bo the punishment for anyone guilty of an illegal operation the. maximum penalty for those who submitted to an illegal operation was seven years’ imprisonment. /The difference in punishment was due trt the fact that in one case the crime'was committed for money-making; in tho other it was usually resorted to as the -result of gjreat distraction, fear of shame, (or exposure.