TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1920, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

[PEII PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.

HEAVY RAINFALL. W AIM ATE, Sept. 29. Four inches of ruin have fallen since eleven on Monday night. The maximum temperature was 44 degrees and minimum 39. It is feared losses of ewes and lambs will be heavy. ' A washout occurred on the main railway between Glanavcy and Morven, and another between Morven and Studholme. Itain is now abating. It is expected that repairs will be effected allowing the express trains through this evening.

NO COAL FOR GAS COY. WELLINGTON, September 29. The Wellington Coal Trade Committee advises the Gas Coy that it cannot guarantiee supplies to enable the company to continue activities owing to the diminished output of the State Mines. The Company also advised that the steamer Perth which has been waiting at Newcastle for coal for the Company has been unable to load and will probably come to New Zealand to load timber for Australia, and that by order of the Commonwealth Government, the price of coal is advanced 4/per ton from to-day.

TWELVE YEARS FOR AN “ABSOLUTE RUFFIAN.” CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 25.

At the Supreme Court to-day, before Mr Justice Sim, Edward Edgar Vigers )vas sentenced to imprisonment for five years for an assault on a woman with intent, five years for assault and robbery, one year for theft of a motor-car, and one year for attempting to commit a crime on a, female. 'Hie terms, amounting to twelve years to be cumulative. His Honour said the prisoner was an absolute ruffian, and it was a wonder he did not kill or seriously injure some of the women he tried to run down in the motor-car- which he stole.

Robert Ibell, convicted for forgery, was declared an habitual criminal. David Murray Dickson, convicted on three charges of theft, was placed under the control of the Prisons Board for three years. Arthur Mortimer Matcher, fonnerlf an officer of the Defence Department, was convicted of obtaining £2B from the Department by false pretences, and was-fined £lO, restitution having been made.

APPEAL COURT.

WELLINGTON, Sept. 29

Argument was finished in the Big Ben profiteering cases and the . Full Court reserved judgment. The Court is now hearing Smith v. Collins, another profiteering case. Appellant had been convicted at Wellington and fined £IOO Tor selling two bottles of Mellin’s food at 7s, on the ground that this was an unreasonabl'y high price. Appellant had purchased the food at 25s 9d per dozen, and his former price had been 2s 9d per bottle. Mr Grey K.C. and Mr Salek appeared for appellant, and Mr MacGregor, Soli-citor-General, for respondent.