VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1921, Page 3

VARIOUS DOMINION ITEMS.

TELEGRAMS.

jui.KCItAI’H—PER r'-tESS ASSOCIATION]

! I’ETONE GAS DISPUTE I

WELLINGTON, June 17

As a result - of the dispute between Petone Gasworks employees and tho Borough Council, the gas works are being carried on in the stoke house by men who were engaged, under the direct supervision of the manager. Tho fuel supply to make gas is not being maintained. Connections were cut off for portion of tlic day. This has caused considerable inconvenience to business people, several of whom are changing their plants from gas to oil. The Council hopes that within a week, the new stokers will have learnt their jobs, and a Tull pressure of gas will be available.

The discharged stokers are picketing the works, but nr e not interfering with tho men employed.

The ynrdmcir tire also but nbw iii sympathy. Future developments are awaited with interest.

Now that the works are declared “black,” action by the carters is being discussed. The carters are expected to refuse to cart coal, but the’ employers say they cannot afford to lose work. Tf the present employees decline to cart coal, they will engage others. ENQUIRY INTO FIRE. CHRISTCHURCH, Juno 17 Mr McCarthy, S.M. held an e nquiry into the fire whfcii gutted the building in Hereford Street, occupied by Weston‘Bros., the fancy goods firm and other .tenants. m Mr McCarthy found that tli 0 building was accidentally destroyed by fire and added ft Further finding that at the time of the fire Weston Bros wore in a sound financial position, and making reasonable profits. Their stock does not appear to have been either over valued or over insured, and they are heavy iosers by the fire. KILLED BY MOTOR CAR. HASTINGS, June 17. A man named Fleming Montgomery, a resident of Pakowhai, collided with a motor car driven by Norman Maekersey at Pakowhai bridge last night. Montgomery received a broken leg and fractured skull, and was conveyed to Napier Hospital, where lie died during the flight.

CLAIM AGAINST ACCOUNTANT

NAPIER, June 17

Tlie case in which the Coromandel Granite Conipaliy*claimed L‘7(l(l from J. W . Findlay occupied ilie attention of the Supreme Cotirt again to-day, and until 10.20 to-night, when the hearing of evidence concluded. Legal argument was. adjourned to Wellington. The defence contended that the general manager was in Auckland and that tho defendant thought all accounts «o:e kept there BIGAMIST CRIMINALS. WELLINGTON, June 17 Allen Raymond George and Frederick William Soton were sentenced to three years’ hard labour for bigamy. On George’s counsel asking for the prisoner to be admitted to probation, His Honour said that such a suggestion was inadvisable. A case of this kind can only be met with a substantial term of imprisonment. George had three wives in three years. The first was a married woman of had character, and he soon left her, which the Judge said was justifiable, but there was no excuse for him to seduce a young girl, and marry her as a single man and to keep her in 1917. In the same year he married a # third woman, also deceiving her into the belief that he was single, and he also elaborntivelv falsified the marriage register. PUBLIC SERVANTS TN DOCK. WELLINGTON, June 17. David Erol Sutherland, formerly employed in the Defence Department, appeared at the Supreme Court for sentence, he having pleaded guilty to stealing a sum of money totalling 6100. General Richardson said that as an officer be had a splendid record in the Expeditionary Force. He was chosen for leadership on account of his character, general ability and capacity. He was a worthy man and a good bushand. He had been wounded and gassed. Frank Emery, another young man, stood in the dock beside Sutherland. He had pleaded guilty to having embezzled sums totalling £9O from the Official Assignee’s office. The Judge expjresscd his regret at seeing a man with a record like Sutherland before him on such a charge. He said be was guilty of a grave breach of trust, lie sentenced both to six months’ gaol. LABOUR M.’SP. PROTEST. CHRISTCHURCH, June 17. Messrs Sullivan, Howard, and McCombs, Labour M.’sP., have sent the following telegram to Sir F. Bell, Act. Premier:—“As Members of Parliament we wish to protest most emphatically against the action of the Government in usurping the law-making functions of Parliament. Ministers are not above Parliament, and it is not within the right of the Cabinet to issue Orders censoring the transmission of news beyond the Dominion. W. F. Massey in in London, boasting about our prosperity and telling people there about our record surplus of six millions and that we have millions more as reserves. It would be awkward for a cable message to lie transmitted from New /calami stating on the authority of the Act. Finance Minister that there is an empty treasury. But the right way to avoid contradictions is to tell the truth. Orr point, however, is that we Members of Parliament are the lawmakers, and we have made no law promoting this censorship. The Cabinet has no authority to censor press news, and it cannot obtain such authority except from Parliament, including ourselves.”