DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1924, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[DY TEI.EOItAPU—rEtt PUESS ASSOCIATION.]

SUPREME COURT. AUCKLAND. Fob. 8

In the; Supremo Court the jury jailed to agree and a new trial was ordered in the alleged conspiracy charges against Clarence Russell and Henry .Tunics Abraham. Accused were charged with conspiring to defraud .T. T). Edwards of C 195 and A. l'\ Young of £215 by inducing them to buy brinnmngeni goods at an auction sale in the belief that they would get their money baric. Morris Domb was convicted of tlieft of rate money collected from Hauraki Plains .Maoris on behalf of tlie bands and Survey Department, fie was re- ! commended to mercy. Tie was admit- j ted to probation for three years and a ; half, and ordered to pay £2 a month j as restitution and £lO costs. capturind a rrxaway. | ASH BCR TO X, Feb. 8. | .Something resembling Tom .Mix's j moving picture stunts occurred this j morning when n milk-cart horse, fright- j ened by a traction engine, did a three- ; mile gallop across the railway line. , through Ashburton's main street, over i the quarter-mile bridge to Tinwidd. its pace being quickened every time a j f'rcsh can bumped out on to the road- j v.ay. where daubs of milk were coil- j spumous. All traffic gave way. and | the owner. ,J. I'risby, a milk vendor,] gave stirring chase in a taxi and overlook the runaway at a stream crossing the road beyond Tinwald. where, during the horse’s hesitation, he sprang aboard and seized the reins, lie drove a very meek animal back to town. CHIU) KUX OVER. AUCKLAND, Fob. s. A fatal accident occured at Alangere this afternoon, the victim being Thelma .May I’ortsfield, aged five years and four months. S!u' tell under a heavily-laden motor lorry and was crushed to death. Ihe child was returning from school, accompanied by a sister aged eight. The latter climbed oi| the lorry as it was passing, ami was attempting to pull her little sister up. but deceased slipped ami fell beneath the wheel.

poverty ray meat trot. DISPUTE WITH MI.AT BOARD. OIsRORXK. Febi nary 8. Ait extraordinary position is reported to have arisen with respect to the steamer Admiral Codringtou, owned by tile Poverty Bay Moat Company, whose works reccntlv were acquired h\ the mortgagees. Last month the meat company asked the Meat Export Board if it would a-sist to load the vessel with frozen meat, as arrangements were being made for her to come to the DnmiPion. The Meat Board replied that tlie current contract with the .shipping companies contained no provision lor the inclusion of the Admiial CndrmgUm. 'The meat company then inquired if there was no saving elan.—' in tile freight contract by which the position of the Admiral Codringtou would be protected. Tne Aleut Board wa s informed that contracts prior to it- establishment contained a cbtu.se that if any other boat was prepared to cairy at less than the contract rate all must reduce freight or the owner would be free to ship by any boats outside Ibe contract. The Meat Board replied that there was no such clause, and that Air W. I). I.ysnar. chairman of the Meat Company, informed the Chairmar. of the .Meat Board that the vessel was to he .sold. Xo request was made lor the Admiral Codringtou being included in the contract, and the receivers of tlie company must have known about the negotiations. The meal company denied Air Jones’s statement T i to what Air I.ysnar was alleged to have said. The fact: was that the ship would be sold except at r. complete sacrifice. The Meat Board had no just cause to shut the Admiral Codringtou out of the contract. The suggestion that no request on the matter had been received was a mere quibble. The contention that the receivers lmd failed to apply for the inclusion of the Admiral Codringtou in the contract was out of place, as they had nothing to do with the ship at any time. The board’s action was tantamount to stifling competition and involved ruin to the remnant of a farmers’ company which the board publicly proclaimed itself (Irsiroits of assisting. The board replied Lbnt tlie Xalionid Bank had informed it that it bad a lien over any proceeds from the sale of the vessel after debts in Scotland bad been discharged. Theboard suggested that the company’s directors should confer with Mr Jones in Wellington, as the exchange of telegrams was leading nowhere. In a further rejoinder the meat company asks: How did the Meat Board come to discuss the matter with the National Bank, as the bank having a lien is no concern of the board and docs not affect the position.

OAK FAKI..S INTO RIVER. TA.FMARFXFr, February ». Lintlsav Chapman McKay, aged 23, n ■single man, aml a taxi driver, was killoil accidentally at two o'clock this morning. Ho vais taking a passenger from the express to Piriaka. ivlicu the car went, over a hank into the Wnngaimi Kiver at a point a little beyond Manunni. The passenger, .lolin McLean escaped unhurt. and he found McKay pinned under the water beneath the eii,-. He was unable to lift Hie car and went for assistance, but McKay was dead when extricated. TOWN CLERK ACQFITTED. AVKI.LIXGTON, February 0. The <-ase against James Wilson. Town Clerk of Devoiiport, charged with theft of the Council's money, the judge, in summing lip, said that to constitute theft the accused must have in mind the intention of thieving. The jury, after five minutes retirement, brought in a verdict of “not guilty.” The accused was discharged.