DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 April 1924, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by tkleokaph—per tress association.] PETITION REFUSED. WELLINGTON, March 31. The Court of Appeal delivered judgment tils morning in connection with the petition of Robert Eagle, labourer, of Christchurch, who appealed to tho Court in forma pauperis, following a decision of the Supreme Court against him in a case in which he had claimed against Now Zealand Picture Supplies for damages in respect of an accident which happened to him when on, deavonring to find the exit of the Grand Theatre during the progress of an entertainment.

The rule provided that before leave to appeal as a pauper could be given, tho party presenting such a petition should satsfv the. court, hv argument, that there was reasonable ground for tho appeal. “After careful consideration of tho argument addressed to us on behalf of the petitioner,’’ said the court, “we are not satisfied that there is reasonable ground for the appeal. Tho petition is therefore refused. As this is not necessarily conclusive of further litigation of the questions in dispute, we think it undesirable to state at length the reasons for our decision.” bank clerk arrested. WELLINGTON, March 31. Discrepancies in the funds of the National Bank of New Zealand, Ltd., have been the subject of investigation by Detectives Nuttall and Sinclair for some weeks past, and this afternoon they effected the arrest of a young bank clerk named Reginald lloggard, of To Aro branch of the bank, on two ‘•harge.s of theft involving the sum of £179 13s lOd.

The man will appear before the Court to-morrow morning.

lloggard subsequently appeared lielore Mr C. It. Orr-Walker in the Magistrate’s Court and was remanded until Wednesday. Bail was fixed at £2OO. ASHBURTON HO,SPIT A L. ASHBURTON, March 31. Miss K. J. Watt, of Napier, has been appointed matron of the AshbuYton Hospital from fourteen applicants. She was trained in the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and was assistant matron at the Dublin Rotunda Hospital. She had war service and also held important posts at Calais, Bombay and in Ireland. Recently she lias been engaged at the I’ukeora Sanatorium. Waipukurau and at the M’Hardy Home, Napier. ELECTRIC SUPPLY SHORTAGE. DUNEDIN, March 31. The drought has become so serious that Waipori has only one storage lake left.

The tram service is being reduced, street lighting cut out, and the engineer forecasts the possibility of cutting o(F power in some sections. KICKED AND SCREAMED. GIRL ROUTS INTRUDER. AUCKLAND, March 31. To find a man standing at the head of her bed fumbling in the darkness with a box of matches was the alarming experience of Miss Jane Graham, aged 15, a resident of Kohimarama. She awoke at 2.45 a.m. on Tuesday last, saw a man in tho tent in which she slept, and screamed. The man placed his hand on her mouth and then applied a hard pad, using considerable force, so that Miss Graham’s face was bruised in two places. “1 pulled bis hand away, screamed, and kicked him in the chest,” is the way in which she described what took place. The man lied. Miss Graham then sat np and lit a candle in order to see the time. Binwas alone when disturbed l>,v tlm intruder, her mother being absent engaged on night work. On examining the tent. Miss Praliam found that nothing was missing. In entering the man had undone the laced flap at tho entrance.

The incident, was reported to the police and Detective O’Brien was as signed to the case. Within a short time ho had has man. for on interviewing a youth of IS who lived nearby, a full confession was obtained. The youth admitted that be had gone to the tent to see what ho could steal. The object of bis visit was not to harm Miss Graham, but to see what he could steal, as lie was short of money, being out of work.

The youth appeared at the Magistrate’s Court to-day, and pleaded guilty to a charge of having broken into the dwelling of Mrs A. Graham with intent to commit a crime.

Mr Fernea asked the Alagisirate to reduce the charge to one of attempted theft, so that accused need, not fro to the Supreme Court for sentence.

Mr Boynton refused to do tills. It was a serious matter, lie said. This sort of thing might lead to the perpetration of all sorts of crimes. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. He was allowed hail in £IOO and was ordered to report daily to the police. WAPITI SHOOTING}. FOFRTTEN-POI NTER SEC U R FT). INVERCARGILL, March .‘sl Mr Deans, of Canterbury, holder of one of the Southland Acclimatisation Society’s wapiti licenses, who went into the wapiti country via Lake Te Allan, returned with a fine head, a fourteen-pointer, which he shot on the top ridges of the middle arm on the west of Lake Tc Annu.

t Air Deans and his two guides had great difficulty in getting the weighty head back to Te Anau. They were further hampered by the fact that soon after the wapiti was shot a heavy downpour of rain set in and lasted for two days, during which time they were compelled to shelter under a single lent fly, their only available protection. During the time they were in the wapiti country, only two animals were sighted, the second one of which was shot, at a range of 500 yards.

STRANGE AUCKLAND CASE. AUCKLAND, March ,‘U “My husband was left a legacy of £SOO on .Monday. Ho gave me £2OO, telling me to hank it, and on the Tuesday he left me.” This was the statement made in evidence by the wife of James Charles Wilson Balluntyne, who was charged to-day with failing to provide adequate maintenance for his wife. She added that she did not hear any more of her husband till a telegram came from the south followed by letters asking her to send him £t>o. Baliantyne did not say he was going to leave. He had gone to work in the usual way remarking that lie would not be home till late as he had to work overtime. Complainant had two children—a boy of eight years and a girl of two years.

It was stated on behalf of complainant by Air Clarke that the woman was too deaf to work. There was a possibility that his former emlpoyees would take the man back at a salary of £6 per week. The husband, who stood in the dock, had nothing to sav. Ah order for £3 per week was made. I