DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 July 1924, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

llv TELKGRAI'H—I'RESS ABS.V., COPYRIGHT. lIIK POSTAL ACT. -A LLEGICD COXTI! A V KXTJOX'. ASHBURTON, July 11. An imjiortniit legal point u:is the subject of ;i reserved judgment sit the Ashburton Alsif'if:* rate’s Court to-day, when Mr K. 1). .Mosley, 5.. M., nave his reserved decision in the ease in which two Tinaahl youths were charged with hreaches of the Postal Act. One youth, Raymond .Skillinn, was charged with posting a |snckot containing a photograph with indecent writing on it. Another youth, Wesley, was charged with having counselled Skilling. In his judgment, the Magistrate stated that Mr A. K. North, counsel for the defence, had contended that the stih-section of the Act under which the charges were laid did not apply to the present case. He argued that any indecent writing'contained in a Teller or written mi a card and enclosed in tin envelope was not “any indecent or obscene print, photograph, engraving, hook, card, article, or representat-ion of any kind,” and that therefore this paragraph could not apply. Tt was further argued that the writing on tho cards was not indecent.

The Magistrate said lie had come to tlie conclusion I lull an indecent writ-

ing contained in a letter or written on ;t card and enclosed in an envelope did not come within this paragraph. The word "article'’ did not imply tt writing. It had I'cen held, in connection with indecent writing that if the words were ambiguous they were not stillicient : they must lie clear. In this case ilie words were net clear or free from doubt, lie considered the writing Wits the act of two “irresponsible hoys possessed of vulgar minds.” The whole of the surrounding circumstances pointed to vulgarity and not to indecency. The words written were extremely vulgar, but under the circumstances they were not indecent. Kadi information was therefore dismissed.

Alt API'N I ELECTRIC WORKS. WELLINGTON. July II The original time specified for the completion of the Arapuni hydroelectric Roadwork* and eipiipmeul was live years, lint the Government subsequently asked the tendering linns to indicate the additional price needed to complete the work within three years. The Minister of T’ublie Works was iptesluunod to-night whether the CI.I7o.(iVJ quoted hy the successful ioutraetors is for the accelerated completion. and he replied that Arm-

strong, Whitworth and Co. had undertaken to complete the contract within three years. Another important point connected with the hig contract is the possibility of the Xew Zealand Government securing (heap money from the liritish Government under the terms of the liritish Trade Kinanee Act. If this measure applies to Arapuni. which has been let to a liritish Jirm. it will save many thousands to Xew Zealand in interest. .Mr Coates stated that at present he is not in a position to discuss tin:* aspect. The contract made between the Government and Auckland Electric Power Hoard provides for the -supply of at least In,ooo kilowats from Arapuni in 15:28. • RAILWAY.MEN DISMISS K D. Ml! AKAIKTRONC’S CHARGES. WELLINGTON. July 11. The Minister of Railways, the lion J. G, Coates, was tinllv contradicted in the House to-niglu regarding his statement that railwaymen were not living dismissed from the service .following the strike. Mr Aim-treug i(.liticuhtirch Kasti said that Mr Coates answering a qnestieu by the member for Avon had denied that men were being discharged from the Railway Department. Mr Armstrong said he had received quite a lot r.f letters yesterday and to-day from railwayman who had been three and four years at Addington railway Work'-lmps, and who were discharged last Saturday. In every pan of the Dominion, whatever the Minister had to sav to the contrary, the Railway Department- was discharging men as a result of tlie introduction of the, forty-eight hours week. Evidently- Mr Coates did not know what is happening in his own Department. As a matter of fact Mr Armstrong knew that very often he did not. At the cud ol H’o strike two or three ra.ilwaymeii in Christchurch were denied, the right to go bad; to work. They were told there was no more work for them in

tlie Department. Mr Armstrong said lie communicated with -Air Coates, who assured bint there would be no victimisation and promised an immediate inquiry. Nothing happened. however, and six weeks later in reply to another letter Mr Coates informed Air Armstrong that lie had given instructions To the Department to re-engage these men at once, but at the time Hie member for Christchurch I'.ast left borne for Parliament these men were still unemployed and still on the victimisation list of the Railway Department. Evidently the Minister ol Railways was ignored by tlie paid officials of his Department, who wore doing exactly wlml they liked and not what he liked in the matter.

MOTOR CYCLTST KILLED

CULYERDF.N- July 11

An :n-; idont occurred on Thursday ,7 11 1 v nil 11ighfield Bond. AVainil. when Edward Clark, a groom on the II ighfichl station, nineteen years of age, was riding a motor-cycle. Ho collided with a spring dray driven by fid ward Hart. Wniaii. He was taken to the Aninri Hospital. Rotherham, and died on July 0. An inquest was held on Thursday evening at- Rotherham, heofre Hr Wyvcrn Wilson, coroner. A verdict was returned of death from laceiation of the lira in through collision with a spring dray, no blnm* home attachable to anyl-ody.