DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1925, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TIXECIItAPn —run CHESS ASSOCIATION.] JONES RECAPTURED. TE AWAMUTLI, February 10. The escapee, Harold Keith Jones, was recaptured on a farm at Parnwera on an adjoining settlement after 27 hours of freedom. A settler named Pollard saw a man crossing the paddock, hut oil lii.s approach the man ran away. Suspicious regarding the man’s behaviour Pollard rang up the police when his suspicions were confirmed; On the arrival of the police and warders, Jones ran for shelter in the hush which was surrounded, whereupon Jones gave himself up. Pollard uthile (assisting tile police, was jolted from a motor truck, falling on his shoulder and injuring his collarhone.

When captured Jones had a rifle loaded. He told the police that had lie been accosted on the day of his escape he would not have hesitated using the weapon, but had thought better of carrying his resistance to such extremes. It is understood that in addition to the charges involving his present sentence, other charges of forgery are pending against the prisoner. A WONDERFUL RECORD. TE AWAMUTU, February 10. After 20 years service as clerk of the Waipa County Council, Mr Bowden retires at the end of March. The Councillors felicitated him at yesterday’s meeting saying Mr Bowden’s was a wonderful record because he had never missed a meeting throughout the term. M.ATATUA BEING LOADED. CHRISTCHURCH, February 10. After being held up for a week tlio Matatua took aboard the meat cargo to-day. About 40 men responded to the company’s call for labour and the men accepted work at the special rate of pay provided in the award for loading meat. The men’s decision surprised the company and as no meat was alongside the men were employed loading butter till tile afternoon.

A I'CK LAXD SENTENC'ES. ■ A DCKLAND, February 10. At the Supreme Court Lawrence James Prcndergast, solicitor, was sentenced to three years hard labour on four charges of thelt. Counsel pleaded the lapse was due to over-indulgence in liquor. Mr Justice Ilerdmau said the publ'c had trusted Prcndergast to the extt it of .C-100 and he abused that trust oy putting the money into his own pocket. Edward Williams, alias .Millard, for forgery and uttering was sentenced to six months hard labour. Turi lkaka Xgakura, or indecent assault at Rawono received two yews re 1o rm ati vo treatment. Jack Ralston Wyllio, lor thelt from a dwelling received three years probation and was ordered to make restitution of £(i(i Bs. Frederick Alexis Wild man, aged IT}, for breaking entering and theft, three years reformative treatment.

THE .HOTU BRIDGE. WELLINGTON, February 10. Temporary repairs to the Motu River bridge which collapsed last week have been carried out. enabling trnflic between Hay ol Plenty and Gisborio to resume. THE MURDER. Ob' GROM AIL WELLINGTON, Feb. 10. The Government of New Zealand has cabled to the British Government offering to send the duly New Zealand witness of the murder at Mulheiui on the Rhine, in 1010, of Lame Corporal Cromar, for the purpose of testilying before the Court, at which the ringleader of the Germans, Franz Swobotla. is to .stand lii.s trial. Swohoda, who escaped with another ringleader, Roth, the morning after the crime, lctuincd In visit lii.s parents, and was promptly arrested. Details of the death o! Corporal Cromar show lie was attacked by a dozen German civilians and shot’through the heart before assistance could be given him.

REGISTRATION OF FIREARMS. AUCKLAND, February 7. Decision in a test case in "hich the validity of the regulations concerning re-registration of firearms was questioned was delivered bv Mr J’oynton, S.M., in the polcie court. The ease arose out of the prosecution of a farmer for failing to make application lor re-registration of certain lircalius u] o. bis change of address. Delendant gaic notice bv letter of his intention to change his abode, but the letter di< not reach the officials. The defeme was that the regulations wore ■ ult~r vires as thev provided that re-registra-tion should be effected at each change of address, whereas section 9 of the Arms Act required a single regulation to take effect throughout the Dominion. The Magistrate held that the regulations relating to change of address and re-registration were, valid. FOUR KEN LAI, CASES. CHRISTCHURCH, Fob. 10. Tu his charge to the (Iraml Jury at the Supreme Court this morning, m i Justice Adams regretted that out ol nine prisoners two were charged with rape and three with indecent assault. There were four charges of offences of a character called sexual. Those cases were on the increase m Ibis young country and be hoped that at the worst this was merely a passing phase. NOT GUILTY. CHRISTCHURCH, February 10. Ernest James Hawkings, formerly chairman of the Spreydon School Conir mittee, was found not guilty at the Supreme Court when charged with the theft of C2l, belonging to the Committee.

VESTEV’S PURCHASE. PRELIMINARY SITTING OF COMMISSION. WELLINGTON, February 7. Y preliminary sitting of the Royal Commission appointed to inquire mo > the administration of the Govern n sit iu connection with meat export control following complaints made by Alt tY D Lvsnar in the House against the action of the Minister ot *‘reculture and the Meat Board m ;o.n *c lion with the sale ot the «e«.i works of the Poverty Meat Company to \ estey Bros., held in Wellington yesterday Sir John Findlay appeared foi UGovernment, Mr Skerrott for the Meat Board, and Mr Myers for the Rank of New Zealand. Mr Lvsnar, M.R.. appeared . « I son. and raised a point as to whe 1 u the order of reference was wide to enable a proper inqunj to b vule He desired it to be made cle.u Ibat the inquiry should mclud^ev,d rT ''Yeste y^B ros.^coiuh*cted their business in New Zealand and other dtuSon°Sowed, and Sir T mi Findlay said the Government de, - I to keep nothing back, hut he as.ee Mr Lvsnar to put hh» reqae-f .n w. in „. This Air Lvsnar agreed to do. Sir John Findlay asked for the Reduction of certain documents and cor respondent* in the possession of Poverty Bay Meat Company. . It was agreed that the Comnuunn should resume the inquiry on March 17, at Wellington.