DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1925, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEOUACU --I'KIl I’IIESS ASSOCIATION.] A LIGHT PENALTY. DUNK DIN. Jim in. A penalty inflicted by two Justices of the Peace at the Laurence Polite Colin upon a motorist who appeared on a charge of being drunk while in ebarge i;l a ear was strongly criticised by tlie chairman of the Otago Afotor Club. Air A. K. A ll s■ • 11. at last evening's meeting of that body. It took us many years to have legislation even against such motorists in trod in ini." declared the chairman, “and one of the reasons was to get en-es of this kind severly dealt with.” He mentioned instances of the viewpoint from which the judiciary regarded such olfonccs. Air H. Ah AA’iddowson, S.A!.. bad given an offender in Christchurch fourteen days’ imprisonment for stealing a ear. and fourteen days in addition for being drunk while in charge ot the car. Mr Justice Alpers. in n case where a man had been killed through the drunkenness of a motorist, bad sentenced the motorist eoni'crncd to six months’ imprisonment and also had deprived him of bis license lor six years. In sentencing the man bis Honor bad emphasised that a drunken motorist was a danger in public safety, and lie bad also stated that. Magistrates were generlly so severe on such cases that tliev even refused to extend the benefits of ibe Probation Act to lirst offenders.

“All of this,'' added Mr Ansoll, “shims that this crime ■ for that is what it i> is a most serious one. and vet we have a pair of Justices not onlv contenting themselves with the infliction of a line of .Cl but also suppressing the name ol flu* olleuder. This is only fooling the public, and it represents a state of affairs against which the club strongly protests. It is a question whether any ol the eases should ever again go before' Justices of the Peace.” (Applause).

PRISONER’S ESCAPE. NEW PLYMOUTH. June 11

A prisoner named Waller Hatterbee. serving a sentence of eleven years for sexual offences, escaped from New Plymouth gaol this afternon and is being looked l.u* ly search parties tonight. Batterbee. who was one ol a gang working near the gaol, was sent to the prison to procure implements and used the opnortunity to escape.

EIRE IN MATERNITY HOME. GISBORNE. June 12. Late this afternoon black smoke was seen issuing from the roof of St. Helens Home. The patients, under the care of the nursing staff, were speedily removed. The lire brigade made a very prompt appearance, and it was seen the blaze had originated in the kitchen ceiling, the top of the wall being alight. The brigade made a smart save, the lire 1 icing soon got under control, but several rooms were damaged through water. The building is built partly of wood, and partly of iron, and consists of t wen tv rooms and three wards.

THEFT CHARGES. AUCKLAND, June 12. At the Police Court. AVilbnrn Henry Smith. William Raymond Smith. Gordon Douglas Inkster and John Rewzo Davies were charged with the theft- of large quantities of goods from city warehouses, and also with receiving. All were remanded for sentence, and to receive the Probation Officer’s report. MOTOR YICTIAt. DUNEDIN. June 12. Wm. James Cochrane, aged twelve, died at the hospital through injuries caused by being knocked down by a motor-car at Balclutha.

DUNEDIN KPHIBITTON. DUNEDIN, June 12. The Exhibition architect has been instructed to prepare plans for another building 16 feet by 130 to house the Education Court. BREACH OF PROMISE AWARD. BLENHEIM, June 12. At the Supremo Court, Hazel Aland Simpson obtained £l3O damages, and costs on the lower scale, against Dallas Clieckley, of Weld’s Hill Station, in a case of breach of promise of marriage, in which £730 was claimed. ENG INK ER. AY A N’T ED. BLENT! DIAL 'June 12. The Borough Council, by a majority of one. decided to appoint a Borough ■Engineer, and to call for applications at a salary of ClOi) per annum. WE LUNG TON'S HAD WEATHER. WELLINGTON. June 13. A fierce driving rain and a howling gait* sweat the city yesterday as a culmination of the cold, wet weather that lias been experienced during the most of the past fortnight. Cargo operations were disorganised on tie* waterfront ami the smaller vessels retained ihe shelter of the port. No damage from, the storm has yet been reported. The weather to-day promises to be finer.

NAVY RECRUITS. WELLINGTON, June 12. The Cabinet approved yesterday of a proposal that, twenty local entries should he made for llie Royal .Marines as an experiment. The .Minister of Defence stated to-day that in 1923, permission was given for the New Zealand authorities to apply to the Admiralty for detachments of Royal Marines lor his Mail*.tvs’ -hips of the New Zealand Division. and the first hatch arrive! in the Dominion in 1921.

It Has now proposed to go a step further, and ascertain whether suitable recruits could be entered locally, thus ensuring that all ranks of the New Zealand Division of the Navy were opened to local candidates. It would lie necessary to obtain the coneurrenec of the Admiralty in the scheme, ami also for a portion of the training to lie carried out in England as the recruits whom il was proposed to enter, would he in lieu of seamen recruits. No additional expense would he involved.

DAIRY CONTROL. WELLINGTON. June 12. The Secretary of the New Zealand Dairy Produce Control Roald (Mr T ('. Brash) has ret civet! a message from Hamilton that the Dir. •■tors of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Co.. Ltd., have decided unanimously to transfer all equity in their contracts t > the Control Heard. This refers to the contract of the Agency. which was made regarding Ad!)') tons of lids company’s butter, prior to the coming into force id the Dairy Produce Export Control Act. It means that any profit which accrues from sin li contract will be handled by the Board in the interests of all the factories when absolute cunt ml is established. MENACE TO THE COMMUNITY. AUCKLAND. June 12. Zaehar Khostack, a Russian, came up lor sentence at the Police Court to-day on a charge of wilfully damaging a window valued at L'llt, the property of St Paul’s CLurch I ruslees. and also a further charge ot assaulting Constable Callaghan. Mr Boynton: This man is a menace to the community, and he will have to he put ttwav for as long as possible. He will he sentenced to three veals’ reformative* dentciition.