NEWS AND NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1925, Page 3

NEWS AND NOTES.

The other evening a South Invercargill resident was aroused from his sluinbers by the loud noise of a motorcar engine running at high speed just outside the house. “Some follow skidding in the mud,” he muttered. Then fell asleep again. 'The next morning, what should ho find (relates the “ Southland Times”), but his own car, very much the worse for wear and with one wheel buried in the mud on the side of the road. The thief had driven from the garage to the road, but there he had come to grief.

“'There’s many an innocent .man in gaol. I‘m not asking for mercy; I only want justice. I’ve been robbed of every penny [ had, and you can’t expect me to lie down in gaol and take that.” So declared Walter Uatterboe when answering a charge of gaolbreaking in the Court at New Plymouth. liatterbee told the Magistrate (Mr A. M. Mowlom), that when lie saw a chance of escaping he took it. fie said he was an innocent man. Battorbee (says the “ Taranaki Daily News ”) was the prisoner who escaped from a gang on Marxism! Hill on June 11 and was captured at Ngamotu beach Hie following evening .

“ I’ve read in the papers of your many good qualities,” a self-appointed pleader told Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., at the Christchurch Court, “iTrul I know you will give every young boy and girl a chance.” This came towards the close of a speech in which the man had defended a young fellow who was charged with having failed, to register for military service. After giving his sixth head of argument (relates the “ Press”), the pleader was at a loss for words and murmured. “ Er—what shall 1 say. Wei I of course the quality of mercy is not strained—” “T think you have said enough,” said the Magistrate, with finality.

At. the sitting of the Ashburton Magistrate’s Court last Friday, two men were charged with procuring liquor during the currency of prohibition orders (states the “Guardian”). Mr Kennedy said that one of the defendants had been before the Court on a similar charge about two years ago. Ho had liehavcd well for 12 months, but bad been drinking lately, chiefly ns a result of being out of work. There were three young children in the family. The Magistrate: “Is it possible to get drink in Ashburton?” Mr Kennedy (smilingly) : “I will leave that for defendant to answer!” The Magistrate (to defendant): “The best, thing to do is to remand you in custody for a week, to allow the drink to got out ot your system. How would you like that?” Defendant: “No good, thank you. f haven’t had a drink lor a week.”

The Northern Wairoa bridge, the first pile of which was driven in Octo her, 1021, was practically completed on Friday (says the “ Hawke’s Hay Herald”), when a trial was made of lilting the span, which is the first of its kind in Australia and New Zealand, in the presence of Mr C. F. Powell, engineer of the bridge, and Mr J. MeICnnes, engineer of the Public Works Department. The trial was very successful, the whole plant working, fully enabling the huge span to be lowered and raised at will.

In reply to an inquiry by a representative of the “Southland Times” a prominent Invercargill land agent stated that there was no apparent dearth of money for investment purposes in Southland, ns appeared to f>e the case in several northern centres. “As a mntter of fact,’’ he said, “during the past month there has been more money offering than for many months past, and it is a sure sign that the investing public have no qualms about the hind value depreciating here as they appear to be doing in those localities where inflated values have been evident.”