DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 July 1925, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

LBY TELEGBirH PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] MAGISTRATE'S STRICT! M) ES. AUCKLAND, .July 23. -Magistrate I’oynton in senteneing Charles Horancc Beltany, who was convicted yesterday on each of two charges of assault on young girls, said:—“lf Hottany receives the longest sentence this Court can give him he would oil release probably resume his lewd practices. It would he bolter to keep him on. the chain for a long period rather than to vindictively punish him. lie will be sentenced to one month’s imprisonment on the first charge and on the second he will be admitted to three years’ probation.”

HA IT! 11 TREMORS AT iil.HXIi HIM. BLENHEIM, duly 21. The Clarence bridge district is still being .subjected to continuous earth tremors following on the heavy shakes experienced a couple of months ago. Mr A. J. .Murray, of Woodbank. who was in Blenheim to-dav. said slight earthquake shocks were continually being felt in his locality. On .Sunday night there were half a dozen distinct shocks, including a very heavy one about 12. IT a.in. on Monday. A MISSING BICYCLE. UNUSUAL COURT CASH. OAMAUU. duly 22. A ease possessing extraordinary features was heard in the -Magistrate’s Court to-day. Cnnsf.-ible Voyee some weeks ago missed his bicycle, lie saw a machine in the.street which ho identified as his and he asked the resident who claimed it to state from whom he procured it. The resident staled the 1 he had found Ihe body of Ihe machine in a rubbish heap some years ago and had assembled it. As (lie number was missing the constable laid an information against the residenl for thelt.

Alter the case for the prosecution had been heard, counsel for the defence asked for an adjournment to enalil: him to prodtie I .' another bicycle which had been found in a stable. When the second bicycle was produced Constable Voyee identified ii as his. fseniorSergt. Shanahan then said that an honest mistake had been made, and asked leave to withdraw the charge. The Magistrate said there was no doubt that an honest mistake had been made. It was unfortunate lhal the missing bicycle should have belonged to a. constable. No odium in the circumstances could attach to Constable Voyee.

Counsel for the defence slated that there were' features about the two bicycles which did net correspond. The .Magistrate said lie was sat died, however, that an holiest mistake had been made. He agreed to i lie withdrawal of the charge and made an order that publication of the name of the defendant should be suppressed. A MEMBER'S ALLEGATIONS. I’R.IME MINISTER TAKES ACTION. WELLINGTON. July 22. “I do not wish in make a lass. Imt the member for l’atea must realise that his remarks cannot he allowed to go for nothing.” was the opinion expressed hv the Prime Minister iu the House this afternoon, when he in-

vilcd Mr Corrigan to say whether he had secured the confirmatory informntion 1 10 Inn! promised to olitain regarding iiis recent allocation that tt Ministcr was interested in Mime land near a now railway station on tho 'lloloilsviJlo lino. Air Contes added Mint he would like this information as soon as possible. and he wished to know whether Mr Cornwall Mould communicate it to the Mouse, whether I onlirniatory or otherwise, ft was a well-recognised principle of I’arliament that where the personal honour of any member was involved it was usual to clear it- up in such a. way that it would lie satisfactory to Parliament and to the country. “For that reason I hope the member for I’a tea will take an early opportunity of tolling the. House whether the matter is cleared U]i to his satisfaction or otherwise." Mr Corrigan replied Mini he had written for the information immediately after making the statement, and he would communicate it to the Mouse as soon as available. "I do not wish to do any member an injustice,’' lie added, “nor do I wish an injustice done to me. AY lien I get the. information f will lie man enough, if I am wrong to apologise. ItAII.WAY WORKSHOPS. AYFIJI XGTO.N. duly 22. A (jitest ion was put to the AFinisier of Railways by Mr Sullivan whether there is any truth in the rumour now being circulated aiming employees of Addington workshops to the ellert that the moulders’ shop, litt.ing shop and other departments are to he lraustorrefl to Hillside, involving also the transfer of the homes of a large number of employees from Christchurch. The Mon .). C. Coates. Minister of Railways, replied : Reorganisation of the railway workshops on a modern commercial basis is in band, and in connection with this it will later on become necessary to transfer a certain number of men from Addington t*> Hillside, but this will be compensated for by the removal of an approximately equal number from Hillside to Addington. These transfers, which will lie necessary. in order to properly adjust the Half to the requirements of the respective workshops, will, ol course, he kept down to a minimum.

cheaper school books

£ 100. i :00 IX YOI -A’ KD. AYELLTXGTOX. July 22. “The education Department has already done a great deal to relieve parents of the expense of providing primary school books, inasmuch as all reading matter for standard classes is provided free through the medium of the School Journal and supplementary continuous readers." states the Minister of Education. -The cost to the State at present is not less than C 10.000 a year. The number of text hooks in other subjects has been restricted. as much as possible, the authorised list now containing only five hooks. all of which are uniform throughout New Zealand. Ibis obviously cheapens the cost to parents. Further, in all eases where parents are unable to afford to purchase hooks these are provided free. Beyond this the Department is not prepared to recommend the Government to go.” AD- Witty, who had asked this question. expressed disappointment that the Minister could not make all books free in primary schools.

Tn this opinion he was supported hv several members.

Sir James Barr. Afinister of Education. replied that what members were demanding would involve another ,£IOO.OOO to inaugurate the system, with an annual recurring expense of £25.000 to £30.000. The education expenditure last year was £300.000 in excess of that rf the previous year, and he could not ask Cabinet- for the money needed for a complete supply of free school books, especially as the expenditure must continue to increase when 51X10 additional children went to school even- year.