DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 August 1925, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

BY TELEOP.AFH PRESS AfISN., COPYRIGHT. I'TimiEß DETAILS. WANGANUI. AUG. 10. The ease attracted much local interest which came before -Mr Barton, S.M., to-day, wherein Wlmrekura Timoti.ii Maori, brought the action against 11. W. Downs i.a director ol the .Batumi Bank) for allegedly obtaining money under false pretences. Ihe case centred round the transaction which took place a considerable time ago between the informant and Downs. Alter some discussion hv counsel, the civil element was waived, and the action proceeded as an indictable one. The informant, in his evidence, said he deposited live pounds in the Datnim Bank, for which he received coupons. He paid ill the money in order to receive tt loan of eighty pounds, to which his deposit was represented to entitle him. Some two months later, when he went to Downs tor a loan the latter told him no money was available.

The Magistrate said that, on the inI'ormaiion bolero him. he could net see where a case ol lalse pretences lay. It seemed to him that the mattei involved a breach ol contract, ami therefore', was purely a civil mattei. The information would therefore he dismissed. THE FUSION NEGOTIATIONS. WELLINGTON, August 11. Afr T. M. Wilford, replying to the Prime Ministers statement re the fusion negotiations last week as to the dates on which he conferred with Mr Wilford. says, they are correct, hut what he intended to convey, hut perhaps did not clearly do so. was that he did not see Mr Coates to discuss fusion until later, the correspondence declaring that fusion was impracticable on July 7th had been received by him and after he had written to Mr Coates on July Oth. telling him he had ended it.