DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 September 1925, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

BY TKLECUAPH—PBESS ABSN-, COPYRIGHT. DEPUTATION TO .MINISTER. WELLINGTON, August 31. An influential deputation waited on the -Minister of Labour to-day and asked him ;o bring down legislation immediately providing for the licensing of tobacconists and suppression of illegal sales of tobacco and cigarettes. The .Minister stated if was impossible to comply with the request this session lint he held out some hope of a bill on the lines suggested being introduced next year. KILLED BY TRA.M CAR. AUCKLAND, August 31. Airs Bridget Alawin. aged 33, died at the hospital as a result of injuries from being struck by a tram-car while running across Queen Street, with her husband. POWER BOARD DISPUTE. .MASTERTON, August 31. The recent dismissal by the YYairnrapa Power Board of its resident engineer, on the grounds that the const ruction work was completed, and that a smaller stall' would be sufficient to supervise the maintenance, lias led to a series of charges by the dismissed servant being ventilated to the public. The Into engineer demanded a hearing of Ins case hv the Board, and h.e says that he was refused this. So to-day, he addressed street meetings of the ratepayers in .Masterton and Carterton. He alleges that the power plant at Kon ran ran, whence the AY'aira rnpa. Board denies its supply, is losing a “ head ” of pressure through the pipe line commencing to corrode, hut the consulting engineer who installed the scheme had reported to the Board that the corrosion is slight, and has little effect in decreasing the output of the plant. The late Engineer has also challenged the qualifications of liis successor, who was formerly a wireHi.iii on the Board's housewiriug stall and was appointed to his present position hv the Board after they had rescinded a resolution providing for all vacancies to he advertised. No action was taken at the .Masterton meeting, hut in Carterton it was decided to canvass the ratepayers for signatures to a petition to the Minister of Public Works, requesting a commission to investigate the Board’s scheme generally. The Board has now agreed to give the late Engineer an audience at a special meeting next week. EX-BANKER’S TRIAL. STRATFORD, August 31. William Kerr, on remand, was toiler charged that on or about the 7th of .May, 192 T, at Stratford, he did steal the sum of 2350, the property ol AYillinin llenrv Barlow, and that on the 2nd of February, lfi2o. he did steal the sum of 2300, the property of the same; and further that, on divers (kites lin twee n July sth. 1023. and June 15th, 1025. being the servant of the Union Bank, he did steal the Slim, of 20.003, the property of the Bank, and that on about the Isl day of June. 1025, he did forge a cheque for 2 195. drawn on the Union Bank, in the name of a fictitious person (to wit. E. A. Simson), with intent that in should ho acted upon ns genuine; also that on July 7, 1924. he forged a cheque for 20003 15s ;)d on the Union Bank, in the name of a fictitious person d). G. Bell), with intent that ir would lie acted upon as genuine. The first charges taken related to the largest amounts. Lengthy evidence was given. Detective Walsh pulling in the* accused's signed statement making suiidrv admissions. A plea of ” not guilty ” was entered. and the accused was committed for trial on charges of stealing 20.0(53, and of forgery ol 20,003. After lunch William Kerr was charged on lour remaining counts, making a total of six, the total amount involved being 27.20 S 3s Od. After hearing evidence, (lie accused was committed for trial, bail being fixed at; Self 2100. two sureties of 2200 each ; and accused report daily to the police. The Bench and the defending counsel paid a tribute to the imparl ial way in which Detective Walsh had conducted the case. THRASHING ORDERED. TTAAfTRTOX. Aug. 31. At the Police Court, a young lad was charged with sending a. false report over the telephone. TTo was ordered a sound thrashing, his father to pay the costs. The evidence showed that the lad rang up a neighbour, reporting that hi-- daughter had mot with a serious accident. The mother hurried to the shop where the daughter was employed in a great state of agitation, to find lor daughter in her usual health. As a result of the shook, the mother’s heart became affected.