DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 September 1926, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[BY TELEGRAPH —PER PP.ESS ASSOCIATION.]

AVOMAN USES HUSBAND’S CHEQUE. AUCKLAND, September 10. At the Police Court this morning, before Mr F. K. Hunt. S.AI., Margaret Barker, a middle-aged woman, was charged with forging an endorsement to a cheque.

Olga Baxter, an employee of tho Auckland Farmers’ Trading Company, said that the accu-ed visited the firm’s premises, purchased goods to the value of s.s. tendered a cheque, and received L'l3 2s 5d change. Accused endorsed the cheque with the name of “E. Tlollingwond. Evidence was given by Mrs E. Hollingwood. who stated that she received a cheque from accused’s husband for Cl 3 10s Gd for rent of land. As witness desired to terminate the tenancy, she returned the cheque by post. She did not endorse it. Mr Hunt: The accused forged her own husband’s cheque? T ! 'e Chief Detective: Yes. and got money and goods. Mr Hunt: But it came hack into her husband’s possession. The Chief Detective: And she got possession of it and forged a name. Mr Hunt: All right, go on. A statement made by accused to tho police was read, in which she stated that she had asked her husband for money, hut had not been able to got any. Later she found the cheque in a drawer, and used it. She did not know she was doing wrong by endors-

ing it. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supremo Court for sentence, hail being asked at £ls. Mr Hunt: Is her husband here to bail ihpr? I am not going Lo send her to gaol. T hope it will he forthcoming. Addressing the Chief Detective. Mr Hunt added : “ A’ou will see that it is l so.”

BUSES TO STOP. AVF.I.LINGTON. September 10. ft is understood that the AA’elling(on Dus Company’s fourteen buses running iu competition with the Corporation trams to Island Bay, will go off the road on Sunday night. t’:e company having decided to take advantage of Section 15 of the Motor Omnibus Traffic Act, which provides: “Any person who on the seventh day of May, 1926. was engaged in carrying on a motor omnibus service in substantial com petition with any tramway service or motor omnibus service carried on by any local or public authority, may at any time before January Ist. 1927. require the local or public authority to purchase all the motor buses and other property used bv hint exclusively for the purposes of the service, at a price to be agreed upon between the parties, or, in the event of their being unable to agree, at a price to be fixed bv a compensation Court under the Public AVorks Act. 1903. Nothing in this sub-section shall apply to any person who before the passing of this Act has ceased to carry on business as aforesaid, unless surh person has "eased to carry on business by reason of the coming into force of the regulations previously referred to.” Cither clauses provide for the detail work in computing the value of such business, and it is provided that “ no amount shall he allowed in respect of goodwill, hut the price shall he the fair value (as for the purposes of a motor omnibus service of the motor omnibuses and other property used exclusively for the purpose of the undertaking, as at the date of acquisition liy the local or public authority.” It is further provided that the local body may pay for I lie property taken over either from its general fund of may borrow the necessary amount.

CLAIM FOR DAMAGES. INVERCAR GILL. Sept. 16. Tn the Magistrate’s Court to-day, Donald Dickson, labourer (Mr Bryan Hewnt), proceeded against Jessie Fisher, wife of James Fisher, railway employee (Air Gordon Reed), for £2OO damages for alleged slander. Tho ease arose out of the fact that n certain amount of money was missing from the house of defendant’s fptlier. The defendant, it is alleged circulated a story that plaintiff was responsible for taking the money. The parties base been at loggerheads for some time, and an assault ease, in which Dickson wild the husband of Jessie Fisher figured was heard in the Court here three months ago. Tho case was adjourned by the Magistrate, Air CL Oruickshaiik, R.AL, till October 7th.

AUCKLAND BUSES. AUCKLAND. Sept. 16. No decision has been reached yet bv the Auckland Motor-Omnibus Rronrietor’s Asoeiation as to the policy to he followed when the Motor-Omni-bus Traffic Act becomes operative on November Ist. Tho secretary of tho Association stated that members were awaiting copies of the Act as finally passed before deciding upon a. line of action : tho licensing authority had also to define its policy. Meanwhile tho buses would continue their usual services. So far as he knew, no action had been taken similar to that of the motor company in Wellington, but lie understood negotiations between the company and tho Wellington City Council had been in progress for some time. AUCKLAND DISCOVERY. AUCKLAND, September 16. Mention was made recently of a small cave in the Arnpuni district on one wall of which drawings of canoes can be discovered. The fact that the canoes have a hi«rh curved prow, unlike the Maori type? suggested to a few people who knew of the drawings that they migh have ethnological importance. The existence of another and largei cave in the vicinity, with similar .drawings of a more elaborate nature, is now reported. It has been known to a few people for some years, but they have not broadcasted the knowledge, pending an examination by an authority. On the north wall, which is not reached by the sunlight, are several drawings of canoes, many of them with sails rectangular or triangular. In some are apparently the figures of men. The drawings are clearer than in the other cave, hut they appear to portray the same type of craft. In one place there is a series of canoe drawings, one above the other, and to the right of this cluster, and slightly higher, is a drawing with which the artist may have lieen dissatisfied, for it has been “ crossed out/’ The marks may have some other significance, however. It is probable that the drawings on the places which catch the sun’s ravs hare I faded, because there are some brillian’ reddish daubs which may have l>ecn part of a decorative scheme. ■ The Auckland Museum has been given particulars of the discovery, and the curator will take the first opportunity of visiting the caves.

WOMAN’S CLOSE CALL. CHRISTCHURCH. Sept. 17. A young woman, when passing the North transept of the Anglican Cathedral came within a. foot of deatfi a few minutes before one o clock this afternoon. The heavy stone cross was hurled off the gable by the prevailing gale, and narrowly missing her

head, it crashed to the ground a few inches in front of her feet, where it broke into several fiieces. The young woman jumped away and escaped unhurt from tho smaller pieces of stone that came down in the wake of the cross. THE KIAVI DIES. AVEELINGTON, September IS. The Kiwi found in a AA’elliugton street the other night, died yesterday morning, probably as a result ol the excitement and the cold snap. The bird was to have been placed in t u e Zoo. The proposal now is to have the bird 'stuffed and preserved in the Museum.