DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 January 1927, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

BT niX.ECBAPH —PRESS ASSN., JOI'VBI'mt

HOOKIES ” FINED

WELLINGTON. January 7. Richard Coxon, aged 50, described as a bookmaker in a large way of business, was fined L'.'iO to-day. It was stated that lie had been using a bootmaking shop as a cover for some years. Stanley William Findlay was fined a similar amount for carrying on a hookmaking business in an hotel bar. Gerald Stevenson, a barman, was fined £25. ARREST WITHOUT WARRANT. WELLINGTON, January 7. The first prosecutions under the Police Offences Amendment Act of last session which lias given power to the police to arrest without warrant persons they have reasonable cause to believe that insufficient means of support. wore llieard by Air Riddell, .S.AL, to-day. three men who had been sleeping out on AI on u t Victoria, being advised to get work. They Mere convicted and ordered to come up lor .sentence within six months if called upon.

ACQUITTED MAN CHARGED AGAIN. AUCKLAND. January 7. Yesterday at tho Police Court, V illiam Hoggard, aged 50 years, was discharged on a charge of breaking and entering a tobacconist’s shop at Parnell and stealing goods valued at £3 8s (5. Subsequently lie was re-arrested and this morning made a lurther appearance. In addition to the breaking and entering and theft charges, there were alternate charges of theft and receiving. Hoggard reminded .Magistrate Hunt that the charge was dismissed yesterday, but he was roinauedd on bail.

AYlicn William Hoggard, against whom a charge ol breaking and entering a tobacconist's shop in Parnell Road and stealing goods was dismissed by Justices of the Peace, was re-ar-rested by the police and was again charged in the Court to-day. Air F. lv. Hunt, S.AL, said there was nothing to prevent the police bringing the charge again, as they might have more evidence. Accused would be remanded until 1 .Monday. A PICK-POCKET. AUCKLAND, January 7. A ease of attempted pocket picking was heard at the Police Court to-day, when AYm. Alorgan, aged .'3B, stated to be a recent arrival from Australia on holidays, was charged with attempted theft from the person of William Henry Tailor, of Wellington, who, with his wife and child, is spendim/ •,

holiday in Auckland. Tayior said lie was carrying tho child down the gangway of the ferry steamer when, in the crush, accused crossed witness with his left arm. At that moment, witness looked down and saw the accused’s three lingers and thumb of his right hand in his left breast pocket, where lie had his watch mid chain. He also felt pressure applied to his right side. Both witness and accused alighted from the gangway at the same time. Morgan hesitated for a moment and then lie hurried off the wharf. Witness gave chase, and eventually a constable arrested the accused on a moving train-

After some discussion. Mr F. K. Hunt, SAT., agreed to adopt a suggestion by Mr Singer iwlio appeared for the accused) that the charge should ho reduced to one of attempted theft. He would convict the accused, and remand him until Monday for sentence. ROBBERY IN’ A SHOP. HAMILTON. January 7. Two young men, William Gibson Young, and Leonard David Williams, visited the shop of 'lon San Wong Zoo at Rotorua on December 12. Presenting a screw wrench at him. they called upon him to put up his hands. The Chinaman was bound and gagged and the robbers took Cls from bis pockets, and £ls from the till, leaving the victim tied in a back room. 'l'lie accused were arrested in Mnrrinsville. where they were charged with robbing Zoo of £3O. and using personal violence. The accused weto remanded to Rotorua on January 11th.

HOMESTEAD BURNT. MASTERTOX, January 7

An eight-roomed homestead, owned and occupied by Mr Percy Falconer, settler of Wnngaefiu Valley, was totally destroy'd bv fire in the early hours of Thursday morning. Mr Falconer was the only occupant and bad time only to make a hurried exit through the bedroom window. It is presumed that the fire started from embers in the kitchen range. The house and contents were insured, but tbe amounts wore unknown. RAIL CROSSING COLLISION. WATMATE. January 7. The driver of a half-ton truck. F. Tew. employed by the South Canterbury Power Board, had a miraculous escape from injury in a level crossing accident at High Street. Tew was approaching when lit 1 beard a Haiti whistle, and ho braked. Then, finding that he couldn’t stop in time, he accelerated and he almost got over in time. The buffer of the engine, which was now slowing down, iust caught the rear of tbe truck, which rolled over cm the roadside. Tew was not inhered and little damage was done to the truck.