DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1927, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

AT KATTANGATA. DUNEDIN, Feb. 3

A serious state of affairs at Kaitangata was disclosed this morning by a deputation of miners, citizens and shop-keepers, which approached Hon Downie Stewart asking for immediate help to relieve the situation. It was stated that, the miners received no wages for nine weeks and safety men employed were getting restive. Unless things were altered in a few days the shops would have to close. Many people were destitute. Hon. D. Stewart said ho was in consultation with the Public works Department to see whether any work was available, reasonably near Knitangata. He suggested also that if the Company was in a position to agree, the men might work the mine on a co-operative, basis till £7OOO due in wages was worked off. jewellery robbery. DANNEVIRKE. Feb. 3. - Between 10.30 and midnight yesterday the premises of Stubbs and Millar, jewellers, in tbe centre of the business . portion of the town wore burglarised. I Entrance was effected by forging the ! front door. The safe was unlocked, 1 and the contents, mostly diamond rings j valued at about one thousand removed, nothing being taken from the other 1 portion of the shop. The police arc ' investigating. 1 When the nightwntc'Minan passed ' about 11 p. 111.. he noticed that the light that is usually 'burning elver flic safe, was out. He tried the door, and found it locked. On returning about an hour later, the door was unlocked. Tie informed the police, win made a search and found the safe open.

J here was no t race of the intruder, who apparently left by tbe same win as ho entered.

Whether the coup was the work 0 I lie cracksmen who have been operat ing at tile railway stations at Levin and Pahiatnn is not known: but tlicr-

are various circumstances connected with the affair which would tend to indicate that this, at least, is not one ol their exploits, as the methods employed were quite different. The police have the matter in hand.

CHIEF JUSTICE'S ADVICE. WELLINGTON, Feb. 2. After u retirement of one hour the jury found William Victor - Alley, charged at the Supreme Court before tho Oliiof Justice, not guilty of theft of a motor-car valued at £375 from his uncle. George Alley, a. farmer at Katikati. Accused in a statement said his uncle owed him £!) for work done, and as his uncle was a hit tight about money, accused wanted to “get one on” him by taking one of his cars. George Alley said accused had no authority to use any of his cars. The one stolen was damaged by accused to tbe extent of £-10 and several tools were missing. The sum of £9 was to have been paid under n contract, which accused broke by leaving of his own accord before the completion of the work.

" think if you knew as much about prison as [ do,” said the Chief Justice lo the jury after the verdict, “you would have not arrived at that conclusion.” But he believed that on the evidence the jury had been quite justified in coming to their decision. He pointed out that the prisoner’s record had been verv had.

fn discharging the prisoner his Honor honed he would profit by his escape. “U is quite certain.” he slid, “that unless you turn over a new leaf it will not be long before you are here again.”

MOTOR ACCIDENTS

WELLINGTON, Feb. 2.

Minaco Williamson, married, residing nt 553 Adelaide Road, was admitted to hospital with injuries to the hold the result of being knocked down by a. motor lorry at the corner ot ( alia and Manners Street. A Hindu, Khusal TTan. forty-five married, was admitted to tbe hospital suffering from injuries to the bead, tbe result of being knocked down by a motor-car in Tory Street.

OXAKAKV IRON

NELSON. Feb. 3

"11l the coui\se*ef his remarks at the opening of the Takaka .Show the Hon. <l. J. Anderson (Minister of Alines) said that the iron industry was one of the greatest of the district, and those not directly connected with the production of iron should nevertheless do all in their power to assist the industry. The more people there were in Onnkaka. the better it would be for Hie district. When the farmers bought implements, did they see that tliej were made <>l Ouakaka iron? Onakaka iron could he used in the manufacture of almost iinv metal goods, and it was the farmers’ duty to see that any such goods they purchased were manufactured from iron produced within their own district.

POLICE CRITICISED

AI'CKLANH, Feb.' 3

Criticism of the methods of identification of accused persons was made ‘ liv Air Justice Stringer at the re-trie in til6.- Supreme Court of Bertram O’Connor on two charges of indecent exposure. He said: “The counsel for defence has rightly referred to famous fust a n ees in which great injustices have been done through what appeared to he verv creditable evidence of identity. The possibilities of error arc found in this very ease. One girl selected the accused from an identification parade at the Newmarket Police Station, but two girls picked out somebody else. I ask you gentlemen, what would have happened if that disinterested man had been the mini charged. If lie had not a satisfactory alibi, he would he in the same position as iho accused. When a person is asked to pick out a man in a police identification parade, he assumes that the person accused must he there. As a result, he selects the man who hears I the nearest resemblance to the man I who is sought, and lie unconsciously suspects this person. It is .not correct to parade a suspected man with men. of a different typo. Every member of an identification parade should he of similar stature and dress. Tn this case it was clear that the offeifiTer did not have a hat. On one occasion, said His Honour, the girls were expecting - man without a hat. The accused was the only man without a hat. Euless all the men in parade had hats the identification would he open to doubt. After a retirement of 20 minutes, the jury found the accused “not guilty.”

FREEZING COAIBINE. WELLINGTON. Feb. 3. The following resolutions were passed by the New Zealand Farmers’ Union Executive on the proposed freezing works merger: “That the Executive views which alarm the apathy of the Treat Board towards the safeguarding of the farmers’ freezing works, and again asks - that a Committee of Inquiry be 'appointed at once to make inquiries into the work of the smaller works.” SUICTDE. WELLINGTON, Feb. 3. Between 7.30 a.in. and 8 a.m.. a man cut. his throat on the Hutt road ramp at Petone. and died on Wte way to the hospital. Papers found on the body

identify him as: James Quinn, ship’s ' fireman. His address is' unknown. SHIP DELAYED. DUNEDIN, Feb. 3. When the inter-colonial steamer Moeraki was leaving the harbour about 3 a.in. to-day it was found that a stoko-hold hand was missing. The rest of the stokehold crew demanded that the vacancy be filled. The vessel was compelled to anchor outside the heads. Communication was established with, the shore after daybreak, but several hours elapsed before another man was secured. The vacancy was eventually tilled and the Moeraki resumed her voyage shortly before 11 a.in. to Lyttelton. Wellington and Melbourne. FOUR PENCE REWARD FOR BURGLAR. WELLINGTON, Feb. 3. The premises of Donnelly and Son, in Cuba Street, were broken into on Wednesday night. A cash register was taken. It was found lator with a drawer holding 4d missing. JURY DISAGREE. WELLINGTON,VeiI. 3. The jury failed to agree in the Supreme Court to-day, when Thomas O’Hara was charged before the Chief Justice with attempting t« break and enter a warehouse with intent to commit theft. Hearing a noise and iuvestiating two clerks in the New Zealand Farmers’ Distributing Coy. found two men, both previous employees of the firm, standing beneath a broken window. The men ran over a railway line, one being knocked down by a passing train, and seriously injured. The accused stated to a detective tun his companion had broken the window out of spite. A new trial was ordered for Monday. Bail was allowed, rei" tional on his reporting to the police daily.