DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1927, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[bT TELEGRAPH —PER PP.EB3 ASSOCIATION.]

. THEFT OF £560.

HASTINGS, March 9.

At the Magistrate’s Court, Leonard Llewellyn Grant pleaded guilty to the theft of a cash box containing cheques and money to the value of £560 11s Bd, the property of Messrs Lusk, Spence and Dedcinie. The accused gave a signed statement Lo the police admitting the offence.

The police stated that all but-four-teen shillings had been recovered. The cosh box had been found at the rear of a billiard saloon, under a heap of eoal. The accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. ACQUITTED OF SERTOUS CHARGE. GISBORNE, March 9. David Amos .McAlister, alias Palmer, who appeared at the Supreme Court charged with carnal knowledge and indecent assault" on a girl of fourteen years, was found not guilty. Judge Ostler advised the jury to adopt that course, as there was a lack of corroboration of the girl’s story. ESCAPEE’S SENTENCE. WELLINGTON, March 9. Robert Harvey Campbell, a half cast Maori. who recently escaped from Mt. Crawford prison, after serving five months of a three years’ sentence for forgery, and who was recaptured after a fortnight’s freedom, appeared before Mr Page, S.M. to-day, charged with being an incorrigible rogue. Chief Detective Ward said that the escape was viewed in a serious light by tho Department, as it caused considerable expense and disturbed discip line. The hill for benzine alone was £2O.

An additional 12 months’ imprisonment was imposed.

WOMAN BOOKMAKER FINED. WELLINGTON, March 9. Fanny Whitaker, widow, 65, pleaded guilty to using the premises known as “The ITatbox” as a common gaming house. William Alfred Brown admitted assisting her in hookmaking. The woman was fined £IOO and the man £25. The Magistrate said tho police stated tho defendant had been in the bookmaking business for twelve months. Regarding the ease of Mrs Whitaker, a widow, it was" pleaded on her behalf that she had befriended a bookmaker sometime ago, and bad lost some linnreds of pounds, and thus liad taken up bookmaking in an attempt to recover the money.

BOTTLE OF WINE STOLEN. WELLINGTON. March 0. A wntcrsider, Donald LanarcTi, 80, was convicted to-day of theft of v*. bottle of wine, valued at 7s 6d the property of the Union Steamship Company. and fined t*s, in default one months’ imprisonment. K A JTANGATA MINERS. DUNEDIN, March 9. The position of the thirty-six married and single men with dependents who have been thrown idle at the Kaitangata, mines has been relieved by Government. Some of the men will be placed on road work a. Te Ahuu and Manapouri, and the remainder will be put on similar work at Chaslands. There is no sign of the Aline re-opening, or of the men reeei\ing hack pav, and it is also said to be doubtful if the safety men will receive any wages this week. RAILWAY YARD TRAGEDY. NAPIER, March 9. At the inquest on Harry O’Neill, aged 59 years, a man of American nationality, and a labourer employed on public works at Waikaremoana, who was killed in the railway yards last night, the Coroner returned a verdict that the deceased died from shock" following his injuries, no blame being attachable to anyone. Evidently the the deceased had indulged too freely in liquor, and went to sleep on the line. ADVERSE REPORTS. ON TWO WELLINGTON HOTELS. WELLINGTON, March 9. At the quarterly Licensing Bench meeting to-day, the police presented an adverse report on two hotels, hut stated that they could not produce sufficient evidence in the case of one, so that the matter was adjourned. In the other case tlic licensee was stated to be endeavouring to dispose of the license.