DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 May 1927, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

BT TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] SUGAR. BEET. DUNEDIN, May 2. The Clutha branch of the Farmers’ Union held a meeting on Saturday night to discuss the possibilities of the cultivation of beet sugar in .South Otago. Mr Alex Reed, of Clifton, addressed the meeting on the subject and it was decided that a deputation of farmers wait on the Minister for Agriculture during a Show Meek. Tt was further decided to invite Air R. B. Tenuont, Instructor in Agriculture, to lecture on the subject shortly. On the motion of Mr Reid the secretary was instructed to write to Lord Weir, of the Anglo-Scottish Beet Sugar Co.. Coupar, Fife, to ask if the company would consider the establishment of a branch factory in New Zealand. The opinion was expressed by several speakers that if the industry was to be established in New Zealand it should be by New Zealanders themselves.

BURGLARY AND ASSAULT. PALMERSTON N., May 2. An extraordinary affair In which nr assault on a sleeping woman is alleged has been reported to the police. A resident in Ferguson Street, or returning homo from a social function on Saturday evening, was surprised to find evidence of a burglan having been committed in the roon in which his wife was in bed asleep The contents of the duchesse Avon lying about, the floor. A handbag which had contained a. large sum o: money was open and empty. With difficulty, the husband awaken ed his wife, hut she was unable to giv< an account of what had happened. 2 lump ou her forehead suggested tluv she had been given a foul blow b; an intruder as she lay asleep. Tluv afternoon she had attended the Maua wain races and had parth.-hinted in oil. of the big dividends. This money wa in the handbag that the husband dis covered empty.

The police are investigating. A TIMBER REST. CHRISTCHURCH, May 3. Wood specimens riddled with holes over a quarter of an inch in diameter avnd containing bluish-coloured Hies very much like wasps in appearance, caused comment at the meeting of the iSelwyn. Plantation Board yesterday morning. It was explained that the fly was a pest known as the Sirox juveneus, a horn-tailed fiy. Tt attacked timber, doing considerable damage by boring into the heart of the wood. Several pieces of Pinns insignis were produced by Air C. H Adams, showing how the post bored its way. Mr Adams tated that he had not found any of the species in living trees, but the fly bad been known to attack young trees and dead timber. At Charing Cross the pest was spreading. The board’s superintendent (Air R. G. Robinson) stated that the post had not appeared in the plantations. Ho was in Sydney recently and had been told over there that the pest had appeared after the introduction of the Baltic pine, but there was no danger of it .spreading. YOUTHFUL CRIMINAL’S CAREER. DUNEDIN, May 2. Roydcii Victor Curlina appeared before Air Justice Reed i-i the Supreme Court this morning for sentence on four charges of breaking, entering, and theft and ou one charge of breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime. ‘’You have pleaded guilty to five separate charges," said his Honour in addressing the prisoner. “It is true you are only twenty-three years of age, but 1 notice you have a formidable list of previous convictions, eight of them in all. Some of them are for theft, for one of which you received three years’ reformative detention. It is impossible in those circumsAanros to treat you with leniency.” His Honour warned prisoner that lie was rapidly qualifying as-a.n habitual criminal, and sentenced him to live years’ reformative detention. MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE. AUCKLAND, Alay 2. “If only married couples would try to give and forgive, facing life hand in hand, they would never came trthat ‘nagging’ stage which is so often reached when tilings look dark.” Coming as it dees from the Rev. [ Jasper Cakle, a social worker of long standing, this little bit of advice to .the married is worth noting. The City Misxioner, in a further address on social problems at the Mission yester- ■ day evening, told his hearers that the | teachings of Christ distinctly autlior- , ised divorce, hut only on one ground, ' that of adultery. i “Marriage is a sacred contract,” [ said Mr Calder, “but it is none the less a business contract. God acknowledged that misconduct breaks the marriago vow, and yet there are ecclesiastics in this citv who say there is no such thing as divorce. There is, and if the Archbishop of Canterbury denied it I would cross swords with him every time.”

FARMER’S SUICIDE. W HANGAR El, May 2. At 3.30 o’clock on the morning of April 29th, Mrs Holmes, housekeeper for George Watkins, farmer at Kaiwaka, heard a muffled report, but took no notice. At six o’clock, as there was no response to her knock oil the bedroom door, she investigated and found that Watkins had shot himself by means of a doublc-barelled gun. At an inquest the following day a verdict of death from a gunshot wound, self-inflicted while mentally depressed, was returned.

PRICE OF BUTTER. WELLINGTON, May 2.

The local price of butter advanced a penny a pound wholesale on Saturday with a corresponding increase in the retail prices. A firmer tone on tlie London market and the approach of winter necessitating the holding of butter in store for local trade is the reason for the advance.

ROBBED BROTHER’S ACCOUNT. DUNEDIN, May I. A young womaiuiamed Johanna Galbraith, a postal official, appeared hej fore Mr Justice Reed this morning for i sentence on tiiree charges of theft, j Mr W. L. Moore, on behalf of the | prisoner, said she had taken £6O from ! her brother’s Post Office Savings Bank | account and had used it to repay the I other, money which she had taken. She j had been in charge of the Post Office at i Dunback. i A brother of the prisoner stated that j 1.0 did not intend to make any cla m for restitution of the £6O taken from his ac'count. He had signed a statement to that effect. His Honour; It seems pretty hard on you to lose your savings. Is there any chance of your getting something back when they are able? Witness: No doubt they will give it to me when they are able. A clerk from the Post Office gave evidence that the matter had been adjusted as stated by the brother. Addressing the prisoner, liis Hoi,nr pointed out that she must have known that, as a servant of the .Department for a length of time, it was a very

serious matter to meddle with money In her charge. Had the circumstances not been so unusual he would have had no hesitation in sending -ber to prison, because these cases of stealing from Post Offices were far too serious to he treated in any way leniently. Owing to the particular circumtanees, lie proposed to extend leniency. Prisoner was admitted to probation for a term of two years.

BURGLARS ACTIVE. AUCKLAND, Alav 2

During evensong at St. Paul’s Anglican Church last evening a thief entered the hall by a door inadvertently toft open and, locating the ladies’ vestry., removed several handbags containing about £34 10s in cash. A member of the congregation stated that while the service was in progress lie heard a noise in the hall below as of someone blundering against a chan, but be gave the matter little thought, as sounds from beneath were often caused by an authorised person engaged in church work. This particular church has been the scene of several robberies, but in each ease those responsible were apprehended by the police and have paid penalties according to the extent ot the offence.

Experienced cracksmen successfully carried out a daring burglary in the grocery stores of AY. and J. Poet, next door to George Court’s in Karangahape road, during the week end. Walking up the right-of-way leading Horn Cross street they got over a high gate into the yard at the rear of the premises, where many empty boxes are stored. A small glass window leading into the basement was broken out, blit on entering the burglars found that a strongly barred and bolted door pievented them from gaining access to the' main shop and storerooms.

However, a jemmy was brought int i use and the holts and leeks forced open. The shop was thoroughly ransacked. Postage stamps valued at £2 were stolen, us well as large quantities of tobacco and cigarettes, toilet soaps, matches and numerous other articles.

I’RV.SIfY TER"I A N .MISSION. INVERCARGILL, .May 3,

A Presbyterian mission of information and inspiration, which during the next three months will he carried through in the Dominion, commenced here on Sunday, and concluded its Invercargill season to-day. ’I he Moderator of the General Assembly, Rev. S. 11. AleNeur, of China, lias been loading an all-day Conference to-day deal ing with the enterprises ot the Church at home and abroad. The mission has been an outstanding success, being attended by large numbers from town and country.