DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1927, Page 1

DOMINION NEWS.

(Hv Telegraph—Per Press Association.) .MOTORIST FIX ZD ILO. CASK WITH UNUSUAL FMATURES WELLINGTON, Aug. 3. A ease with unusual features was heard by Mr J. H. Salmon in the Lower Hull .Magistrate’s Court today. when on a charge of being drunk in charge of a car, William Howard Morris was lined £lO, in default one months' imprisonment. Sergeant Reid prosecuted and Mr W. E. Leicester appeared for Morris.

It, appeared from the evidence that Morris became very drunk at a party, and realising his condition, asked afriend to take charge of the car. The friend was unable to start the car. which was found to be without petrol. Another car lowed .Morris’s car to a | > 111111 >. hill, no petrol was available. During this trip 1 he friend had steered the ear and .Morris and a companion, also drunk, were placed on the hack scat, where they went to sleep. The other car proceeded to Wellington with the passengers, the driver having fir-t arranged to tow M.orrrs’s ear nnmc, On 'his return the friend was left with Morris, but realising that the other car contained two men who could take Morris’s car home the Irieml went home. A constable arrived on me scene and found the two sleeping in tho rear seat. With the assistance ol another constable he arrested them both. It was contended that Morris was not in charge of the ear, in that, he gave it. into the charge of his friend, who was competent to drive and had not consciously received the car hack into his charge.

The Magistrate said that lie must lind that licensed was in the car in the disgraceful condition alleged. In his opinion when, an owner or driver was in the seat of his ear, even if he was in the hack scat, he was in charge of it. Had tin' defendant attempted to drive or steer the car his license would have been cancelled tor some years, and a substantial penalty imposed.

COMPENSATION PAID TO WIDOW. WELLINGTON. Aug. 3. The Postal Department has paid £ I (;•")!) compensation to the widow of the late S. S. Rutledge. Christchurch (haifenr. who died through injuries sustained while on duty. WOMAN FATALLY INJI'RKI) HY CYCLIST. NELSON, Aug. I. Ai the inquest on the death of Mrs Mary Ann Lamb, an elderly woman, who died at the Public Hospital, the verdict was that the deceased died from haemorrhage of the brain, caused by being knocked down by a cyclist while crossing Waiinoa Street on the night of 271 h A [ay last.

TAI’PO TROUT FISHING. WELLINGTON, Aug. I

Recently it was announced that the public would be given the right, to use a chain width around Lake laupo, and a further move in the interests of lishernien is the resumption hy the Government of certain private lands near Wlmkaipo Hay.

“There have' been many improvements made.’’ said Air Pollard, “since Air Conies, as Minister of Native Affairs, arrived at an agreement with the Maoris to allow the Government to control their rights to lands used hv trout fishermen. I here is no doubt that- the agreement has alforded a means of developing matters in the interests of those who ply their rods in the district. On the property resumed hy the Government in Wlinkuipo Bay. there is a house which will he available for use hy anglers at a moderate rental. It is proposed to extend the accommodation il it is found insufficient.”

Mr Bollard further slated that a report was heilie obtained regarding the ronstruction of a suitahle track givijij_r the necessary road access to Vihakaipo Bay. either by land or xvtaer.

SITU PURCHASED. AUCKLAND. Aug. .3,

Fuller's Opera Mouse being recently partly destroyed hy fire, the site in Wellesley Street, lias been purchased hy the drapery firm of Smith and Gaughley Ltd. for £-13,000. the deal being on a cash basis. 3he property will ho utilised by rebuilding and extending Smith and Caughey’s present business in (Jueen St.

TB AAI WAYS FINANCK. AUCKIjAXD, Aug. 5

The new scheme of tramway sections and fares adopted by the C.'ity C ouncil l,v which the estimated loss on the year’s workings will be reduced to £.■>,300, as compared with £30.000 last year, the Council accepting the responsibility for Inking over all necessary and payable transport services within the tramway area, and within the area served by undertakings taken over under ihe Al-otor Omnibus I rathe Art. 102(5. Increased revenue is obtainable by shortening ul sections to a large extent by the reintroduction of

penny cash fares for shortened sections. by raising the price of all concession tickets except workers and ) school children. Except during rush hours buses will ho used as feeders to trams. This does not apply to tiio running of buses away from tram routes. PROVIDING FOR UNEMPLOYED. AUCKLAND. Aug. 5. Mayor Baiklon stated at a meeting of the City Council that work to relieve unemployment in Auckland will he undertaken at the Domain laying out an area, in the vicinity of the War Memorial The outlay contemplated was £I ,OOO of which the War Memorial Committee would contribute ,£2,500 Returned Soldiers Assn. £I,OOO and'application would he made io Government. for an even subsidy on these amounts. The only condition was that JO per cent, of the work he given to nominees of the R.S.A. Tie suggested thal as the undertaking was purely relief of unemployment, married men "'nilld receive 12s, single men Os per day. Some members of the Council object to the pay at so low a rate, hut the proposals as outlined I>y the Alavor were agreed to.

racing ruction. AUCKLAND COAIAHTT/fE INTERVEXES. AUCKLAND. Aug. I. A new development has arisen in regard to the dispute between the AVaikato Hunt Club and the Waikato Racing Chib as to which Club should hold its race meeting on Labour Day. The N.Z. Racing Conference allotted the day to the Racing (Tub, hut the Aliuister of Internal Affairs reversed that decision, and gave the permit to the Hunt Club. Now the Auckland District Committee has decided that it is unable, in the circumstances, to approve the Hunt Club’s programme for its meeting. The Committee met to-day, Kir Edwin Mitchelson presiding, and at the conclusion the following official report was issued: “Correspondence was received from the Racing Conference in regard to its Waikato limit Club’s application to race on Labour Day. and. in connection with that Chili's programme it was resolved as follows: ‘That, while regarding the conllict that exists between the Alinistcr and the Racing Conference in connection with the allotment of Labour Day. this District Committee lias resolved: “That as the N.Z. Racing Conference has not consented to the Waikato Hunt Club racing on Labour Day. this Committee cannot. under I lie rules of racing, pass the programme until a. clay other than Labour Day lie chosen and approved, or until the N.Z. Racing Conference gives its consent lo Club racing on Labour Raw”

LABOURER REMANDED FOR. SENTENCE. DUNEDIN. Aug. -L Walter John Gower wns charged before Mi 1 J list i Si in at the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon with carnal knowledge of a girl fifteen years of age, attempted carnal knowledge, indecent assault, and common assault. There were altogether nine counts in the indictment. -Mr C. J. L. AYhite appeared for accused, who pleaded not guilty. His Honour requested the Press not to nublish the name of the girl concerned, hut refused to accede to Air Adams's request Hint the Court should be (Tearod.

Several witnesses were called. Mr White contended that charges of the kind were easy to bring and difficult to refute. There was very little against the accused except the evidence of the girl, and the evidence corroborative of the girl's story was not such as would meet with the approval of the jury.

The Court adjourned at 3.33 p.m. and llis Honour summed up when the case was resumed this morning. His Honour said that a significant feature of the case was the fact that accused, who was a labourer nearly fifty years of age. had given the girl a wristlet watch. The jury retired at 10.32 a.m. and returned half an hour later with a verdict of .guilty on the three counts of carnal knowledge, and one count of indecent assault. Gower was remanded for sentence.

BOOKMAKING CHARGE FAILS DUNEDIN, August 3. The Supreme Court to-day was occupied with two charges of hookmaking. one against Thomas Butler, and the other against David Thomson Pearsou. The case for the Crown against Butler was that when detectives asked accused at. the Hotel Carlton if he had a double on the races that day. Butler said lie was not going to tell a lie and admitted he had. He handed the police a book, which contained entries dealing with races at Forhnry Park on May 3th. at Oamnru on A lay 21st. and at Win eat id on .Tune 3rd. On one page of the book were to be seen Hie typical notes of a bookmaker working on the double system. The jury after a retirement of two

hours brought in a verdict of not

guilty. .In the case of Pearson, the evidence for the Crown was that the detectives went into the Prince of AVales Hotel oil June 3rd.. Pearson being in one of the lairs. Accused was asked what betting lie had done, and Pearson said that he had only taken a few bets that morning. Accused handed over several day cards to the detectives. The jury again took about two boms to decide that accused was not guilty.

FALSE PRETENCES CASE. DUNEDIN. Aug. 4. The hearing is now in progress of Alexander Campbell (manager), James Shaw' Campbell (draper), Samuel Campbell (draper), diaries James Thomas Alexander Lowery (valuer), Frederick AYilliam Bamfield (accountant) and Charles Peel (salesman).

The three Campbells and Bamfield were concerned in nine charges. Lowery was concerned in eight of the charges. Peel was concerned in three of them.

The case was opened before Air Justice Sim in the Supreme Court this morning, when evidence wns heard on the lines of that given in the Lower Court. The case was not nearly concluded this evening. DUNEDIN. Aug. 5.

In the Campbell motor cases at the Supreme Court counsel for accused addressed the jury as follows. It was admitted that advances were obtained in the way alleged hy Hie Crown, but intent to defraud was denied and the point was stressed that the Finance Corporation had lost no money. Air Justice Sim summing up said it was not seriously suggested by defendants that the hire and purchase agreements were genuine transactions, it being practically admitted they were bogus, but the point denied was intent to defraud. This was a mistaken view' of the law, for if accused obtained money in this way the offence was complete as soon as the loans were paid over. The jury retired at 11.47 a.m. and were still out at lunch.

COLLAPSE AT AVI I EEL. AUCKLAND, Aug. 5. While steering the steamer Mako off Cape Colville, at 1.30 this morning, on route from Napier to Portland, Charles Cross, an able seaman, collapsed at the wheel. The bessel was diverted to Auckland, and on arrival the patient was remvoed to the Auckland Hospital. where his illness was diagnosed as acute appendicitis. An operation w:r performed.