DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 November 1927, Page 1

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.

LAND AGENTS FINED. WANGANUI, Get. 31

At the investigation of the Government Statistician, Stanley and Read, land agents, were lined £3 10s to-day for failing to send in the return of weekly rents as at September Toth. WATCH LOUXI) LX FRANCK. DEAD SOLDIER IDENTIFIED. WiELLTXGTON. October 28. An article which appeared in the ‘‘Evening Post” with photographs of a Rotherham watch found in Prance led to the finding of the owner of the time-piece. Air. E. Sullivan, of Lower ILutt, and the indent ideation of a soldier’s remains. The article was reprinted in Home papers, and the following letter has been received by Sir Alaui Pomare. Minister in charge if the war graves division of tins Department of Internal Affairs from Major-General Sir Fabian Ware, vicechairman of Ihe Imperial Mar Graves Comnvision. who states. "I he commission deeply appreciate your co-oper-ation and that of the “Evening Post and the care and the thoroughness with which your inquiry ‘has been handled. The graves in question are accepted as those of Taylor and Anderson. and headstones will be erected accordingly.” “It is gratifying to know, said Sn Maui. “ that the war graves .division i„ rendering quite good service, and this. I see, is recognised by the Impelial Mar Graves Commission." CAR FALLS INTO STEKAAL WAXGANCI. Oct. 28.

The inquest into the deaths of Paul Imoniont. aged ID. and his daughter Stella, aged 25, who wore drowned when the car Fromont was driving plunged into a creek, was held to-day. F.llen Murphy, who was also in the car, ,sai dthat when it approached the bridge over the Matarawa Stream they saw a motor ear in tile distance. Fromont dimmed his lights. She thought the lights went completely out, and all wn.s dark. The next instant the car crashed into the side ol the bridge and was precipitated into the water. She considered that possibly Fromont mis-j.udgcd tile distance of the oncoming car and dimmed Indore it was ne-

Charlos .McKinnon, farmer, residing about 30 chains from the bridge, said lie knew the bridge very well. It was narrower than the road. If a man was motoring on tTie correct side of the road at night and the lights went out the ear would hit the side of the bridge. The bridge also was not in the centre of the road, making it very awkward. There were no .side wings to prevent a ear getting into the creek. Wings had since been put on. The Coroner returned a verdict of denth by drowning. FINGERPRINTS PROVES IDENTITY AT’CTx HAND. Oct. 31.

At the trial of I'na Beatrice AVills. Air Hubble, for the Crown, said that the iurv could take ii that the goods found in accused’s car were .goods taken from Aliss Townsend’s shop. Miss Townsend's finger prints had been taken. and the glass chocolate jars sent C> Wellington for identification of the prints on (hem. AD Justice Reed: That is rather ail interesting point. This is (ho first time in my experience wo have had finger print evidence to prove file identity of goods stolen. Thomas Herbert Skinner, wbo was charged with the .same offences as accused, and pleaded guilty, being sentenced to eighteen months’ imprisonment. described the burglary in Khvhnr Pass. Replying to AD Dickson, counsel for Skinner, be admitted that had a letter lie’was sending from gaol to a girl, touching on the ease, not been intercepted, he would have gone on with his defence.

The Judge sliarply protested when Mr Dickson suggested that Skinner had heen influenced in his present attitude liv flu.' detectives. Counsel persisted, but the .Judge said: “ft is unfair. T will not allow it.” Accused, in evidence, said she had such a. had headache on the night of August nth. that, instead of going homo she went for a. drive. She met Skinner, and at his request drove him to Epsom. She waited in a ear and thought she dozed off while waiting for Skinner to return with a parcel. Skinner asked her to stop again in Khyher Pass, hut she never dreamed he was breaking and entering. The Court adjourned till to-morrow. I>ERVEHT SENTEXCED. A UCKLAXD, Oct. 31.

“I look upon this as a very serious ease indeed. The institution with which you have been associated—the Boy Scouts Movement- is probably one of the finest institutions of its kind ever founded. Its main idea i.s to inculcate morality, honesty and good citizenship into the minds of its members. Tn order to secure that, the authorities are obliged to invite persons of mature age to take charge of hoys in the movement and teach them in those directions. You held that appointment, and instead of teaching them, you went the other way about, and attempted to teach them serious tilings that may effect the hoys’ whole lives.’’ In this manner, Mr Justice Heed addressed Thomas John Davies, aged ."SO, cx-Scoiitniaster, commission agent, and inspector for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, of Tauranga, who came before him in the Supreme Court for sentence on live charges of indecent assault on males.

Davies was accustomed to taking scouts of his troops on excursions and interfering with them in an indecent manner. His Honour said that had the jury not recommended mercy on account of accused's age. he would have inllictcd a penalty much more severe titan he. intended to. He must make the penally heavy t i warn men associated with such organisations as accused was connected with, that offences of the nature disclosed were treated seriously by the court. Accused was then sentenced to three years' i mprisonment. MIXE OWNERS’ ACTION’. HAMILTON'. Oct. 31. An, important case to-day was heard before Air AVyvern Wilson. S.AL. at Hamilton to-day. when the Pukemiro Collieries Ltd. asked for a penalty of <3200 against the Pukemiro Coal Aline Workers’ Industrial Union of AVorkers for holding two stop-work meetings. It was stated that a considerable economic loss was caused to the country by the practice, and the Company wanted the position defined, as it was alleged that it was a breach of the agreement with the Vnion. The defence raised by Air P. O’Regan was that the Union was no longer existent. The Magistrate reserved his decision.