DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 December 1927, Page 2

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) BANKRUPT IMPRISONED. WELLINGTON, Dec. Id. / lour times adjudged bankrupt, twice sentenced to imprisonment for breaches of the Bankruptcy Act, John Henry Whitaker, a studmaster, pleaded guilty at the Magistrate’s Court-to-day to having obtained more than dS2O credit from .]. C. Hutton, Ltd., without first having told the firm that lie was an undischarged bankrupt. Mr Maeassey said Whitaker was adjudged bankrupt in Auckland in 1912, at G-isliorne in 1918, at Napier in 1922, and recently at Wellington. The total amount of credit obtained in the present case was €2B Os Od. but since the ’IStSf bankruptcy lie had incurred liabilities totalling £492. To meet this he bad assets vain'; at £5‘L but these would probably realise only \ £to. _ _ ) V term of four months’ imprisonment was imposed. i SUNDAY DANCING. ROTORUA, Dee. 10.

Judgment in a case of considerable importance beard by Mr Kcnrick, S.M., on December 13th, was given to-day. William Bell (Mr Davys) was refused a license by the Rotorua County Council (Mi* Rae), to conduct dances at Fairy Springs on Sunday nights. He applied to the Magistrate’s Court, Rotorua, under Section 111 of the Counties’ Act, 1920. for relief. Applicant contended that the County Council had no power to make a by-law prohibiting (lancing on Sunday nights, on the grounds that such by-law was ultra vires for the County Council, and was unreasonable. The argument before the Magistrate centred mainly round the meaning of the word “control” in Section 111. of the Counties Act. Applicant contended that a County Council had no power to make by-laws dealing with moral or religious questions, such as dancing on Sundays. Evidence was given by Air H. P. Ford (Chairman of the Rotorua County Council) and a number of representative citizens, that it was not in the interests of tbe community that dancing should lie permitted on Sundays. It was pointed out that (lancing was not allowed in tbe Borough of Rotorua on Sunday nights. The Magistrate gave a written decision in favour of plaintiff, saying, inter alia: “If the Council can see no reason for refusing a license for. six days, of the week to bold dancing, a refusal for the seventh day can only be to enforce to some degree Sunday observance—a very laudable reason, and one which a large number of the public agree with. Unfortunately, it does not come within tile limited class of condition provided" in Section 111., namely, safety of the public. lam obliged, therefore, to find the condition attached to the license prohibiting Sunday dancing invalid.”

FERTILISER, AVAR ENDED. AUCKLAND, Dec. IC. An increase of los a ton in the price of fertilisers, to take effect to-morrow, is announced by the three fertiliser manufacturing companies doing business at a conference to-day. This agreement means that what lias lieen called the “fertiliser war” lias been ended. All orders now in manufacturers’ bands will be fulfilled at prices ruling when orders were booked. Ilia price of superphosphates has been £4 2s fid during the past few months, and to-morrow will be raised to £4 17s fid. BOATING ACCIDENT. AUCKLAND, Dec. 17. A dinghy capsized about 8.30 last night off French Bay near Titirangi. Rescuers immediately put out in arrowing boat and saved AA’illiam Iv. Munro, and Heighten, both New Lynn residents, but Heigh ton’s son, aged 7, ' and Mr Francis, alsfCdf New Lynn, arc* missing, and believed to he drowned.