DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1928, Page 2

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

MORE CHANGES. . RAILWAY STAFF POSITIONS. WELLINGTON. Feb. 2. The re-grading scheme in the Railway Department -has produced a further long list of changes, among which are the following:— Mr J. White, stationmaster at Addington, to stationmaster at Te Kuiti. Ml- G. A. T. Burnett, stationmaster at Springfield, to stationmaster at Ohakunc. Mr W. C. Cunliffe. Ashburton, to stationmaster at Bluff. Mr E. C’. Marshall, stationmaster at Little River, to senior clerk, lionoperative division, ilnvcrcargill. Mr G. A. Campbell. Auckland, to transport and train-running officer. Westport. Mr I*". B. Bartos. Tim ii n, to A\ aggon Supply Officer. Christehtuca. Mr F. H. M’Keown, -tatimimaster at Tetnuka. to stationmaster, Greymouth. Mr A. Latimer, stationmaster at Takupait. to senior clerk. Addington All E. L. Bromley, Christchurch, to senior clerk Ashburton. Mr C. L. Brice, stationmaster at Belfast, to booking clerk, Invercargill. Air AY. P. Nolan, stationmaster at Darfield, to stationmaster at Hornby. Air T. Garrick, Tailiape, to .stationmaster. Little l River. Air AY. H. Lilley. Dunedin, to stationmaster at Otiru. Alt' D. Finlay. Paten, to stationmastev at Hakaia. Air E. Johnston, Cromwell, to staiiinniastei' at Waiinato. Air A. J. A. I* uelie. Scnithbridge. to stationmaster at Graiiitv. Air C. 1). Al’Kenzic. assistant-re-lieving office. Christchurch, to Business Agent, Christchurch. Air J. A. Lloytl. Westport, to yard foreman, Christchurch. A TRIVIAL CASE. NO CAUSE FOB ACTION. AUCKLAND, Fob. 2. " 1 do not think this is a case which should have come before the Supreme Court at all. It is extremely trivial. A little display of reason by the parties

would have resulted in there Iveing no cause for action at all. Costs on the -Magistrate’s .Court scale, only, will be allowed.” This passage occurred in Air Justice Reed’s remarks when he gave judgment this morning for £lO 5s on claims for libel amounting to £7OO. Tile ease was a AYhakatane one in which two claims were made, one for £2OO and one for £SOO, by Alexander George Anderson M’Tavish. ranger and poundkeeper for the Wliakatane

County, against George Samuel Whiteside. a retired civil engineer. The claim set. out that on August 12 last, defendant wrote to the County Council as follows Should any garden gate he open, the harassed animals give trouble while their bullying, insolent driver f meaning plaintiff) take® Scotch leave to trespass in pursuit over private land.” On July 26, defendant also wrote referring to plaintiff's ” Most abusive and objectionable manner,” and stating that plaintiff threatened him with personal violence and called him all the vile, filthy and insulting names he could think of. ANGLER DROWNED. SON’S GREAT BRAYERY. AUCKLAND. Fob. 2. Hie "Herald’s” Tokaanu correspondent telegraphs tliaE George AYnlker. auctioneer, of Aueklanti, was drowned this afternoon at the Tongariro river delta. The deceased arrived from Rotorua yesterday with his son, Justin Walker, and Ah' Brakelmsh, of Rotorua. The party went out this marning to the river-month, known as the Ilook.

Shortly after 1 p.m. young AA’alker, who was fishing close to bis father, saw the latter suddenly go over his waders and realised that lie had accidentally stepped over the edge of the shallow into deep water. The deceased was caught by the current, and, weighted with his clothes and waterfilled waders and hoots, was soon in difficulty. AA’itli great presence of mind young AA’alker swam to his father, who appeared to be struggling to get bis coat and waders off. He reached his father, who ordered him to go ashore. Reaching the shore in an exhausted state, young AA’alker found a long pole, but on reaching the water again, his father had disappeared.

In the meantime Mr Brnkebusli. who was fishing some distance away, had heard a shout, and arrived on the scene. By the time he got his waders off, however, there was no sign of deceased. Nothing further could be done. The deceased’s son. who is at King’s College, showed great, bravery in attempting to rescue his father, hut had he not obeyed his father’s orders to leave him there is not the slightest doubt that two lives would have been lost. The lad could not have possibly got his father ashore under the circumstances. Mrs Walker was on holiday in Rotorua at the time of the accident. A Wanganui angler nearly lost his life at the same spot in similar circumstances some time ago. being rescued alter sinking several times. DAIRY PRODUCTION. A SHARP SHRINKAGE. AUCKLAND, Feb. 2.

The shrinkage in dairy production due to the sustained dry spell is sharply expressed in the returns of butter and cheese received into the grading stores of the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Co., Ltd., for the fortnight ended January 25th The amount of butter taken ’into store last month was 111,326 boxes, compared with 119,550 boxes for the corresponding period of last year, while the cheese received totalled 10,202 crates as against 11,530 crates in the same period last year. When production for the dairying year to date is considered, however, the general position respecting production remains one to lie regarded with satisfaction. In pounds of butter-fat the receipts into store since July Ist aggregate 67,294,092, compared with 60,810.820 for the corresponding period of 1926-27 dairying season, an increase in excess of 10.fi per cent. Having regard to the fact that this substantial advance has been built up on the great bulk of the season’s yield, it is extremely unlikely that under any circumstances the current dairying year will terminate in anything but a substantial increase in production over the previous season.

FIRE AT A.l HOTEL. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 3. Prompt action by the Fire Brigade prevented a very serious fire in the city to-day. The outbreak was in the A.l hotel' at the corner of Colombo and Cashel Streets, in the heart of the business area. It started in a room, the cause apparently having lieen a spark from a neighbouring chimney. The building is old, and the flames spread quickly. The fire brigade succeeded in confining the fire to the roof, and only two rooms were damaged, to the extent of about £SO. The building is the property of

Beath and Co., drapers, whose premises adjoin and is insured for £7OOO in the Northern and Phoenix Offices. The licensee i.s Thomas Quirk. SENTENCES. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 3. Prisoners sentenced at the Supreme Court were : John Ronald Stevens, two charges of forgery, to reformative treatment not exceeding twelve months. Charles Olliver Lilly, a breach of a probation order by theft, to reformative treatment not exceeding twelve months. Herbert Barrington, for,-burglary, was committed to Borstal for two years.

LICENSEE CONYICTED. AYELLINGTON, Feb. 3. Thomas Aloran, licensee of the Shamrock Hotel, was fined £lO for selling liquor after hours, being responsible for the act of the barman. The latter. Leslie Lee, was fined £5. The Alagistrate warned the licensee that if there were it repetition, the license would be in danger. A number of men were fined for being on the premises.

bankrupt gaoled. HAMILTON, Jan. 3. “As I have always understood it. the bankruptcy law is intended primarily for the protection of unfortunate lenders, and secondly for the protection of the commercial community. The penal clauses are to prevent piersous misrepresenting their posi t iijtis to traders.” Thus commented Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.AI. ill sentencing Samuel Afallett. aged 55, con? “.•ticno.". of Taumarniii. to a month’s imj iLrnment for each of three hrea'dies of ti e Bankruptcy Act. The sentences «re tube concurrent. The charges were of failure to ktep projier books, and of contracting two debts at a time when lie had no reasonable prospect of paying them.

A TIPSY MOTORIST. HAMILTON, Feb. 3. “I have a recollection, many years ago, of offering you to take out a prohibition order, but you elected not to do so. I am going to inflict a fine of £lO, suspend your license until March 31st, and disqualify you from holding a license for a year after that,” said ATr Wyvern Wilson, S.AI., when Henry John Fox, minor, of AA’hatawhata, was charged to-day with being intoxicated in charge of a car. “I am not going to take the risk of letting you drive about the street intoxicated to the danger of other people,’’ added the Magistrate.

ESCAPED FROM ROTO RUA. AUCKLAND, Feb. 3. llow a man escaped from the inebriates’ home at Roto Rua Island lastweek by swimming for two and a half hours in the sea with a piece of driftwood to rest upon, was unfolded in tile Police Court yesterday, when Ross Thomson Alunro. aged 41. a news vendor, was charged with escaping from custody on the Island. Pleading not guilty on accused’s behalf. Air Fotheringhain said it was admitted that a week ago Alunro had escaped. He had found a piece of driftwood and bv such aid swam to a nearby island. Later ho came to Auckland and eventually reported to the police. The defence is, said counsel, “that accused was not an inmate of the Island as described by law.” ALmro had been committed to the Island as a voluntary inmate. He had no convictions against him, and had been legally discharged. Counsel submitted that it was beyond the (lower of a Magistrate to punish him. While on the Island, Munro had been given four days’ leave at one time to see his wife, who was reported to be ill. This leave was extended for another three days in order that accused might attend the dentist, but the leave to which he was entitled was 24 hours, and by getting leave in excess of that he was automatically discharged from the Island, even although he might return to it as accused had done in the present ease. Senior-Sergeant Cummings contended that as Munro had teen committed to the Island on a warrant, lie was an inmate, and if he escaped he should be punished. “What jurisdiction have I to upset a warrant which 1 made?” asked Alagistrate Cutten. Senior-Sergeant Cummings: A’ou have none, Sir. The ease was adjourned for a week in order that certain documents coma be produced. CHRTSTCHURCH BUTCHERS BOYCOTT. CHRISTCHURCH. Feb. 3. Because the City Council has set up for a tenant a butcher's shop in the municipal market. Hie butchers of tbc city, it is stated, have decided to boycott the Municipal Abattoir, and will have their stock slaughtered at the freezing works.

BEQUEST FOR ATHLETICS. WELLINGTON. Fel). 3. A prize of £25 recently offered by tile trustees of the Herbert Smith fund lias been awarded to Mr Douglas Seymour, solicitor, of Hamilton, and Mr B. O’Neill, secretary of tbe New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, Christchurch, who submitted schemes which the trustees adjudged to be of equal merit. The prize will be divided. The late Mr Herbert Smith left £IO,OOO to be expended by his trustees over a period of seven years by way ol prizes for athletic competitions amongst the youth of New Zealand between the ages of nine and fifteen years. He authorised the trustees to offer a prize of £25 to the person .submitting the scheme which was most suitable for carrying his wishes into effect. About thirty schemes were submitted.

CAR SOMERSAULTS. ' MARTON, Feh. 3. A serious motor collision involving severe injuries to James Turner, Jack Cooper and Reginald Cook, three men employed by the Colonial Sales C’o., of Auckland, occurred at the intersection °i the 'Borough and north boundary last night. A small car driven by R. J. I hompson was proceeding along tbe main street, when the driver observed another car coming out of a side road. He slowed up, and the other vehicle careered across at great speed, leaving a cloud of dust. Simultaneously, a I third car, driven by A. Forno, of Auckland. came from tbe direction in which the second car had gone, and crashed into the first car, causing it to swing completely round. Thompson bad a remarkable escape, but Forno’s car went on about 20 yards, and then somersaulted, pinning the five occupaijts beneath. The three named were round to he severely injured and were taken to the hospital. Forno and Stanley ITolthouse escaped with minor bruises, but their cars were almost totally wrecked. FRACTURED SKULL. DUNEDIN. Feb. 3. Whilst diving in Freeman’s Creek yesterday, a hoy named Benjamin Woolsey, nine years of age, who resides with his parents at Abbotsford, received a fracture of tbe skull, wliic necessitated iiis removal to the hospital.