DOMINION ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1931, Page 5

DOMINION ITEMS

OBITUARY. (By Telegraph —Pei Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, April 128. Obituary—My Henry Francis Stevens the founder of Stevens and Co., wholesale druggists. A THEFT CHARGE. CHRISTCHURCH, 'April 28. Robert Andrew Stewart, 41, a bank clerk, employed by thy National Bank, pleaded not guilty this morning to a charge of theft of £1,106, the property of Pierce Brothers. He was committed for trial. John Pierce, a grocer, explained the system by which accused, who lived near him, had been entrusted with receipts of the shop every Tuesday and Via turd ay, for banking. Witness received bulk counterfoils of slips. This month witness received a statement from the bank concerning his account, showing it was overdrawn by £228. He queried this, and discovered that £1,105 laid not been paid in. The police handed in a statement in which accused said that owing to sickness he had got deeper ami deeper into debt, and to retrieve his position he resorted to gambling on races. Ho admitted the defalcations, the police alleged. YACHT TEDDY. AUCKLAND, April 28, ’tiie yacht- Teddy, winner of the ocean race to Sydney ,wns sighted off Capo Maria af 7 n.m., the 21 st day of the return journey, A LLEG E 1) CO I NTERFKITERS. AUCKLAND, April 28. Three men arrested yesterday in connection with counterfeitng bank notes appeared at the Police Court this morning and were remanded to May sth. They were, Percy Short,, 51, his son. Percy John McKenzie Short, 20, (both Australian showmen) and Maurice Goodman 33. Short sour., and Goodman were* charged that knowing a £1 note to be forged, they caused people to act on it as genuine. Short junr. was charged with vagrangey. Goodman’s counsel requested bail, saying lie had lived in Auckland for many years, his record was unblemished. and he denied any guilt. Defective Kelly opposed bail, aiul asserted that with Short, Goodman had driven to Hamilton, picking up three other men on the road and calling at different villages. Three men got out of the back of the car and went into different shops. Afterwards the shopkeepers discovered the spurious notes. Magistrate Hunt refused bail.

NORFOLK ISLAND ENTHUSIASM. AUCKLAND, April 28. Passengers from Norfolk Island to day by the Hilumuigi, report tremendous enthusiasm reigned among the islanders over the visit of the first plane there. They knew in advance of the flight and waited all day for Chichester who throughout his stay shunned public receptions. AN INQUEST. WELLINGTON, April 28. At the inquest on Charles Frederick Astridge, killed when a motor lorry in which lie was a passenger, crashed over a hank on Paekakariki Hill, Mr Salek S.M. returned a verdict that deceased was killed through jumping from a lorry while it was out of control. Tile driver, Gay, gave evidence that the lorry got away while going down in gear through the propellor shaft breaking. Deceased jumped or fell, while the lorry was still on the road. He steered into the bank three times, in an attempt to stop and the third time the lorry on returning to the road went clean across and over.