NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3573, 8 September 1920, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

—— THEFT AND FORGERY. OPOTIKI, Sept. 7. Joseph Kelly (22), Horace Naismith (19) and Harry Neviu (IS) were charged in the Police Court with the theft of £1 and a blank cheque book, also with forgery and uttering of a cheque for £8 15/. The accused men, who pleaded gui.ty, were sentenced to three days’ hard labour fo,r theft, and committed to the Supreme Court for sentence on the forgery charge. TAUMAEUNUI GAS TROUBLE. TAUMAEUNUI, Sept. 7. The Borough Council meeting last night appointed Messrs. Kay and Vickerman, of Wellington, from sixteen applicants, to report on an electric light and power scheme for Taumarunui. This firm is reporting upon the Southland scheme involving one and a-half million pounds. As an amusing coincidence the Council Chamber was illuminated by candles consequent upon the closing down of the gas works. PEISONER TRIES TO ESCAPE. AUCKLAND, Sept. 7. An attempt to escape from the quarry gang working outside the wall of Mt. Eden goal was made by a prisoner named Daniel Minihan, yesterday afternoon. When the men were mustered to knock off work the' warder in charge missed Minihan, and knowing that the man had been in sight a couple of minutes previously he signalled to the sentry, had the gang looked after, and started a search on the spot. The result was that Minihan was discovered hiding under a heap of large stones which had been grouped to weigh down a crane. ■ FROSTS IN THE WAIKATO. HAMILTON, Sept. 7. Continued frosts are playing havoc with the pastures of South Auckland, and have caused serious shortage of feed everywhere. Winter stocks of turnips and hay are in most cases exhausted, and in consequence of bare paddocks prices of cattle have shown a decided drop, without prospects of recovering until the spring growth is apparent. If the present weather is superseded by a warm dry spell, instead of warm rain, it will have a disastrous effect on the dairying industry. PRICE OF BUTTER. WELLINGTON, Sept. 7. An official pronouncement regarding the Imperial butter contract ife expected to be made in a few days. A Parliamentary Committee is at present being set up to consider the juice to the New Zealand consumer. In ordinary circumstances the Agricultural and Stock Committee would have dealt with this matter, but it is fully occupied with the Armour question and comparison of pre-war and existing shipping freights. A FATAL FALL. NAPIER, This Day. William E. Churches, 1 , aged: 45, a station gardener, was killed fast night by a fall from a motor-lorry. His run lives are unknown. THE AIR ROUTE. TIMARU, Sept. 7. Captain Wilkes, secretary of the Air Board, and Captain Isitt, of Sockburn, arrived in Timaru by air this afternoon on their way south. Captain Wilkes is to report on air routes southward. They go to the Hermitage to-morrow.