DOMINION NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 October 1921, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS.

ADVANCE AGENT’S CLAIM . By Telegraph—-Press Association. Wellington, Oct. 11. Recently Claude Haigh, theatrical advance agent, took action in the Magistrate’s Court to recover the sum of £2OO -from G. Fama, Frank Perkins. Stan. Lawson and Victor Beck, manager of the New Zealand Diggers Company for alleged wrongful dismissal. In a written decision the Magistrate gave judgment for defendants, remarking that plaintiff had failed, to satisfy him that he had a direct contract with the company. STRUCK OFF THE ROLL. Wellington, Oct. 11. This morning the Court of Appeal heard argument on the application by the Auckland District Law Society to make absolute the rule nisi striking off the rolls Arthur Cracknell, solicitor, of Auckland. Mr. Meek appeared for the Auckland District Law Society, and Mr. Dunn for Cracknell. Cracknell was a member of the firm of Hammond and Cracknell, which firm it was admitted had misappropriated the sum of at least £3OOO, and there were other deficiencies which might amount to £lO,OOO. Mr. Meek was not called upon by the Court of Appeal. Mr. Dunn stated that there were mitigating circumstances, that Cracknell had no knowledge when he entered the firm that it was bankrupt, and he had done all in his power to assist the auditors and the Law Society. Mr. Justice Sim, in delivering judgment, said it was a clear case in which a decree nisi should be made absolute. An order was therefore made to strike Cracknell off the roffie. No order was made as to costs. SHIPPING AND SEAMEN. Wellington, Oct. 11. A number of points of the shipping and seamen's law were placed before Sir Francis Bell, as Minister of Marine, by a deputation from the Seamen’s Federation to-day. Sir Francis Bell agreed that the Legislature Act should be amended, this session if possible, to preserve the voting rights of seamen employed on vessels whose port of registry has been changed from Dunedin to London. Points regarding the manning scale, also the request that no official of the Marine Department shonld be allowed to retain his membership of the Institute of Marine Engineers, Merchant Service Guild, Seamen’s Union, or Cooks and Stewards’ Union, would receive consideration. The latter request was critically questioned by Sir Francis Bell. STRUGGLE WITH DRUNKEN MAN. Auckland, Oct. 11. Alfred Larsen, a resident of Freeman’s Bay, was having tea yesterday when a man, stated to be under the influence of liquor, entered and attacked Larsen. A struggle ensued, and a sergeant and constable were called and had a desperate struggle with the intruder who had to be. handcuffed and leg-roped owing to his violence. He was removed to the hospital unconscious with his head, arms, and body badly cut through glass from a broken door. ROTOWARU MINE STILL IDLE. Auckland, Oct. 11. The Rotorwaru No. 1 coal mine has been idle over a week owin£ to the five and is sealed up. It is understood a trial survey will be -made at the end of this week to ascertain if the fire has died out.