WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18722, 19 June 1926, Page 20

WEST COAST NOTES

SUPREME COURT. /special to tee phess.) GREYMOUTH, June 18. Bert Romerville Nieper, who pleaded guilty at the Supreme Court sessions, on Wednesday, on six counts of thefts of monies amounting to £674 8s sd, extending over a period of two years, was admitted to probation for a term of three years by his. Honour, Mr Justice Adams, at a short sitting of the Supreme Court this afternoon. In delivering sentence, his Honour remarked that he had much difficulty in coming to a decision, as it was not usual to grant probation in cases where a servant of a firm had abused a position of trust. In giving his judgment he had taken into consideration the testimonial of Mr Wilson, a former principal of the firm of Wilson, Canham and Co., Ltd., relative to accused's exemplary conduct and behaviour. Other letters, the writers of which, in several instances, were personally known to his Honour, had spoken of accused in the highest terms, and were also given full consideration. Continuing, hia Honour said that accused, by making a voluntary confession, had removed the difficulties which would otherwise have been met in tracing his further defalcations, and by his action had shown a sincere desire to make as 11 nplete restitution as- was possible for him. The case,* said . his Honour, presented exceptional features, and he would treat the series of indictments as one case, and admit accused to probation. for a period' of- three years. In reply to his Honour, Mr W. J. Joyce, counsel for accused, stated that ho had fully discussed the question of making restitution with accused's ■ father, who had promised, during the hearing of the case, to ■ employ accused at a -wage of £5 5s weekly with rent free, and the father had guaranteed the sum of £2 weekly towards making restitution. His Honour ordered accused to pay j the sum of £2 weekly until restituI tion was- made. Accused was allowed one week to pay costs of prosecution.

Beef ton Magistrate's Court. 'At the. Magistrate's Court, Reef ton, before Mr W. Meldrum, S.M., E. Craig proceeded against E. 6. Hunter, for royalty on timber' supplied. Richard- Craig said that the defendant to pay 2s per 100 super, feet. Up to Dqc,embe,r last £46 7s had been paid for white and black pine. 'Since that date," 'tho defendants had been felling , and removing timber. He ' now claimed royalty on 29,400 ft. He got the returns from the mine to which they sold the ' timber. He estimated that' 90,000 feet of timber had been removed "by flutter, of. which ho had been paid' fot ,'abqut. 45,000 ft. After lengthy evidence, judgment for plaintiff was entered for £29 8s and costs £7,45. .. '

Record Butter Output* Last dairy season's butter production constituted a record for the Arahura Valley, the output of the factory being 85 tons. t Port of Westport. Following are the port of Westport returns for last month: — Output—AVeßtport Coal Co., Ltd., coal 37,972 tons 15cwt, coke 279 tons l,3cwt; Westport-Stockton Coal Co., Ltd., 5976 tons lew.t; Co-operative Mining parties 8249-tons 14cwt; total, 02,478 tons 3cwt. Export—Westport Coal Co., Ltd., coal 37,511 tons lewt, coke 290 tons 7cwt; Westport-Stockton Coal Co., Ltd., 5932 tons 12cwt; Co-operative Mining parties 8249 tons 14cwt; total, 51,992 tons lowt. Of this amount 1579J tons were shipped to foreign ports, viz., to the Navy at Suva, per s.s. Karori. The export, of timber totalled. 72,788 super, feet. Inangahua Junction Bridge. The new bridge at Inangahua Junction has been opened for traffic. The Public .Works. Department will shortly call tenders for the construction of a permanent approach at the southern end of the bridge. The gap has been bridged temporarily, to enable traffic to pass over until the permanent work is effected. . '.''. Sawmill Changes Hands. It is understood that Messrs Jackson' 8r05.,-of Inangahua Junction, have disposed of their sawmilling business to a Blenheim firm. Grey Main School. .'. The proceeds from .the Grey Main School concert held in the Town Hall last evening for the purpose of raising funds "to replace school furniture destroyed in the recent gymnasium fire realised a profit of over • £3O. • • ■ Personal. Mr and Mrs H. P. La wry will leave to-morrow for, Christchurch.

Mr Phillip G. Harkuess, of Westport, was yesterday admitted by .his Honour, Mr Justice Adams, as a barliater. w. .the .Supremo Court. The accident to Mr John Cameron, HoJtitika,. which .qccurred last evening through a dray capsizing is not so seriQUS.as.was.3tjQr,st.'supposed. When admitted to the Westland Hospital, it was found Mr Cameron's hip was dislocated, and he is now progressing satisfactorily. Misses B. and I. Flannagan returned ; to Auckland to-day, after a holiday visit itd Westport. Mr J, Webber, Parcels clerk at Greymouth railway station, has received notice of his transfer to Albury, as stationmaster.

Mr H. Hawes, of Karaiuea, who has been ,in indifferent health for soime weeks, leaves to-morrow for Christchurch.