MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26039, 16 February 1950, Page 3

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

WEDNESDAY (Before Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M.) , CASE ADJOURNED “I think the provisions of the Housing Improvement Act. 1947, were timely and indeed overdue and deal quite owners and occupiers, said the Magis trate when he adjourned two- charges of breaches of the act brought by the Waimairi County Council (Mr W. K. L. Douagainst Norman Charles David DonSid. a farmer, of 170 Gardiners road. Harewood. Donald was charged with fading to comply with notices from theWaimairi County Council requiring him to carry out certain repairs and al terations to two of his properties, one at 74 Highsted road and the other at 176 Sawyers Arms road. Defendant did not appear. Mr Dougall said that notices had been served on the defendant in respect of the two properties to carry out repairs and alterations. Nothing had been done until Februarv 7, when some matters had been attended to. He suggested that the case be adjourned for a month. The Magistrate said that owners who received a notice, which the authorities had seen fit to serve, were not entitled to ignore or neglect that notice. In this case the defendant received the notice and did nothing. He had the right of appeal and did not exercise that right. Persons cannot be suffered to ignore such a notice. If they do they run the risk of a penaltv of £5O. and a further penalty for everyday the offence continues. Thau is a proper and necessary sanction to force the provisions of the act,” he said. CROSSING LINE WHEN NOT CLEAR In a case brought by the District Traffic Manager of Railways (for whom Mr P. T. Mahon appeared), Mrs E. L. Rountree was charged with driving a motor-car across a railway line against the signals, when there was a risk of being involved in a collision. , . . Mr Mahon said that several cars had stopped at the crossing on Riccarton road for the warning signals, and that a car had suddenly pulled out of line and made over the crossing. The approaching train was 150 yards away. A statement by the defendant was read. She said she was iff-the car looking for her children—the eldest of whom was aged five—who had wandered away from their home in Fendalton. Where they lived was one of the quietest places in the district and the children were not used to traffic. She had pulled in to line at the crossing and had then sighted her children on the busy road ahead. She had taken careful note of where the approaching train was, and had summed up the danger of her crossing the line and the danger to her children in the traffic, and had decided to go to the aid of the children. The Magistrate, in convicting the defendant, said he did r ot propose to impose any other penalty than costs. *

Evasive Flies “D.D.T. is relatively stable, but its efficiency seems to have decreased this last season. Whether the flies have irned to avoid it or are becoming resistant to its effects, I can’t say,” said an analyst, giving evidence in the Supreme Court yesterday in a case in which the effectiveness of a spray, used on farm buildings, was in question.

Papanui Technical - Enrolments.— The day-school enrolments at Papanui Technical College were 428, eight more than at February last year, reported the principal (Mr J. B. McBride) at a meeting of the Board of Managers of the college yesterday. There were 275 boys, the same as at the beginning of last year, and 153 girls, an increase of eight.

Air Training Corps Cadets.—Christchurch squadrons of the Air Training. Corps will resume their weekly parades this evening. An officer of ’ the corps said yesterday that in view of the introduction of compulsory military training, it was hoped to recruit ■ rather younger boys this year.