In brief

Press, 13 September 1988, Page 3

In brief

Dead woman named

The name of a woman who was found dead 10 hours after a motor-cycle accident near Belfast on Sunday has been released by the police. She was Loretta Gaynor Scanlon, aged 28, of rChristchurch. The crash which happened about midnight on Coutts Island Road was not reported by the machine's rider. The police have spoken to the owner of the motor-cycle who was helping them with their inquiries. The woman had been celebrating her birthday with friends at the Bishopdale Tavern earlier on Saturday evening,

Dogs kill 50 lambs

Farmers who found dogs worrying sheep had a right to shoot them, the Darfield police said yesterday. A stray dog or dogs in the Glentunnel-Hororata areas have killed about 50 lambs in the last week, police reported. About three farms in the area are believed to have been hit by the animals. A shed in Horndon Street, Darfield, was burgled in the last week and tools valued at .about $5OO stolen, including a Black and Decker drill, and two chainsaws.

Clothing assistance

Parents receiving the family benefit may apply for an advance on the benefit to buy school uniforms all year round now. Previously parents wanting a year’s advance on the benefit for uniforms had to apply after December 1 of each year. That had caused stress on Social Welfare staff and the parents, so the department was changing its policy, said the senior executive officer of family benefits, Miss Cheryl Hogarth, yesterday. The advance was only payable where parents received the family benefit and the children were attending either intermediate or secondary school. The advance could be paid for each child in the family, but only once, she said.

Vice-Regal pay rise

The Governor-General, Sir Paul Reeves, has been granted a pay rise of more than 21 per cent, backdated to April 1. The Governor-General’s income tax-exempt salary of $66,000 a year' goes up to $BO,OOO, a Civil List determination released yesterday said. A spokeswoman for Government House said any perks and allowances over and above the Governor-General’s salary were “a personal thing” and part of the contract between him and the Government. —PA. i

Education action off

Education Board staff have called off their week-long industrial action, after the State Services Commission agreed to resume redundancy talks this week. Education Board staff had been frustrated by the lack of talks, and not knowing how they would be affected by the planned education service restructuring, said the chairman of the Canterbury sub-group of the P.S.A., Mr Kevin Beardsley. The association sought parity with core public servants, in redundancy agreements, redeployment and retraining. Industrial action had included a ban on telephone and counter inquiries between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., and bans on overtime or week-end callouts.

Man punched, robbed

A man was punched about the head and his motorcycle stolen while he waited for a friend on Friday evening. The man, aged 20, was sitting under the Durham Street overbridge at 10.50 p.m. when a car stopped near him. Five men got out of the car and approached the man demanding he give them the keys to his motor-cycle. When the man refused he was pushed up against a wail and punched about the head. He was able to run off but when he returned discovered his motor-cycle, helmet, scarf and gloves had been taken. The motor-cycle was recovered in Halswell on Saturday.

Indecency charges

A man, aged 41, has been arrested for allegedly exposing himself to children in Halswell and Templeton on Saturday. A man on a BMW motor-cycle had exposed himself to two girls riding horses near Templeton and a similar complaint was made in Halswell. The man will appear in the District Court today.

Rubbish bins torched

Three incidents of rubbish bins being set alight were reported in Christchurch on Sunday. At 1.30 p.m. on Sunday a wall of a building at Shirley Intermediate School was scorched after the contents of a rubbish bin were set alight. . ;

The fire, which caused only minor damage, was noticed by two children who were playing in the school grounds. A group of partygoers was interviewed by the police after two fires were started in rubbish bins near the Carlton Mill and Bealey Avenue intersection at 7 p.m. on Sunday. No arrests were made and only minor damage was caused by the fires. A fire was started in a waste bin behind the Stanmore Road Super Value supermarket about 9.50 p.m. It was the second fire in the bin in three weeks.

Thefts from cars

A number of thefts from cars have been reported near the Arts Centre and the Rolleston Avenue, Worcester Street car-park. More than $lOOO of property was taken from about five parked cars between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Saturday. Several other vehicles had been damaged by attempts to break into them. Complaints of thefts and damage to cars were also made while the Arts Centre market was being held on Saturday.

Intensive care ends

A Chatham Islands man injured in a motor accident on the islands last week has been moved out of the Christchurch Hospital intensive care unit. Mr NoelDonaldson, who suffered head injuries was described as making reasonable progress. His brother, Mr Lester Donaldson, who was also injured in the accident has been discharged from hospital. The two men were flown to Christchurch for treatment after the motor accident which injured five people.

Pub brawl arrest

A man was arrested after a fight broke out in the Lyttelton Hotel, in Norwich Quay on Saturday. About 12 people were involved in the fracas which started just before closing time. Minor damage was caused to the bar furniture. The man has been charged with trespass, escaping custody and resisting arrest. He will appear in the District Court this week.

Kitchenware taken

Kitchen appliances, several not fully wired, were taken from Alvista, Ltd, Leeds Street, Linwood, during the week-end. The goods valued at more than $10,500 were taken after burglars got in to the building through a window. Included in the items taken were a Blanco wall oven and Blanco ceramic cook top which were not wired for New Zealand use.