HUTT AND PETONE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 516, 25 May 1909, Page 10

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS

(raoM oDn er-ECiAL RErontßtt.\ , '. .■■'. -* — : —■"■• . .! "ALL:MEN ARE ALIKE IN THE DARK.' , . That was the defence—"All men aro alike in the dark —when Thomas Mitchell, a man well up in years, appeared at the Petone Police Court yesterday charged with stone-throwing. The old man stoutly denied the charge. ' Louisa Hublitz, of 25 Elizabeth Street, stated in evidence that ajcusod had thrown a stone through a window of her house pn Saturday evening. The time was about flvo o'clock, and accused stood in the road, but near enough to bo easily recognisable. "But you can't say it was mo," interposed the old ndan; "all men look alike in the dark." :A 'boarder, John Banks, declared ,that lie heard the crash of the breaking window-pane, and, on coming out to the front of the house; he saw the accused walking leisurely away. "You.have no doubt about the man?" asked Mr. W. Inglis, J.P., who (with Mr. R. W. Short, J.P.) was on the Bench; ' ~< ' "Not the shadow of a latchkey!". was the prompt reply; "I know tho man well, and have frequently refnsed him admission to the house. He was not wanted there, and on several occasions' I.have sent him away, spring tl'at Mr. Hublitz was not in. There,was some trouble about a debt, I believe." '...' '-..".'■. "Yes," said tho accused, ."I was working for HuWitz for nine months, and : was only paid for ono. month; and:it.was,at ,K> a'month. She got two drunken nieii ; to come to tho Court and swear that I was paid. I saw them coming out of the hotel before they came along. And tho case was dismissed." v It was pointed out that this Irmblo was four years old. ' . . Sergeant Forster stated that the man was from the Ohiro Home. Tho" manager of tho home had informed him by tulenhone tl>at accused hud been rattier strariije of late. To Mr. Short's ouestion wliy he had left the home, accused made reply, "I camo out for the i»obd of my health, 1 to seo some tf my fiiends. I.had a day off, and went for « valk along tho beach. It's a good resort, this." A conviction wos recorded,' and the aoensed still protesting that "nil men were alike in the dark, was ordered to rmy the cost of repairs (10s.), and Court fees (55.). , : TEPID .BATHS FOR PETONE. •'/.- Thei borough engineer (Mr. W. H. Cook) will submit to the Petone Council to-morrow ovening a report on tho. proposal to establish swimming baths locally. It is .doubtful whether an estimate ofithe cost,will be ready, and'vhis IS an item to be.' fixed before the council goes into the'- yearly estimates. • As regards site, the recommendation is made that the baths should be placed on a stony ridge at ■ the_ south . end of the Kecreation Ground, in a position easily approachable from Btiick Street ■or Britannia Street. It erected, in-this vicinity, a feed-pipe from, the sea could -be conveniently connected. The scheme to ho submitted is for a tepid bath, covcred_ by.'a glnss. roof. .The pool, as proposed, is lftO feet'.by 35 feet, increasing in depth to a maximum of 10 feet. : Dressing accommodation is provided on either side, single rooms to bo erected for about sixty bathers. One proposal is to erect threo tiers of seats above the dressing boxes, sufficient to accdmmodate six or seven hundred people, and,, in another part, a bandstand is included, this space to be used at ordinary times for the drying of towels and costumes. Six hot water showers are among tlfe fittings, the idea being to induce every bather to -use the hot shower before entering the pool. , '■'... In the opinion of tho engineer, the local athletic bodies mightibe induced to subsidise the baths, and further, financial support might be expected from the Education Board. The school children of Petona. were very badly off atpresent in the matter of swimmine facilities, and the girls were.lotb to bathe off the beach'.

' NO-LICENSE LEAGUE. ■ ' A meeting of the Ilntt No-License League was held last evening, the Ecv. T. A. Williams (president) bein? in tho. chair. The Rev. J. W. Isitt; representing the New Zealand Alliance, reported that the whole of the cost duo to the' Liquor party, in connection with the recent magisterial inquiry had now been paid. The executive expressed appreciation of the hearty resporise\mado by supporters throughout, the electorate, vin the matter of contributions. , The president was appointed to represent the !??!?."? Nt the annual convention to he held in Christohuroh next month. V Arrangements are completed for holding a series of monthly entertainments during the winter; the first (in June) to bo'a lecture, "Under tho Stars and Stripes," by Mr. H. N. Holmes, of the Wellington Y.M;C.A. The proposal to hold a bazaar was discussed, but further consideration was "deferred foi throe months.