BRIEF ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 11, 7 October 1927, Page 12

BRIEF ITEMS

FROM FAR AND NEAR

Norman Legal Time.—The Secretary, General Post Office, has received advice that normal legal time was restored iu Portugal at midnight on Saturday last, and in the Irish Free State at 2 a.m. on Sunday.

Another Writ for Alleged Libel.—Another writ for alleged libel arising out of the election campaign, has been issued in the Sydney Supremo Court, bringing the total damages claimed to £91,000.— Press Assn.

Body Found in River.—A body found floating in the river at Greymouth yesterday morning is believed to be that of Simon Jamieson, a seaman on the Gabriella, who fell over the wharf on the night of September 21. —Press Assn.

Une-legged Man’s Crimes— Ptoy Allen, a one-legged man, who was sentenced yesterday at Blenheim to three months’ imprisonment on five charges of false pretences and vagrancy, was described as a drug addict. The Bench recommended medical treatment whilst in gaol.—Press Assn.

Levine’s Gift for Mussolini Baby.— Near Signor Mussolini’s villa at Romagna, Levine, who was a passenger by an air liner to Vienna, dropped a parachute, to which was attached a watch, a birthday jrift to the baby Romano. Tho parachute fell on telephone wires, and the packet was delivered at the villa. —A.P.A. and “Sun.”

Lyttelton Tunnel Electrification.—The prices involved in the contracts recently let by the Railway Department in connection with the electrification of the Lyttelton tunnel are given in a gazette notice issued last night. The details are: Electric locomotives (Messrs. CoryWright and Salmon, Wellington), £47,958; overhead equipment (Messrs. Cory-Wright and Salmon, Wellington), £18,319 6s. 7d.-

Public Works Tenders— Tenders recently accepted by the Public Works Department include the following.— Waikaremdana, section G 6, 50-ton crane, £1720, c. and f., J. Carrick and Sons Ltd.; Porirua Mental Hospital, assistant medical officer’s residence, £1714, H. H. Olliver; Arapuni, sections 225 and 22G, 110 K.V. switchgear and steelwork, £5530, Metro-Vickers Electric Co., Ltd.

Shocking Treatment of Insane Girl.— A Press Association message from Warsaw states that while searching the house of an eccentric widow named Rosenberg, the police found, held prisoner in a cellar., a nude, emaciated, insane eighteen-year girl, who disappeared thirteen years ago. The jiolice sav they have proof that she has been fed since only on raw potatoes. Mrs. Rosenberg violently resisted arrest.

Domestic Tragedy in Swaziland. —A. tragedy is reported from Swaziland, where E. B. Morris, aged 42, a popular footballer and cricketer, shot his wife and four children while they were asleep, and then shot himself. All are dead. Morris sustained serious head injuries at football several years ago. We left a letter stating that he was a failure, and had decided to end things.— Press Assn.'

Appointment of Teachers.—lhe following appointments of school teachers have been made by the Wellington Education Board: —Berhampore, assistant mistresses, Miss B. Crawford and Miss S. M. Cramner; Lyall bay, assistant master, Mr. R. L. Grono; Tokomaru, head teacher, Mr. E. J. Gilmor; Ta liana, sole teacher, Miss P. E. Morrison.

•Costs and Judgments.—“’Practitioners fiddle about and fiddle about and quarrel over costs instead of getting them fixed by the Registrar,” said Mr. Justice Sim in the Court of,.Appeal yesterday , when discussing -the procedure of the bar after 'Supreme Court judgments are delivered. ' “Some of- you seem to be under the misapprehension that you can’t seal the judgment until you get the exact amount of costs fixed. This is wrong, and the sooner you know this the better."

Judge’s Suggestion.—There had been suggestions made that Black nd V'hita Cabs sought a monopoly of the colours black and white, said counsel in the Supreme> Court yesterday. This was not so. They sought to retain what was an ugly combination, certainly, but a striking combination of the colours. Apart from. that their competitors might have .black and white stripes, crosses or squares. “I should think that a black and white tartan would be an effective combination,” said Mr. Justice MacGregor. Withdrawal of Shipping News Services. The decision of the Government to stop the posting of telegraphic shipping news at post offices was adversely commented on in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr. C. E. Bellringer (Taranaki), who gave notice to ask the Postmaster-General, for' ..the reasons leading to the decision, which, he said, would deprive the' public of a valuable service which they had enjoyed for oyer..thirty years. Censorship of. Films.—Tribute to the standard of the film censorship in the Dominion was paid at a gathering of motion picture exhibitors - yesterday byMr. A. J. McCurdy. "As an exhibitor, he said, “I have never had reason to reject one inch that had been censored. I have never had an inch that would not be fit to be screened in a church, no matter how prudish the congregation might be’. Ido not see any need for alteration in. the present form of censorship." Variation in Cement Prices.—When payments were being passed by the Waimea County Council meeting yesterday, it transpired that Tarakohe cement, in spite of a recent reduction in price.; could still be purchased cheaper in Wellington than at Nelson, there being a difference of ten shillings per ton in favour or the former port. It was stated that, if direct shipment were secured from England, cement could be landed at Nelson in fifty ton lots at 4s. per .ton cheaper than the local product. It was resolved that the company be approached with a. view to a reduction in the charges, other, /iso a supply would.be ordered from England.—Special Service.

Site for Permanent Artillery Camp.— The inspection of a site near Rotorua for the creation of a permanent artillery camp for the northern command, was made by Major-General R. Young (Commandant of the Forces), Lieut.-Colonel H R. Rotter, of the northern mand. and the director of artillery; Colonel E. Symon. The area inspected is four miles from Rotorua. The. ?<atue owners are agreeable in the matter, and it is probable that the camp will bo held there next year.—l’res. Assn.

Dalmatian’s Suicide—At the inquest of Stipan Lovick, a Dalmatian, .a single man, aged 27, who cut his throat in his hut on the gumfield ar Aran„a on Wednesday, the evidence showed that the deceased had. been peculiar in the early morning, and had comp-ained that he was not well. It.is surmised -that ho was feeling the effects of the sun, as he had been working out in the fields lho day before without a hat. a few minutes before his death he. had asked a mate to leave the room while lie changed his clothes, as he. intended to resume work. A -erdict of suicide while temporarily insane was returned. -—Press Assn.

Leave to Appeal Refused.—Yestei day the Court of Appeal refused leave to anneal against a decision f Mr. Justice Ostler, on the ground that notice of motion was not given within the necessary period after the scaling ot the judgment. The case was one which Mr. Justice Ostler held that £•458 in the hands of the Cambridge Cooperative Dairy Co. was really the property of a Mrs. Porrit, mid not of her husband, a bankrupt, ano non suited the Official Assignee of the husband, who claimed this amount. Mr. I. H. Watts, of Hamilton, appeared for the appellant, and Mr. E.. H, Northcrott, with him Mr. A. L. 3 oniKins, of Auckland, lor tho* respondent.