BRIEF ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 126, 25 February 1928, Page 10

BRIEF ITEMS

FROM FAR AND NEAR Another Gift for Debt Reduction.— Mr. Winstone Churchill has announced a further anonymous gift of £11)00 worth of 5 per cent, war stock for-the reduction of the National Debt.—Press Assn. Late Mr. C. Speight’s Estate—Tho estate of the late Charles Speight, brewer, has been sworn for probate at about £250,000, reports a Dunedin Press Association message. Unlawfully on Racecourse.—John Raven Holmes was yesterday fined £2 in the Magistrate’s Court by Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., for trespassing on the Tauherenikau racecourse while excluded under the Gaining Act.

Death of Maori Footballer.— William Lockwood, the Maori -ill Black threequarter, died at Tolaga Bay, states a Riess Association message from Gisborne. He suffered a recurrence of a head injury which he received three years ago-

Solicitor Fined £s9.— ln the Auckland Magistrate’s Court, Selwyn Mays, a solicitor, was fined £5O fur failing to have his trust account audited.—Press Assn.

Fined for Bookmaking.—W. Ambler, a farmer, who was described as a “silver better,” was fined £3O at Ngaruawahui on Thursday tor bookmaking, • dates a Press Association message from Hamilton.

Suicide by Poisoning.—A verdict of suicide by poisoning was returned by Hie Coroner (Mr. Wilson, S.M.), at Hamilton yesterday, when an inquest was held concerning the death of Bertram Martin, single, aged 20, who succumbed to the effects of swallowing poisonous tablets while in a depressed state of mind.—Press Assn.

An Unwitnessed Fatality.—The adjourned inquest on Norman Castleton and Henry Thomas Young, two youths who succumbed to injuries received in a motor-cycle collision, at Okoroire, on January 28, was concluded at Hamilton yesterday, the Coroner returning a formal verdict that the deaths were duo to injuries sustained in an accident which nobody witnessed. —Press Assn.

Alleged Horse Theft.—A mild sensation was caused in Ruatoria cn Thursdav when Clarence George Unll- owner of'Calithe, which ran at the Waiapu races, was arrested for alleged Inert of a thoroughbred jumping mare belonging to Henry' Douglas de Latour, cf Wairoa. The accused was remanded to Gisborne. —Press Assn.

Boys’ Institute Street Day.—Owing to inclement weather, yesterday s street collection on behalf of the Boys’ Institute did not realise the amount , aimed at. However, on behalf of the committee, Mr. W. J. Jordan (director of the institutes wishes to thank all those who assisted in any way to bring the total to approximately £l5O.

Tobacconist!: Fined. —M. Berman, L. Sowman, and M illiam Unsworth, tobacconists, were each fined £1 and costs by Mr. AV. G. Riddell, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, yesterday, for failing to close their shops at the proper time recently. Unsworth was also convicted and ordered to pay 10s. costs for failing to observe a statutory half-holiday.

Growth of V/.E.A— The annual meeting of tho Dominion Council of ths Workers’ Educational Association was held at Christchurch ye<teiday, the Mayor welcoming the visiting delegates. The report stated that the growth of the AV.E..A. in this country had reached a point when it should he considered, a distinct part of the national system of education. There were 133 classes formed last session, with 6157 students. — Press Assn.

Rogue and Vagabond Imprisoned.— Frederick Smith, a labourer, aged 31. who admitted being a rogue and a vagabond, was sentenced to six months’ iinprisonme.nl: with hard labour by Mr. A\ . G. Riddell, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Sub-Inspector Lander said that accused, who stated that be had done no work for six months, had been found on the waterfront destitute, and in a. filthv condition. For some time past he had been living on meals obtained on various ships in port.

Medical Reports on Daylight Saving. —The effect of daylight saving upon the health of the community was one of the questions raised nt the council of the British Medical Association, states a Press Association message from Hamilton. The council did not record any opinion on the subject, it being decided to obtain reports from the thirteen different divisions throughout the Dominion, and to reopen the subject at the quarterly meeting of the council in Wellington in June.

Robbing the Public.—"lt is robbing the public; that’s what it is, and he’s fined £5,” said .Mr. F. K. Hunt. S.M., in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when Hop Hing was charged with 'having an incorrect spring balance. An inspector of weights and measures said that Hing’s scales were 21 ounces out against tho buyer.—Special Service.

Jockeys Fined For Fighting.—Two jockeys. Albert Henrv Daley (aged 28) and William Baden Powell Ayres (aged 27), appeared yesterday morning in tho Auckland Magistrate’s Court, and admitted having fought in Albert Street: yesterday. Senior Sergeant Cummings .said that an old standing grievance concerning horse racing led to an argument. and later to a fistic discussion. Mr. F. K. Hunt. S.M.. ordered each to pay a fine of £l.—Special Service.

Acquitted of Embezzlement.—Thomas Henry Herbert Sinclair was acquitted in the New Plymouth Supremo Court yesterday on fifteen charges of embezziin" funds of the Taranaki Hospital Board, totalling £l3O. Sinclair is a member of the Hospital Board, resident at Opunake, where one of his duties was, as secretary to the local cottage hospital, to collect fees from patients and pay them to the board and also to rmike disbursements on behalf of tha board. The defence was that unsatisfactory state of tho accounts was due entirely to niuddlements. —Press Assn.

Escaped Prisoners Captured.—After seven months’ liberty, William Scholes, who escaped from custody on July 27, was arrested in Mount Albert district yesterday. At the time of his escapes Scholes was being transferred with two other prisoners from Wellington to Mount Eden prison. The train was crowded, and Scholes evidently took advantage of conditions following the transhipment of passengers as the result of a slip at Karaka. He is thought to have jumped from the window of the carriage soon after transhipment was effected. Scholes’s arrest followed the detention of another man alleged to be concerned in the passing of valueless cheques in the Dominion Hoad district. —Press Assn.