TELEGRAMS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 112, 13 May 1910, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

♦ LOCKER SYSTEM IN CLUBS. SYDENHAM WILL CONTINUE IT. [BT TBLEOBAPH — SPECIAL TO THE POST.] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The locker system adopted in some clubs as a means of allowing members to purchase on Saturday night liquor to be consumed on the club premises on Sunday has been the subject of considerable public discussion recently, the efforts of those who have opposed the practice having been directed particularly against the Sydenham Working Men's Club. The system was discussed at cwo public meetings, and resolutions were passed asking the Minister of Internal Affairs to introduce legislation that would prevent clubs from evading the spirit, if not the letter, of the Licensing Act. It was announced recently that the Sydenham Club would take a ballot on the question, of abolishing the system, and. the announcement was interpreted by many people as meaning that the club desired to prevent the matter going to the Minister, but the majority of the club members appear to hav6 no qualms of conscience on the subject. The ballot was taken yesterday, and by a majority of ten votes the members decided to retain their facilities for Sunday refreshment. FINANCES OF A BOOKMAKER. £BY TELEGBAVB — SPECIAL TO THE POST.] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A judgment summons was heard at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, and threw some light on the methods adopted by a bookmaker to finance his business. Judgment had been given against him on 10th March, for a debt of nearly £20. The debtor said that he was a bookmaker, and had not earned any money since judgment was given against him. He had been to the Canterbury Jockey Club's Faster meeting, and had attended one day!s racing conducted by the Metropolitan Trotting Club during the same week. He had had to pay £10 per day for a license t& bet, but as lie had no money the fees had been paid by another man, who took twothirds of the profits. The magistrate, Mr. H. W. Bishop, S.M., said that it was deplorable that a young, able-bodied man' such as the debtor was, should place himself in such a position. He did not think the Jockey Club would have given him a license had it known that he was financed by another man. GOVERNMENT'S INACTIVITY. THE ONGARUE-STRATFORD RAILWAY. [BY TELEGRAPH — SPECIAL TO THE POST.} AUCKLAND, This Day. Settlers interested are complaining of the delay on the part of the Government in not making a start with the Ongarue-Stratford railway, from the Ongarue terminus. An indignation meeting was recently held at the Niho Niho dairy factory, and resolutions were passed protesting against the Government's inactivity. It was decided to forward the following resolution to Sir Joseph Ward: "That this meeting protests against the inactivity of the Government in fulfilling their pledge in connection with the Ongarue-Stratford^ railway, and' expresses regret at the attitude adopted by the Minister for Public Worlcs (Hon. R. M'Kenzie) to the deputation which waited on him at Wellington. That this meeting also petitions the Prime Minister to do his utmost in forwarding the construction of the railroad from the Gngarue terminus." ..i resolution passed for transmission to the Minister for "Public Works expresses the opinion that the Minister is paying little or no regard to the muchneeded work, points out that the pledge to commence the railroad from the Ongarue terminus has been dangled before, the eyes of the electors of Oh-ura ever since the Government took office, and asks for a definite date when the first sod' will be turned. THE SANDON TRAMWAY. [BI TELEGHAP&--SPECIAL TO THE POST.] PALMERSTON N., This Day. The Manawatu County Council lias been informed that the Minister for Public Works cannot *see his way to allow the extension of the Sandon tramway to connect with the railway system at Greatford or any other point. This is the tramway along the route of the proposed deviation of the Main Trunk line, for which there has been considerable agitation. At its meeting yesterday the council passed a resolution regretting* the refusal^ of the Government to allow it to connect with the railway, and asking that as objection is taken to local bodies doing the construction work, the Government be asked to complete the tramway (about five miles) and take it over. t rrRESS ASSOCIATION.! SEQUEL TO A COLLISION. CLAIM FOR DAMAGES. CHRISTCHURCH, 12th May. The Board of Governors of the Canterbury Agricultural College were proceeded against in the Magistrate's Court to-day by Jesse Thomas Blakemore, who claimed £60 5s 6d for damages sustained by him in a collision between his motor car and a dray driven by a servant of defendants. Counsel for plaintiff stated that on 6th December last, plaintiff, when motoring, met a dray belonging to Lincoln College. Loaded on the dray was a pole thirty feet in lengtht, extending from the horse's head at one end and about thirteen feet beyond the back of the dray. As the two vehicles met, the horse swerved, swinging the pole round, and the end struck plaintiff, rendering him unconscious and incapable of controlling his. car, with the result that it ran into a fence at the side of the road and was damaged. The case was one which spoke for itself, as defendants, while entitled to cany the load, had Tendered themselves liable for any injury which was occasioned through the load being carried in such a waj that it might have caused injxiry as the result of accident. Plaintiff's car was damaged, and **or three weeks he had been wholly prevented from attending to his business. For two week he had been able to do only light work, and was still unable to perform duties that he had carried out previou&ly. The defence also called evidence to show that the accident was due to plaintiff's- negligent driving, and would not have occurred if he had exercised proper care and had not .been driving so fast as to frighten the horse. Oh the application of counsel for plaintiff, the case was adjourned for legal argument. THE NAPIER LOAN. PREMIER SPEAKS PLAINLY. NAPIER, 12th May. The Mayor of Napier has received the following telegram from the Premier :—: — "Your telegram re borough loan : I am not, and never have been, against trams,

but it was never intended to put them, before necessities. I think you had better see me on the points in your telegram. Naturally, lam not inclined to send any further assurances to a corporation that has already had them, and prefers to waste about £1000 a year of their ratepayers' money to following a sensible course. — J. G. Ward." PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS. AUCKLAND, 12th May. At the Magislrate'st Court to-day, Messrs. Hardley and Hardley, wholesale tinsmiths, were defendants in' an information charging them with having employed a non-unionist named Parker, in contravention of the Auckland tinsmiths' award, which provides for preference to unionists. Defendant's explanation was that they had advertised for a man, and Parker was the only man who answered the advertisement, and he said he wa6 a member of the Wellington Union. After hearing the evidence, Mr. Kettle, S.M., said he was satisfied that defendants had acted honestly in the matter, bui» they should have asked the man to produce his union ticket. A fine of .10s, with costs, was imposed. CONGESTION AT NELSON. * NELSON, 12th May. Absolute congestion prevails at the Railway Wharf, owing to the utterly inadequate facilities for handling cargo, and especially in shed accommodation, when direct shipments are being distributed. The Opawa's transhipped cargo by the Moura took three days to discharge, working from 8 a.m. to midnight, while it should hays been distributed in a single day. The Pateena has been taking backwards and forwards from Wellington a good portion of the Opawa's Nelson cargo owing to inability to land it. No extra facilities- for handling cargo have been provided by the Railway Department for twenty years, though the department have long been urged to complete the wharfage extension and to provide sufficient storage in time foi the increased traffic necessitated by direct shipments, and an improved harbour. But long delays ensued, and, though the wharfage extension has now started work, it is incomplete. SUPREME COURT CASES. CHRISTCHURCH, 12th May. At the Supreme Court to-day, Frank Reed, brought up for sentence for the theft of moneys from the Lyttelton Pirates Football Club, was admitted to probation and ordered to repay the club at the rate of £25 half-yearly. James Carney, for theft from the person, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, and his Honour recommended that he should be sent to the Invercargill Gaol, "where, he understood, there was a separate department for those not previously convicted. Harry Shaw, for forgery, was admitted to probation for twelve months. The sessions of the court have closed. ARBITRATION COURT. CHRISTCHURCH, 12th May. The Arbitration Court to-day directed the parties to the dispute between the agricultural and pastoral labourers and employers to confer, with a view to a settlement on the basis of the South Canterbury award. The court heard evidence in the dispute in the brick and tile industry. An agreement was reached on all points except wages and preference, and the workers asked an award on all fours with that ruling in Auckland. HABITUAL CRIMINAL'S STORY. CHRISTCHURCH, 12th May. When Charles R. M'Pherson came before the Supreme Court to-day for sentence for theft from the Spiritualists' Church, he made a long statement, in which he said his life had been a most unfortunate one. He had been sent to an industrial school for being neglected when a child, and since then he had been in trouble for the past forty years. After receiving several bentences in Australia he went to South Africa and committed further crimes. He was then deported and left for England, afterwards coming out to New Zealand. He did not receive & penny on leaving tho ship, and landted in New Zealand penniless. He tried to get work in New Zealand, but had failed. Mr. Justice Cooper said he had no doubt what prisoner said was true. If a man could not control his evil tendencies, however, there was a duty both to accused and to the public to see that the man committed no further crimes. Prisoner would be sentenced to six months' imprisonment for theft, and would be declared an habitual criminal. That course would be as much to the interest of the prisoner as to the public. Prisoner would receive training and discipline, and probably would be taught a trade which would enable him to earn, his own living when he came out of gaol. • "COLLECTION OF ROGUES." CHRISTCHURCH, 12th May. A case possessing curious features came before the Supreme Court to-day. It was a charge of theft with personal violence. The chief witness for the Crown admitted being a convicted thief, and three witnesses for the defence made similar admissions. One, on being asked where he met complainant, said, "Unfortunately, in Wellington Gaol." "Were you on business there or an inmate?" queried the Judge. "Inmate," was tho response. The Judge said the case had brought together a nice collection of rogues, and directed the jury to find a verdict of not guilty. BOOKMAKER FINED FOR STREET OBSTRUCTION. AUCKLAND, 12th May. Edward Jones . was charged at the Police Court to-day with obstructing footpaths in Vulcan-lane and Highstreet. Defendant, who is a bookmaker, pleaded not guilty, and Mr. Hackett, who appeared for him, contended that a person could stand with absolute impunity in the street provided no actual act of obstruction could be proved against him. Counsel further stated that there was now an epidemic on the part of the law for prosecuting bookmakers, and that many others would doubtless be summoned before the police relapsed into inactivity once more. Mr. Cutten, S.M., held that the defendant's evidence showed that he used the streets for the transaction of business, and this fact, when taken in conjunction with the fact that he had been seen frequently during the day, was quite sufficient to support the present charges The defendant would be fined £5, and costs on the first charge, and Is and costs on the second.

When your cough is irritating, And your throat is dry and sore. When you have the influenza, And don't want it any more? If you wish to ease your throttle Take the remedy that's pure — Go at once and buy a bottle Of Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. -Advt.