PENALTY REDUCED

Evening Star, Issue 19263, 31 May 1926, Page 8

PENALTY REDUCED

A SETTING CASE [ler United Preps-Association.] GISBORNE, May 31. Recently Charles Cron and Arthur Owen were fined £SO each on a charge of loitering at Ruatoria. for the purpose of betting, it transpired after decision had been given that neither accused nor counsel had been notified that judgment was to be given, and Mr Barnard (solicitor for defendants) appealed, and the magistrate agreed to hear counsel on the question of mitigation of penalty. Mr Bernard to-day contended that the charges were identical with cases heard at the Supreme Court and dismissed by the jury. Inspector Eccles stated that a. jury’s decision did not affect a magistrate’s verdict. If juries’ verdicts . were followed there would be no bookmakers convicted.

Mr Barnard contended that as no charges had been heard against defendants for a number of years they should bo treated as first offenders.

The magistrated agreed to this course, and inflicted the minimum penalty or £2O;

Over the cotton fields of the United States aeroplanes are being used for dropping disinfectant dusts to combat the insect pests that are so destructive to this most important crop. Fifty thousand acres of cotton were dusted in this way with calcium arsenate during 1925. Kesults were so successful that this area will be considerably extended during 1926. Great progress has been made in the development ot special aeroplanes for this purpose.