LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 19290, 1 July 1926, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

“This is a most distressing and difficult case,” said Mr l'\ K. Hunt, S.M., in the Police Court, Auckland, in summing up in a case in which Joseph Mercer was charged with negligently driving a motor car. The car crashed into a post near Papakura on the night of January 22, Harry Kingston Booth, one of five passengers, being killed, while another, a woman, lost her sight. “The loss of liio has become so serious, and there aro so many motor cars on the road, Unit speeding and other _ offences must be checked,” the magistrate said. “ 1 am sorry, indeed, to have to convict Mercer. It is stated that the road where the car camo to grief is dangerous; but all roads have danger points, and it behoves motorists to approach these danger points with the gravest caution. 1 say again, I am sorry for Mercer; but other people must be made to realise that when they come before the court lor negligent driving, they must bo punished. 1 would like to let Mercer off, but 1 have a duty to perform, and punishment seems to bo the only deterrent.” The magistrate then sentenced Mercer to one month’s imprisonment, but later, when counsel announced that he had lodged an application for appeal, sentence was postponed. A rather sensational happening, but, fortunately, unattended by serious accident, occurred close on 5 o’clock ■last night at Westport, as the children were .streaming out of the Theatre Royal after witnessing the screening ol ‘ Glorious New Zealand.’ A grocer’s horse and delivery cart came round an adjacent corner and darted up the street close to the theatre, the children scattering in all directions. The horse ran up on to the footpath, where the shaft of the cart got caught in a fence, and the horse broke free. A lad fell in front of the horse, but it stepped over him, and another lad (Henry Mackenzie) then got hold of the animal and retained his hold until the owner arrived on the scene and led it away. The only damage done, apart from the harness, was the smashing of a verandah post as the horse and cart camo into Palmerston street.

Ilonald George Dunn and Malcolm Anstico Rafferty were discovered by a motor car owner in his car in an hotel yard at Wellington. _The radiator was hot, but the men denied converting the car to their own use. When giving evidence in the court the owner said that when lie tried to drive the car away ono of the men tried to break las wrist. Ho drove to the Taranaki police station, where men were arrested. Dunn gave evidence that Bafl'erty proposed to show him hoiv tlie gears worked. The car was driven only a few yards backwards and forwards. Halferty and lie had arrived by a Sydney boat, and they had had sumo drink", but wore not drunk. Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., fined each accused £5, with costs, and damages to tho car £6 2s. The charge of assault was not regarded as serious, and was dismissed.

An inmate of tho Borstal Institution, Invercargill, named William Howell, who was serving a period of three years’ reformative treatment, effected an escape yesterday after 2 p.rn. He was working with soveral others on the edge of tho bush on the Borstal, near the golf links, collecting fencing posts and manuka scrub. His absence was not noticed lor some time. High I. officers of the Borstal and lour constables are now searching lor him at Otatara. where he was seen in the vicinity of the golf links by a resident. As ho bad . a good hour’s start it is possible that .some time will elapse before his recapture.' lie is twenty, years of age, sft oin in height, and of medium build. He has a fresh complexion, dark brown hair, and grey, o.ves. At the time of his escape he was dressed in brown moleskin trousers, blue moleskin jacket, and a .brown moleskin bat.

For illegally trapping opossums during the close season, Henry. Neamo (£2), Frank Neamo (£5), Andrew Bao (£1), Frank Preston (£5), Samuel A. Case (£5), and Walter Case (£.‘>j were convicted at Grcymouth. and fined the amounts staled, with costs. At the Knraara Magistrate’s Court, on a charge of obstructing the ranger, A. Case and S. M. Case were each lined £lO, with costs.

One of the first New Zealand sawmills to be operated by _ means of electric ■ power is Mr Halliday’s new mill at Waitano. The power was switched on from the Southland Power Board’s station at Monowai yesterday. The total installation required to operate all the plant is 156 h.p. The results so far have been more than sa 1 ; ■,factory.