LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 20118, 7 March 1929, Page 16

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Joseph Moreland, aged thirty-two, a seaman, stole a saxophone and case or the value of £35 from a boarding-house in Wellington, where he was stayingand pawned the instrument for £4. Thefts of money had also taken place, and these'were attributed to Moreland, who, however, did not admit them. He pleaded guilty to the thelt of the saxophone, and got three months imprisonment.—Press Association. The annual meeting of the Congregational Union of New Zealand was commenced in Napier last evening, and will be continued for a week. Delegates are present from various parts of the dominion. Mr Harold _ Ennor (Auckland) delivered the presidential address, which was followed by the ordination of Pastor James Smeeth, of Raglan, the charge being delivered by the Rev. Lionel .13. Fletcher (Auckland). The business session? were opened to-day after the official welcome ceremony. The annual conference of the Master Painters, Decorators, and Sign-writers’ Federation was continued at AVelJingtou yesterday. With _ regard to the examination of apprentices, it was decided to make an effort to arrange for a uniform syllabus for apprentices attending technical colleges, and also for a uniform grade of examination throughout the dominion. The following resolution was carried:—“That the Government he urged to amend the Liens Act by making it mandatory as a condition of contract that the provisions of the Liens Act must apply and be adopted to eacli contract entered into between the employer or owner and the contractor and subcontractor.” The conference discussed the question of the possibility of the danger of fire arising from the painting of roofs with paints of a bituminous or tar basis. The standard price list was revised. A claim for £3ll for a compound fracture of the ring finger of the right hand was brought by Leslie Mastyn Fowler, a butter maker, against Henry Angus Munro, a farmer. The injury was received in a collision betw*»n the plaintiff, who was riding a motor cycle, and a motor lorry driven by an employee of the defendant. The facts were admitted. The jury awarded £l9B and costs.—Hamilton message.

Disregarding the grand jury’s finding of a true bill against Joe Te Keo on a charge of unlawfully wounding a cow, Mr Justice Ostler (says a Press Association telegram from Gisborne) took the responsibility of discharging the prisoner without a trial. His Honour said it was clear that there was no case to go to a jury, and it would be idle to proceed with the prosecution. He directed, therefore, under section 37 of the Crimes Act, that the accused be not arraigned. With reference to a telegram irom Woodville, in which Sir Joseph Ward states that the report of his speech at Gisborne has created a wrong impression through being distorted in condensation, reference to the original shows that it was sent correctly and in the form he approved. Apparently the telegram has been wrongly filled in by some papers, and a different meaning given to it from what Sir Joseph really said. Concluding his tour of the South Island, the' Postmaster-General (the Hon. J. B. Donald) arrived at Blenheim yesterday from Kaikoura, and was accorded a welcome on the occasion of his first official visit to Blenheim. Responding to the welcome, Mr Donald said he had learned a great deal about the South Island during his trip. “I have travelled from north to south and back again, not through the West Coast, it is true, but what J. have seen has surprised me bevond measure. I am sure that the south has just as much to be proud of as we have in the north. It has wonderful possibilities. 1 am glad this is so because we have thought the north the only place that wanted population.” After receiving a number of deputations, the Minister attended the old identities’ dinner in celebration of the diamond jubilee of the borough of Blenheim.