LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 20320, 31 October 1929, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

]3y a two to one majority the Palmerston North ratepayers carried a £14,000 loan proposal tor improved reticnlatipn and an artesian well as a supplementary supply.

An unusual position arose in the Supreme Court, Palmerston North, when the case against William Wallace Clifford, who was charged with breaking and entering premises with intent to commit a crime, was concluded. The jury returned a verdict of guilty of breaking and entering. His Honour (Mr Justice Blair) asked the foreman if the jury intended to indicate that the accused was not guilty of any intent to commit a crime. The foreman replied in the affirmative. His Honour commented that that constituted, in effect, a verdict of not guilty to the charge in the indictment, and he would have to view it in that manner. Discharging the accused, His Honour said: “ Although the jury found you guilty of breaking and entering, that is not a. crime in the criminal calendar. You were charged with breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime. The verdict amounts, in effect, to one of not guilty to the charge.”

Appearing at Wellington tor a mechanic named Leonard, Mangham, aged thirty-six, who pleaded not guilty to • resisting Detective Kane in the execution of his duty, Mr Sievwright suggested that the police story of the man resisting three burly constables was absurd. Detective Kane had given evidence that, with Detective Robinson and Constable Nalder, he went to a house at Lower Hutt for the purpose of executing a warrant for the arrest of the accused. On seeing them the accused became very excited and- told them to get out. When told they had a warrant he said, “Warrant or no warrant, you’re getting out,” and rushed at Kane, appearing to have a small pocket knife in his hand. W hen caught by each arm by the other two he resisted violently, and a small file dropped out of his hand. He was handcuffed and shown the warrant. Mr Sievwright gave another version of the story, and two women who live-in the house . also gave evidence. The Magistrate remarked that previous occasions Detective Kano had visited the house to make inquiries regarding certain _ matters, and this seemed to have inflamed the mind of the accused. His Worship said he thought that when the three officers went out to the house on this particular day they anticipated trouble. The fact that three men went seemed to indicate that the defendant met the police with a certain amount of resentment, and that there was a struggle. He had come to the conclusion that the police had told what was a substantially accurate story. Mangham was fined £lO, in default twenty-one days’ imprisonment. and on a charge of stealing radio apparatus, of a total value of £2O. he was remanded to appear at Otaki on Friday.

The fact that some wool-growers are reported to he shearing this week within a few days of heavy rains has caused some comment at Napier. Wet shorn wool naturally is heavier than when dry, and it is stated authoritatively that buyers in the past have suffered considerable losses through sheep being shorn when the wool was wet. One buyer is said to have lost £BOO on one purchase. In consequence of complaints from buyers, growers whose wool shows a loss of weight will have to meet debit notes from the brokers. It- is also stated that some of last season’s clip, when opened up in England and the Continent, have been found to be falely packed by rougher wools being put in the centre of the bale. This is another matter concerning which buyers are said to be determined to protect themselves.

The Auckland Radio Exhibition was opened in the Town Hall last night. The Postmaster-General (Sir J. B. Donald) declared the exhibition open in a speech from Wellington, transmitted by a long-distance telephone broadcast by station IYA, and picked up by receivers in the hall. Mr Donald announced that, following requests made to him by a deputation in Auckland, be had decided to reduce the annual fee for amateur transmitting licenses from £2 5a to £llos, nfaking it the same as the receiving license foe. Other speakers included the mayor (Mr G, Baildon) and Mr John Ball, the chief announcer for the Radio Broadcasting Company.