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Evening Star, Issue 20972, 10 December 1931, Page 10

An objection to Detective-sergeant Revell acting as prosecutor and at the same time appearing as a witness in a case was raised by counsel for the accused when John Augustus Joans was charged at the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, with bag-snatching. The magistrate (Mr J. G. L. Hewitt) ruled, however,' that the detective-sergeant was entitled to prosecute. The magistrate said he thought that in England this was a common and ordinary practice, and in New Zealand ho know the practice applied. Mr Hewitt pointed out that if it wore laid down that a police officer who intended to give evidence could not prosecute the country would he put to enormous expense.:

Sitting at Grey mouth, the Arbitration Court upheld the appeal of the Dobson miner Brunner, who with 133 others was convicted on August 18 by M- W. Meklrum, S.M., on a charge of participating in an unlawful strike at tho Wallsoml mine. The miners said they objected to the engagement of tribute miners for surveying the mine. For tho appellant counsel contended that the evidence did not disclose a strike. There was no discontinuance of work in pursuance of an unders'anding to compel the. employees to agree to the conditions or accede to the demand. If the stoppage was a strike it was not unlawful. Mr Justice Frazer said that a strike was disclosed, but under section 4 of the Labour Disputes Investigation Act an unlawful strike had to refer to tho conditions of employment, but it did not in this instance. Tho appeal was upheld on tho ground that the strike was not unlawful. “ I take this opportunity of issuing a warning to those who have been mutilating books in the reference department of tho public library,” said CT M‘i ndoo in moving tho adoption of the report of tho Library Committee at the meeting of tho City Council last night. Ho said that if offenders wore caught the consequences would bo very serious. The pages torn out dealt with subjects of examinations, and those who took them had an unfair advantage over others sitting the exams. It was known that the offenders were students, and he gave the warning that a watch was being kept. Tho mayor said it did not require a Sherlock Holmes to come to the conclusion that the pages from books were taken by someone from a school where an examination was to be conducted on tho subject dealt with in the stolen pages. The offenders did not think much of the honour of their school. With the return of tho Prime Minister to Wellington Cabinet meetings were resumed yesterday, and it is understood that some consideration was given to the case of Coats, tho Wellington man sentenced to death for murder. No decision regarding tho final issue of tho sentence can bo made until the meeting of tho Executive Council, over which His Excellency the Governor-General presides.—Wellington correspondent. When the report of the General Committee was being considered at last night’s meeting of the City Council tho mayor (Mr 11. S. Black) said he had found that somebody had turned the motor parking place at tho top end of Dowling street into a day parking area by erecting a notice board which gave the impression that private cars could be left there at any time. He understood that this spot was intended for night parking only, and he wished to know why tho misleading board was there. Cr Hayward said the matter would bo inquired into and discussed at tho next meeting of the committee. The postal authorities advise that the Monowai, duo at Wellington on Monday from San Francisco, has 135 bags of mail for Dunedin. The mail is duo at the local office on Tuesday afternoon.

Beekeepers in North Otago have been worried of late because the drought has spoilt the clover and thus robbed the hoes of their sustenance. Thinking out tho problem, one of the i owners suggested writing to Air L. C. Hazlett, of Salisbury, asking if he could suggest anything. That gentleman promptly answered that they might send the bees to his place. “ What about the rent? ” they then inquired. The answer was that nothing would be charged. Accordingly sixty' hives were at onco transferred to Salisbury by motor, and there they' are, revelling in rich pasture. Clever little things as bees are, they' may have been inquisitive on thentrip down as to what such a journey meant for them. It was probably their first experience of a ride, i Four families are now being regularly aided by tho littlo committee of girls in tho employ of the ‘ Evening Star 7 proprietary out of the willing subscriptions by many of tho hands at sixpence per week. The fact is mentioned as a hint to whom it may concern that sixpences thus parted with aro well spent. It is considered likely' that the seven district associations in the South Island —Nelson, Marlborough, North Canterbury, Alid-Cantorbury, South Canterbury, Otago, and Southland —will bo competing for the shield that tho Meat Board is offering, with £3O, for the championship in frozen lambs. Otago is energetically preparing. The Meat Board is giving two such prizes, one /or each island. Tho killing is to be about the last week in January, and the carcasses are to ho shipped as soon as convenient for judging in England.

A fire at 4 o’clock this morning totally destroyed an eight roomed house in Pahiatua street, occupied by Mr H. Rushton. The family escaped after being awakened by tho flames, which were in close proximity to the rooms. The building was insured for £.1,000 and the furniture for £2so.—Palmerston North Press Association telegram. In all respects save that of the attendance, which was disappointing, the rose show of tho Dunedin Horticultural Society held yesterday was an undoubted. success. It 'was admirably managed by Mr G. A. Skene (president), Mr A. D. Miller (.secretary)', and the other office-bearers, and the quality, of tho exhibits was well up to the standard. The opinion of some of the exports was that the best roses in the show, were tho yellows shown by Mrs J. Stenhouse, of Palmerston. That exhibitor won the amateur championship and carried off seven of tho other nine amateur firsts, besides scoring first in the principal open or amateur class. Mr B. Madden’s roses wore also highly praised, _ and his win in tho open championship was failjudging. Ho has previously competed in the amateur section, and, having won that championship outright, ho has now advanced to open honours. His place is at North-east Valley. In our hurriedly-written notice yesterday the name of" Lady Eorgusou was inadvertently omitted from the list of exhibitors' for exhibition only. From that lady’s garden at Musselburgh came a nice stand of lupins, delphiniums, ami roses. The Otago Expansion League received advice from the Minister of Public Works (Hon. J. G. Coates) at its meeting on Tuesday night that owing to the shortage of money at tho disposal of the department work on the Haast Pass road was to be discontinued. The league decided to again approach the Minister and press for further work_ upon the road, requesting that a portion at least of the Otago payments of unemployed taxation should be spent upon a work which opened up prospects of future prosperity. A Thames Association telegram states that a spectacular fire at 10.15 last night destroyed an eight-roomed house on tho hill above Parawai. The owner, Mr William Alexander Martin, and his wife wore away, while tho hoy caretaker was also away. As tho build* ing was above tho water supply the brigade was helpless. It is understood that there was valuable furniture inside. At 1.15 this morning an alarm was again given by dancers returning home. The brigade turned out, but could do nothing to extinguish the fire among the ruins of the house.

At a meeting of the Otago Land Board yesterday’ tho question was considered of recommending that an area of Crown land (3 acres 1 rood 17 poles) included in the boundaries of Arthurton Settlement bo declared settlement land. It was decided to recommend that tho area be so declared in accordance with section 105 of the Laud for Settlements Act, 1925.

An Association message from Napier states that the Chief Justice to-day suggested that where earthquake victims had gone bankrupt and their estates had been wound up the Adjustment Court should have power to annual their bankruptcies.

Amongst the pennings of sheep at Burnside yesterday were only three trucks of prime wethers, the balance being made up of plain light wethers, an odd pen or two of nice ewes, and a largo number of old ewes and hoggets. Competition for good quality was keen at an advance of Is 6d per head. The principal sales were of two trucks from Tapanui, which made up to 24s 6d (equal to 3 ! ]d lb). Prime ewes sold up to 18s, and plain and aged from 11s to 15s, working out at 2-Jd lb. As the season is very' dry' in North Otago, all the Oamaru buyers aro at present operating at tho weekly sales at Burnside.

In a brief editorial tho Auckland ‘Star’ of December 7 states: “This morning tho ‘ New Zealand Herald ’ reproves the ‘ Evening Post ’ for what it regards as disproportionate praise of Air Forbes’s leadership in the national crisis. Such emphasis on Air Forbes’s part in the fight, it says, ‘is to be regretted as inimical to the harmony that should obtain between the parties,’ and ‘to pedestal ’ Air Forbes ‘in special splendour is not justified by facts.’ One might say quite a lot about this line now taken by a paper that has persistently ‘ played up ’ the Reform Party, and especially its leader, for weeks past. One might mention Rotorua and Roskill. . But one may ho content with reminding the ‘ Herald ’ that, however much it may' dislike tho fact, Air Forbes is head of tho Coalition and Prime Alblister of the dominion. As such he is entitled to be singled out for praise, just as, if the Coalition had failed, ho would have been blamed.”

All preliminary arrangements are well advanced by Industries Limited for making a start some time next week with the actual work of cutting into that portion of the Wether stones cement deposit that is made available by tho completion of negotiations with tho Golden Crescent ,Sluicing Company. Drilling machinery' and general tools aro being assembled. Before very long something quite definite will bo experimentally learned as to what lies underground there.

Leigh Holdsworth Auton (19), belonging to Karamea (West Coast), who had been boarding in Brooklyn (Wellington) for about two weeks, went last evening to have a bath. A few minutes later another boarder, hearing a curious noise, went to the door and found it locked. Ho then went round to a window, but this was locked also. He got a screwdriver and opened the fanlight, and then saw Anton lying in tho bath with a pair of, headphones on. Ho forced an entry and endeavoured to remove tho phonos, but received a shock, whereupon ho emptied the bath, turned off tho switch, and called tiie police. Tho latter tried artificial respiration for an hour, but Anton was dead. Tho set was a home-made crystal sot, and it appears that Auton had plugged in a length of wire from the set to a hot point to act as an aerial. —Press Association telegram.

Hearing was concluded before His Honoui Mr, Justice Kennedy in the Supreme Court this morning of the case in which application was made for revocation of probate of tho will of Henry Lethaby. Tho plaintiff was Ada M. Lethaby, and the defendants wore the Perpetual Trustees Company and others. Tn° court was asked to recall probate and strike out certain words so that oftoct could be given to the testator’s intention. Counsel for tho various parties addressed the court, and His Honour reserved his decision. Only one case ciimo before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., in tho Police Court this morning, Patrick Gallagher, a statutory first offender, being convicted and discharged for drunkenness.

Save your eyes. Be wise, and consult W. V. Stunner (optician, 2 Octagon), thus conserving good vision for old age.— [Advt.] The Orkney and Shetland Association will hold a social in the Trades Hall on Saturday next. Various competitions will be held for adults and children. The benefit concert to be presented _in the St. Janies Theatre on Sunday evening promises to be ono of outstanding merit. Mr Ernest Drake has been entrusted the task of drawing up the programme, and he reports a ready response from all the best talent the city has to offer. Such artists as Freda Elmes, May Maihieson, Dorothy Allan, Eva Judd, Anita Winkol, Master Lex Macdonald, Max Schcrck, Ernest Drake, and a male quartet (John Kennedy, Jim MacFarlane, Cecil Hawes, and Alex. M.'Dowcll) have offered their services. Tho Kaikorai Band will also contribute to the entertainment, while Mrs Drake will play (he accompaniments. Tho programme will also include tho famous lliblical motion picture, ‘ Noah's Ark.’ Tho proceeds from this concert are, to be devoted to the providing of footwear for the needy children of tho unemployed.