DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 August 1927, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

(Per Prees Association.) MAORI’S THEFT GISBORNE, August 22. At the Supreme Court, a Maori named David Morris, alias David Kaimoana, aged 27, on a charge of breaking and entering a store with intent to commit a crime, was sentenced t', two years’ hard labour. ASSAULT CHARGE. HAMILTON, August 20. The arrest has been effected of Nathaniel Clark, farm labourer, of Eureka, in connection with an assault with a knife on Mr. Dillicar and a lady companion two nights ago. On a private information it was sought to have accused ordered to find sureties to keep the peace as complainant was afraid he intended to do him and the lady bodily harm. On an assurance being given to the contrary no objection was raised to the release of accused, and the case was adjourned till Wednesday. YOUTHFUL THIEVES. GISBORNE, August 23. Four youths, Sydney Peter Green, Thomas Newton, Thomas Graham and Richard Leech, connected with a series of thefts and burglaries during the past four months, were sentenced by Justice Ostler at the Supreme Court, this morning. Leech, who had previously been in a Borstal Institution, was ordered to be sent back for a period not exceeding five years. Green was committed to Borstal for three years. Newton and Graham were given two years’ probation. STOLE TO EAT. ASHBURTON. August 25. At the Police Court, a young man, Leonard Wright, a labourer, pleaded guilty, and was committed for sentence, on charges on July 19, of breaking and entering the Farmers’ Co-op. Association premises at Ashburton, and stealing goods valued at £6/5/6. also on July 13, breaking and entering the shop of Anna Lowry at Westerfield, and stealing goods and money totalling 32/4. A detective stated that accused (taid he was out of work for some time, and had no’ means of buying food, so decided to steal. NATIVE LANDS. TE KUITI, August 23. Keen interest is being displayed in the Conference being held at Te Kuiti on Thursday, to discuss the position in regard to native lands. Delegates will be present representing 35 local bodies in the North Island. The Natives will also have representatives, and Judge McCormack of the Native Land Court will be present. Many local bodies are facing a. serious position owing to the inability to collect rates on Native lands, and the Conference is called to devise means of making these lands productive. The Natives are also concerned owing to many leases falling back on their hands.

PAHIATUA ROADS. PAHIATUA, August 23

A meeting of a number of citizens and settlers passed a resolution that the Minister of Public Works should employ the unemployed in improving the Akitio County roads, leading to Paliiatua, in view of the increasing traffic, and that the fat lamb trade is growing considerably. A gang of unemployed is now at work on the Paliiatua Hill Road, leading to Palmerston North, but it was contended that Akitio Road work was more important. Facilities for quicker and cheaper transit from fhe Akitio backblocks to the Pahiatua railhead was urged upon the Member for the district, who was present.

MASSEY COLLEGE. PALMERSTON N.. August 22. A special meeting of the Borough Council this evening decided to immediately exercise the option over the McHardy gift property for the Massey Agricultural College, and take steps to raise money authorised by a poll of the ratepayers. WELLINGTON, August 23.

In regard to the decision of the Palmerston North Borough Council,, to exercise the option over the McHardy property, Mr Hawken informed a reporter to-day that he was quite satisfied. He could quite understand the concern of the Council, when such a valuable gift was involved, but was satisfied the Council had acted wisely in handing the property over to the Government. RIVER BOARD’S LEASE BLENHEIM, August 22. An extraordinary vacancy has been caused on the Wairau River Board, Mr. R. Ham, one of the Omaka SubDivision members, having been deprived of his seat on technical and legal grounds. Mr. Ham held a lease of certain of the Board’s reserve area along the Wairau, in the vicinity of ( onder’s Bend. He was not legally entitled to retain his seat on rhe Board. Mr. Ham, it may be mentioned, has held the lease in question tor some vears, but neither he ncr the Board had any suspicion that he was not on solid legal ground, in holding office. 'I fie position appears to be purely technical. It seems that in the Counties Act, Municipal Corporations Act, and River Boards Act, it is laid down that no member whe holds a contract with a local body may become a member on that body, but in the first two mentioned statutes a lease is specially exempted from the definition of contract. This, however, is not so in the case of the RivetBoards Act, which does not particularise in connection with leasers, an.l therefore no option but regard the lease as a contract.