DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 April 1932, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

[MB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] BUTTERFLY MENACE. CHRISTCHURCH, April 10. The white butterfly, which established itself for the first time in New Zealand about two years ago, in Hawke’s Bay, and which has already developed into a serious pest, attacking particularly the fattening crops, is reported to have been found near Timaru. This discovery was reported by two amateur entomologists, who were spending a holiday near Timaru.

ARAPUNI RESUMPTION HAMILTON, April 11.

Number 2 unit, Arapuni, was brought into action yesterday, and is now supplying 6000 k.w. ( Entire success attended yesterday s operations in the power station. Num* ber 3 unit is now ready for generating power, and tests will be carried out on number 1, shortly. The Waikato River at Hamilton is now at normal level.

PRISON ESCAPEE. WANGANUI, April 11.

Roy Norris, who escaped from Hautu prison on February 20, and who was arrested at Waverley on March 3, was before the Court on 25 charges, mainly theft and converting motorcars to his own use; also with escaping from custody and being an incorrigible rogue. On the latter charge he was sentenced to two years, in addition to the unexpired portion of the sentence he is already serving. Norris arrived in New Zealand when a youth, and received his first sentence in 1921, and has practically lived in prison ever since.

WARNING TO PARENTS WELLINGTON, April 9.

Fifteen boys were charged in the Children’s Court to-day with indecently assaulting a girl. The police stated the ages of the boys were from fourteen to seventeen and the girl was fourteen.

The Magistrate, Mr. M’Neill, said that in the public interest the facts should be known as a warning to parents. There were many bad features in the case, and one of them was the admission that the boys had occasionally had intoxicants. After commenting on the lack of parental control, the Magistrate committed one boy to the care of the Child Welfare Superintendent, ordering that he should be sent to an industrial school. The others were all placed under the supervision of the Welfare Officer.

THIEF AT POST OFFICE. WELLINGTON, April 9.

An audacious and mysterious attempt to rob the strongroom of the Petone Post Office this morning was frustrated by the timely arrival at work of one of the employees named Cooper; shortly before 6 a.m. Hearing scuffling and the back window being opened he called a constable who was across the road. The two made. -a thorough search of the locality without finding the intruder. The postmaster, Mr J. A. Louisson, sleeps above the office and when he was aroused it was discovered that his coat, waistcoat and trousers were lying in the passage outside his room and the keys of the strongroom had been taken from his trousers pocket. The strongroom was open, but although it contained a considerable amount of.money nothing was missing but the keys, the thief having apparently been disturbed before he had .time to take anything.