DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 November 1934, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] PROBATION GRANTED. NAPIER, November 15. Thomas Patrick Coghlan, aged 19, was sentenced by Mi’ Justice Ostler in the Supreme Court to-day to two years’ probation for indecent assault on a girl. BOOKMAKER FINED DUNEDIN, November 16. William Prince, charged with keeping a gaming-house, was fined £lOO. The police visited defendant’s house on November 9, the day of the. Metropolitan Trots, and found the usual betting paraphernalia. ALLEGED MENACES. AUCKLAND, November 16. Alfred McDowall, 26, salesman and labourer, appeared at the Police Court, to-day, charged that on November 14, he did with menaces, demand £3O, with intent to steal. Senior-Detective Hall, in obtaining a remand for a week, asked that during the hearing of the case, the name of the complainant be suppressed. The Magistrate made an order accordingly, and accused was remanded on £5OO bail. STOWAWAY DEPORTED. AUCKLAND, November 16. Frederick Butler, stowaway, who arrived recently from Sydney, on the Niagara, and was sentenced to 14 days in gaol, appeared at the Police Court again, to-day, charged with being a. prohibited immigrant. The Collector of Customs said it had been found that Butler, in 1931, had been convicted of unlawfully wounding a man. At the Collector’s request, the Magistrate ordered the prisoner to be deported.

RATIONED TEACHERS’ PAY WELLINGTON, November 15. Cabinet has decided to grant the 5 per cent, increase in pay in respect of the rationed teachers as from August 1 last. An announcement to this effect was made by the Minister of Education, Hon. R. Masters, prior to his departure for Australia this evening. The annual rate of payment was increased from £6O to £72 as from August 1, and the 5 per cent, increase had been paid on the lower rate from April to July 31, only. Mr. Masters, explained that the present Cabinet decision would mean that the 5 per cent-, increase.would now apply to the higher rate of pay approved as from August. The money would be paid through Education Boards as soon as the salary schedules were prepared and passed for payment. FREE SPEECH. WELLINGTON, November 15. The right to free speech was debated by Wellington District Methodist Synod to-day, and the following resolution was adopted unanimously: “We recommend the Methodist Conference to consider the passing of a resolution declaring that the whole right of democracy—and at the same time, a basic principle of Christianity—is the value of the ‘individual and his right to full expression of life. These rights are in danger of being curtailed, and we feel it to be necessary to claim from all authorities the right of free speech, and its associated expression —always provided that it is conduct-! ed Without the prospect of physical violence, or of undue interference with public places. In support p of this suggestion, we would emphasise the fact, that truth can only live in a free country, and that granted this, the Christian message can, and will, overcome all inadequate expression of life.”

‘ BENZINE ABLAZE. AUCKLAND, November 14. A spectacular fire occurred at Te Whaiti, 55 miles from Rotorua, on Saturday afternoon. The driver of a large truck, Mr Sinclair, was engaged in filling the benzine tank under the seat when the cab, which was full of benzine fumes, suddenly ignited. The driver’s clothing was set alight, and he received slight burns to one leg before he put the flames out by rolling in the thick dust on the road. By this time the truck was burning fiercely, and set alight the benzine store, which contained 15 drums of benzine, two drums of oil and one of grease, in addition to a number of empty drums. Nothing could be done 1

to extinguish the flames, and the fire was still burning at 8.30 p.m. The benzine store was in fairly close proximity to Wilson’s timber mill, but there was no wind of any consequence and a serious fire was averted. It is estimated that the loss by fire was in .the vicinity of £9OO.