DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 February 1938, Page 8

DOMINION ITEMS

[per press association.]

THEFT OF RECEIPT CHRISTCHURCH, February 11. Norman Henry Thomas, who was found guilty, this week, of the theft of a receipt for £5, was to-day sentenced by Mr. Justice Northcroft. to 14 days’ imprisonment. MOTORIST ACQUITTED. WELLINGTON, February 10. A verdict of not guilty was returned by the jury in the Supreme Court at Wellington to-night in a case in which Horace Baden Ginger, a company director, aged 3G, was charged with negligently driving a motor-car, thereby causing the death of Samuel Thompson. EMPLOYMENT FRAUDS. WELLINGTON, February 11. Arthur Frederick Furness, was sentenced to six weeks’ imprisonment with hard labour, and Richard Hall was fined £lO, to-day, on charges of making false statements for the purpose of obtaining benefit under the Employment Promotion Act. ALLEGED THEFT. NEW PLYMOUTH, February 10. The cashier of a business firm at Stratford appeared in the Stratford Magistrate’s Court charged with theft as a servant. He was remanded on bail. It is understood that. £3OOO may be involved. The Court granted an application for the suppression of the name of the accused in the meantime. LABOUR CAUCUS. WELLINGTON, February 10. The Caucus of Government Party members met to-day, and considered several policy issues, including the schemes for national health conservation and national superannuation. Tributes were paid to the late Sir Trilby King. Before settling down to business, the caucus, which was presided over by Hon. P. Fraser, passed a resolution expressing sympathy with the Prime Minister in his indisposition; also with Mr, Lee Martin and Mr. D. G. McMillan, M.P., in their illnesses. . ( GAS INSTITUTION TIMARU, February 11. The annual conference of the Gas Institution of New Zealand concluded at Timaru, to-day. It was decided to affiliate as soon as possible with the National Gas Association and tne Gas Institution of Australia, thereby facilitating the adoption of a national advertising scheme in New Zealand. Officers were elected as follow: — President, Mr. C. H. Collins (Auckland); Vice-President, Mr. H. Horrocks (Dunedin); secretary, Mr. G. A. MacFarlane (Christchurch); Council, Messrs. F. W. J. Belton (Christchurch), J. H. Grenfell (Oaniaru), W. J. Kennedy (Wellington), A. Morrie Raylor (Timaru), Janies Lowe (Auckland), W. B. O’Toole (Invercargill); auditor, Mr. H. C. Ridley (Christchurch); trustee. Mr. John Hungerford (Wellington).

FIRE BRIGADES’ DISPUTE. WELLINGTON, February 11. The terms of employment for fire brigadesmen in the Wellington industrial district, excluding Wellington City, were considered by the Conciliation Council, to-day. The dispute involves fire brigades as far north as Wairoa, on the East Coast, and Wanganui, on the West Coast. Of some 32 parties listed, the employers objected to approximately all but two, on the ground that the brigades to which objection was made had volunteer men in their ranks. Mr L. Glover said it was not intended to cover volunteer firemen, but, when pressed, he gave no definite assurance as to the Union’s action in connection with men who, though i volunteers, received certain cash sums, including sums for clothing replacement. No decision was reached regarding exemptions, meantime. METEOROLOGIST RETIRING. i WELLINGTON, February 11. After an association with the Dominion Meteorological services extending over nearly thirty years, Mr B. V. Pemberton will retire at the beginning of next month. Educated at Christchurch, he v/as first attached to the staff of the . Magentic Observatory there, and took part in the magnetic survey of New Zealand. In I'9lo he was appointed Assistant Meteorologist, in Wellington, and on various occasions has been acting as director during the absence overseas of the Direc-

tors. He has always been associated with the weather forecasting branch of the Department, having 28 years’ continuous service in this special work.

Captain Peterson, Harbourmaster at Wellington, when told of Mr. Pemberton’s forthcoming retirement, said that he would be much missed. He had

always been of great, assistance to shipping, always obliging and considerate in advice, and his forecasts had been accurate and of very great value. Similar expressions of regret were made by others engaged in shipping. Mr. Pemberton and his wife will leave in March, on a trip to England, where they have a. son, Dr. T. H. Pem-| berton, resident surgeon at one of the large hospitals. j