DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 February 1939, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

[PEB PRESB ASSOCIATION.]

SPEEDWAY ACCIDENT AUCKLAND, February 3

An American midget car driver, Elbert Arthur Turner, was seriously injured when his car skidded into a safety fence during a practice run at Iho Western Springs speedway track this afternoon. Turner is 33, and is unmarried. He suffered injuries to his back. His condition is serious.

SLY GROG ASHBURTON, February 3.

William Crellin, charged with selling liquor without a license, was fined £4O. being allowed a. fortnight, in which Io pay, A sale was made at his house to two youths. The police raided the premises a month later, seizing liquor. It was accused’s fourth conviction since August 193(1.

F REEZI NG WORK ERS. WELLINGTON. February 2

After several private conferences held in an attempt to reach, a basis for settlement, complete agreement was made in the Dominion freezingworkers’ dispute, which ended in the Conciliation Council in Wellington today. The hours of work remain as in the old award, but provision is made for certain ’wage increases. The new award includes a new definition of a “chain.” ILLEGAL FISHING ASHBURTON, February 3. John D. Cates was fined £3 for obstructing an Acclimatisation Society ranger, £2 for strokehauling, and 10/for using an illegal rod; was also ordered to pay £3/12/- costs, and his gear, valued at about £7/10/-, was confiscated. In evidence it was stated that demandant, who is a member of the Acclimatisation Society Council, was fishing with t wo others on a small stretch of the Ashburton River.

MAN’S OFFENCE DUNEDIN, February 3

“This is a shocking offence, because it was committed on a young girl of eight, years, -whose life you have probably ruined,” said the Chief Justice Sir M. Myers, in the Supreme Court, this morning, when imposing a sentence of four years' hard labour on Vernon Arnold Watson, aged 28, who was found guilty of indecent assault on a female. His Honour remarked that, but for the fact that the prisoner suffered from a, grave congenital physical deformity, he would have ordered corporal punishment, a thing he bad done only once in his career on the bench.

MILITARY TRAINING

BLENHEIM, February 3

In unequivocal terms, councillors at yesterday’s meeting of the Awatere County Council expressed the opinion that universal military training in New Zealand would be more beneficial to the male population of the Dominion than the scheme introduced under the national physical fitness campaign.

Councillors expressed their views strongly and all considered that the ideals aimed at* in the fitness campaign could be attained by military training, which, in addition, would be a valuable asset to the Dominion from the defence point of view. A resolution embodying these views was passed unanimously and will be forwarded to the Government. PROBATION GRANTED TIMARU, February 3. Probation for two years on the usual statutory terms .was the sentence imposed by Mr Justice Northcroft, in the Supreme Court, on lan Hamilton McLean, aged 23. who had pleaded guilty to having, on October 28, 1938, with intent to defraud, obtained £SD from Dalgety and Company. Ltd., by falsely representing that a cheque purporting to be signed by A. H. Giles, and made payable to Mrs Giles, was a good and valid order.

Mr L. M. Inglis, for the prisoner, said that McLean's father had been killed on active service, and the fact that the lad thus lost the training and care which he would have had under his father had had a good deal to do with his character. The offence was a. single instance. He had got into difficulties and was pressed to pay an account which had resulted in the offence being committed.