DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 May 1941, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

FREEZING WORKERS RESUME. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, May 20. Work was resumed on the chain at the Belfast works this morning. A tribunal consisting of three representatives of the company and three representatives of the union has been appointed, with an indepennent chairman to consider the points at issue m the dispute. MOTORIST ACQUITTED WELLINGTON, May 19. After a retirement of 27 minutes this afternoon a jury in the Supreme Court, Wellington, acquitted Samuel Joseph Land, a building contractor, aged 29, of negligently driving a mo-tor-car and causing the death of Alban John Bafnes. Land was discharged. WOMAN FOUND DEAD. NEW PLYMOUTH, May 19. Reported missing from her home early yesterday morning, Mrs A. Gillespie, aged 68, the wife of Mr David Gillespie, New Plymouth, was found by relations later in the day lying dead at the foot of a cliff. Although inquiries are still being made, there is little evidence to indicate how Mrs Gillespie came to fair down the cliff. It is known that she was recovering from the effects of a severe attack of influenza. MOTORIST COMMITTED. CHRISTCHURCH, May 19. ■ Charged with negligently driving a motor-car on Papanui road on April 16, so as to cause the death of a cyclist, Hori Norton, aged 16, Edward Smith, a labourer, aged 55, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Smith, who pleaded not guilty, was allowed bail on his own recognisance of £5O, with one surety of £5O. He was ordered to report to the police as directed. FILMS OF AEROPLANES. CHRISTCHURCH, May 19. A civilian, William Richard Nuttall, was convicted on a charge of having contrary to emergency regulations, taken photographs of aircraft at Wigram on April 14. The Magistrate said that in this case he would order the accused just to pay costs, but that the case would be a warning. Detective-Sergeant J. McClung said that the accused went to Wigram, and from the roadside by the aerodrome took 50 feet of cinema film of machines taking off and landing. The accused had stated that he had been told that his action was permissible. When an inquiry was made, however, the commanding officer of the station had told the police that no such permission had been or would be given to a civilian.

INSURANCE CO.’S CLAIM. WELLINGTON, May 19. To-daj r the Dominion Life Assurance Office proceeded against the Australian Mutual Provident Society, before Mr Justice Ostler, claiming a total of £ 1,700 for damages, resulting from a statement reflecting on its financial position, allegedly made by an A.M.P. agent, and his subagent, to three Taranaki farmers.The defence denied the alleged publication, and also denied’that, if made, the statements were defamatory; and stated that expressions of regret and unqualified assurances that any reflections would be without foundation, had been written to the farmers concerned, and been published in two Taranaki newspapers, and that a cheque for £52 10/-, representing plaintiff's legal, costs, had been sent to the plaintiff's solicitors, and had been returned. Plaintiff had also terminated the agent’s appointment. Plaintiff had therefore suffered no damages.