DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 April 1943, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

BOY KILLED DANNEVIRKE, April 5. Leslie David Pearson, 15, while riding on the tray of a motor truck on Saturday afternoon, was pushed from the vehicle by a heavy benzine drum. As the truck turned a corner, the drum fell on Pearson’s head, which was severely crushed, and travelled end over end a distance of 42 feet, taking with it the boy’s body, before coming to rest. Pearson was killed instantly. The truck driver was William C. Carson, bridge builder. PRISON~ESCAPES. AUCKLAND, April 5. Two Maori prisoners who recently escaped from Auckland prison, were this morning charged with thefts from three dwellings, in addition to offences arising from gaol breaking. They were Hugh Simons and Sam Repia. The justices were told the story of how they jumped over a fence at the gaol quarry into the Grammar School grounds, and made their way by a side street to a house where they stole clothing, and left their prison clothes behind. Later, at Panmure, they entered another house, and took more clothing. From there they went to a third place, a Chinese market gardener’s, where Simons took a suit of clothes and a Chinese ten dollar note and £3. They intended to make a way to Waikato, , but as Otahuhu was entered, they were picked up by the police. Both prisoners were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

SLY GROGGERS IMPRISONED AUCKLAND, April 5.

One month’s imprisonment wiih hard labour, was imposed by the Magistrate (Mr. Luxford) this morning in each of two cases associated with sly-grogging. A Maori, Ranga J. Heka, a returned soldier in this war, admitted selling a bottle of wine to a Serviceman in the street for 15/-. Heka was described by the police as a “dropper,” and he had two other bottles of wine in his possession when caught. Heka had been working as a wharf labourer, earning an average of £9 weekly. Mary Ross, 3, married, admitted selling liquor without a license, According to the police, evidence was obtained of the sale of a bottle of wine by Ross to a Serviceman, and when a raid was made on her home in the cit yabout 30 Servicemen were found on the premises. Concealed in the house were 60 bottles of wine, only six of which were labelled; also 50 bottles of beer, and part of a bottle of brandy. Drinking was in progress.

CAR CONVERSION. AUCKLAND, April 5. An 18-year-old youth, Lance Matthew Dunn, pleaded guilty before the Magistrate (Mr. Luxford) to-day. and was sentenced to 18 months’ reformative detention, on eight charges of converting cars. An 18-year-old girl, Betty Frances Whitlock, who was joint! ycharge dwith Dunn in four cases, ‘pleaded not guilty. Evidence on her statement was that she was in company with Dunn, and a younger youth, and that Dunn suggested taking a car and going for a ride. She walked on with the other boy till picked up each time. tn committing her to probation, Mr. Luxford said he considered it was a proper procedure that the girl was charged, and he had no doubt of her guilt. Young women should know they were equally guilty . of conversion when they went out in a car, knowing it was converted.