DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 October 1944, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

FORCED SIGNATURE WELLINGTON, October 19. A sentence of three years’ hard labour was imposed on Walter Roy Webster by Judge Blair, at the Supreme Court, to-day, on a charge of unlawfully compelling Terence Francis Reilly to sign a valuable security. The sentence is concurrent with the year the prisoner is now serving for assault. HASTINGS SHOW HASTINGS, October 19. There is a large crowd at Tomoana for People’s Day of the Hawke’s Bay A. and P. Society Spring Show. Rain appeared likely early in the morning, but by mid-day the clouds had rolled away and the sun is shining brightly. Yesterday the attendance was an increase on the first day last year. Highlights of the day were the parade in the oval ana the leaping events. UNIVERSITY SENATE. WELLINGTON, October 18. At the election to the University i Senate by members of the Court ot Convocation, the following sitting members were returned for a term of three years from December 31, 1944; Sir Hugh Acland, Dr. G. E. Archey, Mr. W. A. Armour, Mrs. G. H. Benson, Mr. F. A. de la Mare. Other candidates who contested the election were Mr. F. L. Combs, Rev. W. H. W. Newell, and Dr. P. P. Lynch.

WAIKATO MINERS AUCKLAND, October 18. Waikato coalminers have acceded to the request of the Mining Controller (Mr. C. H. Benney) to work on Labour Day. Mr. Benney’s request was made in view of the serious coal position and the urgent need of supplies to meet the requirements of the railways, gasworks, essential industries, and' home consumers. Payment is to be made at holiday rates, as Labour Day is an agreement holiday. The additional cost of mining operations on Labour Day is to be met by the Government.

TWO-UP SCHOOL. AUCKLAND, October 19. When police raided a gaming school where two-up was being played last evening they took with them a rope ladder which they used Io descend a light well at the back of a building and enter through a back door whicn was wide open, though the front dooi was locked. Twenty-two men were arrested. In the Police Court, to-day, George James Cullen and Albert Henry Nutt were jointly charged with using the premises as a common gamin? house. They pleaded guilty and were each fined £5O. Twenty rnen found on the premises were each tinea £3.

COUNTY AND HOSPITAL LE\ Y WHANGAREI, October 19. Following receipt of advice from the Minister of Finance subsidies due to the Council by the Public Works and Valuation Departments are to be diverted to the Mangonui Hospital Board, the Mangonui County Council, yesterday, decided to suspend maintenance on mam within its area. The letter from the Minister stated that the diversion had heeri arranged under Section 51 oi Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act 1926, following information that the Council had decided not t<? P a Y “S allocation of hospital levies lor the current financial year. The action had been taken at the Hospital Board s request, the Minister stated.

HEALTH STAMPS WELLINGTON, Oct. 19. Although the first week’s sales of Health Stamps a year ago constituted a record the Postmaster-General (Mi. Webb) said to-day that sales during the first week of this year’s campaign had been even better. Sales had reached a total of £7,206 for the week which was £407 better than last year’s first week total of £6,799. Particularly creditable results had been obtained at Palmerston North, Auckland and Oamaru, where sales increased by well over 50 per cent. Some centres had not reached last year’s figures. Overseas; orders totalled £18,422 which was £574 below last year’s figure.

PRISON SYSTEM. AUCKLAND, October 19. “It was a sad commentary on New Zealand’s prison system of prison reform that a man who had been frequently in prison from the age ; of 20, had not been convinced of the. futility of crime,” remarked Mr. Jenkins, appearing for a man who was before Mr. Justice Fair for sentence, to-day. Saying he did not agree with counsel’s reflection on the prison system, Mr. Justice Fair said the conditions of imprisonment were on the whole entirely satisfactory, and calculated to enable anv man to make an honest effort to reform. Conditions m prison camps of New Zealand were almost ideal. They were humane and every opportunity was given prisoners to live a healthy life under reasonable conditions, with the result that most prisoners left the camps better men physically and mentally than when they went in. A small minority did not respond to. the conditions and persisted in pursuing a life of crime they had entered on.

TWO MEN SENTENCED AUCKLAND, October 19. In the Supreme Court, to-day. when John Leslie Florance. 32, came before Mr Justice Fair for sentence for breaking, entering, theft, and unlawful conversion of a car at Wanganui, counsel (Mr Jenkins) made a plea that the prisoner be not declared an habitual criminal. In the dock with the prisoner was Herbert Lorraine Woodham, 27, who admitted the same offences. On Woodham’s behalf, Mr Brainsby said he served two years in the Middle East, and while there suffered a very harsh sentence of three years’ penal servitude from a court-martial, as the result of a night’s leave in Cairo. This harshness embittered him.

The Judge pointed out that the offence of the two men was despicable. Florence had been extended hospitality by Woodham’s father at Wanganui and the two of them robbed Woodham (senior) of goods valued at £4OO. When eventually they were caught asleep, Florence had a loaded revolver under his pillow. Florence had a very bad record and would receive the exemplary sentence of four years’ hard labour and would also be declared an habitual criminal. Woodham’s military service would be taken into account, and he would be sentenced ■to three years’ hard labour.