DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 December 1944, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

MAORI BY-ELECTION

WELLINGTON, December 14

An announcement was made when Hie House of Representatives met to-day that the by-election for the Western Maori electorate made necessary by the death of Mr. H. T. Ratana would probably be held on Saturday, February 10. The Speaker was directed by the House to issue a warrant to the Clerk of Writs . to make out a new writ for the election.

The Minister, of Finance (Mr. Nash), in reply to the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Holland), said February 10 had been mentioned as the probable date, and if that day was chosen nominations would close on January 24.

WAIPOUA STATE FOREST. DARGAVILLE, December 14

That he had reliable information that it was proposed to cut 1,000,000 feet of green kauri from the Waipoua State forest was stated by Cr. E. G. Appleton at a meeting of the Hobson County Council. Cr. S. Green, of Donnelly’s Crossing, said the position was deplorable. “Great tracks have been cut into the bush, and green timber is being removed,” he said. “It. is a tragedy to see what is happening.” The Council decided to communicate with the Prime Minister and Mr. T. Clifton Webb, member of Parliament for Kaipara, in the following terms: “Reported here that the Forestry Department is now cutting green Kauri in the Waipoua forest, and intend cutting 1,000,000 feet. My Council makes an emphatic protest against such action, and urges that the assurances given by the late Rt. Hon. Gordon Coates and Sir Francis Bell, that no green kauri would be taken from the Waipoua forest, be now honoured. —F. Wordsworth, Chairman, Hobson County.” It is stated officially here that definitely no green trees have been removed from the Waipoua forest, but dry, barkless trees have been removed. MANY ARRESTS AT RAID AUCKLAND, Dec. 15. Fifty-eight men were arrested last night when detectives and constables raided a room on the second floor of a building in Albert Street. The police had little difficulty in gaining admission, and none of the men in the room were able to escape. A police van made five trips to the police station with the arrested men. At a special court held shortly before midnight, all the men were charged with gaming offences, and all remanded. The raid was made at 8.30. A heavy steel door which was bolted prevented the police using lhe stairway, but they wont to the back of the premises and gained entrance to the second floor by climbing onto a loan-10. In lhe Police Court to-day, Reginald Joseph Wroblenski was charged with using the premises as a common* gaming house, and Pedro Peters, and Joseph Eustege, and William Lloyd Wilkins, with assistance in conducting a gaming house. Wroblenski was fined £6O, and the other three £lO each. The other 54 men arrested were each fined £3 for being on the premises. In all cases, immediate payment was ordered, in default imprisonment.

ARRESTS ON PREMISES. AUCKLAND, December 14. Two men were arrested in dramatic circumstances in the head office of the Auckland Meat Company, Wakefield Street, at 12.30 this morning by Detective Cromwell and Sergeant H. Jones. The officers discovered that an acetone cutting plant, comprising two large cylinders and a cutting torch, had been set up alongside a large strongroom on the top floor. Marks on the strongroom door showed that an attempt had been made to burn a hole near the keyhole. Nothing was stolen. The alarm was given by a Maori girl living nearby, who at 12.20 a.m. noticed a flickering light coming from the top floor window of the meat company’s premises. The two police officers arrived in a patrol car, entered the premises, and found a man hiding behind the door. Some time later a second man was found standing on a narrow ledge outside the window on the top floor. He was eventually persuaded to leave his precarious perch. The acetone plant was later identified as that stolen last night from premises in Grey’s Avenue. Each cylinder weighs one hundredweight and a half. In the Magistrate’s Court this morning John Sunde, aged 30, a salesman, and Clinton Henry Jerard, aged 22, a motor-driver, were charged with breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime, and were remanded for a week. Bail of £2OO was allowed.