DOMINION NEWS

Grey River Argus, 24 April 1931, Page 8

DOMINION NEWS

BURGLARIES. , (Per Pres* Association.) 1 I DUNEDIN. April 23. ! ; The premises of Coull, Somerville ’ and Wilkie were entered during the j night, when ladies’ handbags and other fancy goods were stolen. En- i ! trance was effected by a fire escape. ' j The value of the jewellery stolon ‘ I from Paterson, jeweller, during the I week-end is estimated at £BOO. ’ CHRISTCHURCH, April 23. I Admitting that he had smashed the I 1 window’s of two city shops, with con- | j crete paving stones, and had stolen > > jewellery and other articles, ’William j St. John, 44, labourer, was committed ! ' for sentence on three charges to-day. j Accused told the police that he had 1 been unemployed, and had been sleep- ! ing in the park. ( ’ i FIRE. I » t GISBORNE, April 23. 1 » Fire partly demolished the pelt and i • hide store at the Taruh’cru freezing i j works this morning, the main building j not being affected, as a favourable ■ i wind prevented the flames from reach- > mg it. There was no produce in the | . iamaged. block. The loss, apart from I the building was confined to the stock j 1 of several thousand meat bags. 1 i I CONSPIRACY ALLEGED. ! BLENHEIM, April 23. 1 j At the Supreme Court, unusual feai tures characterised the trial of Thom- 1 las Murphy, storekeeper, Kekerangu. | Jon a series of charges alleging un- i ‘ natural offences. The jury ultimately brought in an unanimous verdict of > | not guilty, after Mr C. T. Smith, coun- | sol for the prisoner, had invited them ' • to believe the accused was the victim |of a conspiracy, an ( | the Chief Justice 1 I had w’arned the jury to be exceedingly i | careful before accepting the responsi- • j bility of saying the accused was guilty, j “You may have suspicions but you , ! must ask yourself whether you should I 1 place reliance on the principal wit- i . nesses of the Crown in all the circum- i stances,” said His Honour.