DOMINION NEWS

Grey River Argus, 31 March 1943, Page 6

DOMINION NEWS

MAGISTRATE’S REBUKE AUCKLAND, March 29. “The Courts are sacrosanct and must not be influenced,” said Mr J. H. Luxford, Senior Stipendiary Magistrate to-day, when he publicly rebuked the New Zealand Alliance for the Abolition of the Liquor Traffic for having written to the. Court a letter expressing the opinion/ that the Court should not authorise the Superintendent of Police to sell liquor seized in sly grog cases but that it be destroyed. The Magistrate characterised the letter as improper and the Alliance’s action as unfortunate.

“The letter might be the subject of other proceedings,” he said. “An important question of principle involved is the complete independence of the Judiciary. This is often spoken of as the last bulwark against oppression and bureaucracy. It is the duty of the public to refrain from any action which is likely to interfere with the independence of the Judiciary, but here we have an organisation making a direct approach to the Court, putting facts before the Court by way of a letter with a view to influencing its decisions. "The Alliance is not an interested party to these proceedings, but only a member of the public. As such it has the right to criticise judgments of the Court or make recommendations that it thinks should be done either through the correspondence columns of the Press or a public meeting. That is the right of the people living under our system of government.” LONG PRISON SENTENCE WELLINGTON, March 30. Five years’ hard labour was imposed oh Eric Alfred Garrod by Mr Justice Blair in the Supreme Court. Accused had pleaded guilty to a charge of rape and in a statement he put in, said he was too drunk at the time to have any recollection of the offence. The Judge said it was very appalling case, involving a girl of only just over 16. Young girls had to be protected and the least sentence he could impose was of five years’ hard labour. PRICE OF MILK. DUNEDIN, March 30. A decision to add the winter increase of Id a quart to the price of milk for the six months starting from April 11, instead of only for June, July and August, as usual, was made at a meeting of the Dunedin Milk Vendors’ Association yesterday. The Price Tribunal has refused to authorise any increase in price or any extension of the period of winter prices, but the Vendors’ Association claims that an immediate increase is necessary to encourage production and thus maintain the supply to the city. It was stated at yesterday’s meeting that the price payable for milk at the farm gate was lower in Otago than elsewhere in New Zealand, the figures a gallon being as follows: Auckland L?.25d, Wellington 13.85 d, Christchurch ll.OOd, Dunedin 10.55 d.

PLAYING FIELDS IN WARTIME. P.A. AUCKLAND, March 30. A warning against avoidable encroachment on community playing fields under war-time stress was given by Mr A. A. Baker (Chairman of the Auckland Rugby Union) at the annual meeting last night. "Many playing fields have been taken when alternative areas have been available,” said Mr Baker. "If we lose many more the Rugby Union and other bodies will be seriously embarrassed.” He stated that one ground had been ploughed up for potato growing when increased production could have been obtained elsewhere. Mr Baker recalled the tremendous swing to sport after the last war and predicted an even greater re-bound when this war is over; hence the need for special vigilance in safeguarding areas.