DOMINION NEWS

Grey River Argus, 26 April 1945, Page 7

DOMINION NEWS

INFANT KILLED IN STREET. P.A. AUCKLAND, April 25. A small child was killed instantly on Tuesday afternoon when she was struck by a motor truck in Queen Street. She was Carol Anne Robertson, aged one year and nine months, only child of Mrs. F. A. Robertson, of Devonport. The child, whose lather is serving overseas, was standing on a safety zone with her grandmother at about 2.25 p.m., when she ran from the safety zone in the direction of the kerb, and was struck by a passing motor truck. She suffered severe head injuries and was killed instantly. CROSSING PATROLS. P.A. WELLINGTON, April 24. In a statement to-day, in reference to children patrolling crossings near various schools, the Minister of Transport (Hon. J. O’Brien) says complaints are coming- in that some drivers are not stopping to give way. The method of operation of the patrols is for the patrol to hold the children on the footpath until there is a suitable opportunity to use a crossing when he extends the stop sign, a red disk, to indicate to the traffic that the ’crossing is closed to it. Some drivers might not yet be familiar with the obligations placed upon them, said the Minister, but the type of driver who deliberately ignored the stop sign was endangering the lives of children. The Commissioner of Transport had instructed all transport inspectors under his control to report all such breaches, and “my Department will not hesitate to bring wilful offenders before the Court,” said Mr. O’Brien. HOME GUARD WARNED TO RETURN RIFLES P.A. WELLINGTON, April 25 It is evident that a number of the rifles issued during the early stages of the Home Guard training are sUll in the possession of members of tne Home Guard, said the Commissioner of Police. Their non-return, he said, is causing delay in finally clearing up the accounting of Home Guard arms and equipment, and the rifles must be returned to the nearest Army Officer without delay. Failure to do so, he said would render the holder liable to prosecution under the Arms Act, for being in possession of an unregistered firearm. JOCKEY’S DISQUALIFICATION UPHELD j P.A. WELLINGTON, April 2b An appeal by a jockey, W. Flooton, was heard in Wellington on Tuesday by Racing Conference Appeal judges, and was dismissed. The judges ordered that Hooton’s deposit of £2O be forfeited. At the Te Arona Jockey Club’s meeting on f'ebruaD 24, Hooton was disqualified for one year on a charge of failing to ride Lord Luck on its merits in the Waihou Handicap. Hooton appealed against this finding to the Auckland District Committee, which dismissed his appeal, and increased his term ot disqualification to two years. Hooton’s further appeal to the Racing Conference was against tne Auckland District Committee’s decision. VOLUNTARY FOOD RATIONING AUCKLAND, April 23. A plan for voluntary food rationing by the women of Auckland so ; that the supplies saved may be pre- | sented to the women of Britain will ■ be discussed at a meeting called by ; the Mayoress (Mrs. J. C. Allum). i Representatives from women’s organ- . isations have been invited to attend. | Mrs. Allum said it would be suggested i that during one month the women ot , Auckland should give up their ration ] coupons for one week, together with | the value of the coupons. In that way ■ a large quantity of food could be i saved locally and an attempt would be ! made to have the equivalent amount made available to the women of Bn- I tain. MENTAL HOSPITAL STAFF SALARIES. WELLINGTON, April 22. Under the auspices of the N.Z. Public Services Association, representatives of the staffs of mental hos- . pitals met recently at Ponrua in a j three days’ conference. Matters re- | lating to working conditions, accom-, modation, representation on the Publice Service executive, and suggested salary rates, were discussed, and remits adopted for presentation to the executive of the the conference delegates met the Public Service Commissioner and the Direc-tor-General of Mental Hospitals, and before disbandment had discussions with executive officers of the Association. The following were elected to present the case for various groups before the consultative committee _ at present engaged on tlie formulation of new salary scales lor the public service: Nurses, Miss I. McAuley (Porirua); attendants, A. H. Strong (Porirua); tradesmen, A. N. Tillman (Porirua); cooks, laundresses, etc;, Mr Gibson (Tokanui); farm and garden staff, E. 0. Peterson (Porirua). LUCKY ESCAPE DUNEDIN, April 23. An extraordinary accident in which Alex Thomson, aged 27, married, a returned soldier, had a remarkable escape from death occurred on the Kensington railway overbridge yesterday. Thomson was taking a short cut when he fell 40 feet between the embankment and a concrete wall in a narrow space. A ladder and a winch had to be used to extract him. When he was taken to hospital it was found that his only injuries were a head wound and bruises. PRISONERS SENTENCED WELLINGTON, April 24. Having pleaded guilty at Wairoa to a charge of assault with intent to commit rajie, Jack Patena Pohepohe, 28, labourer, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by Judge Johnstone at the Supreme Court. Sonny Isaac Ranahia, 32, labourer, for indecent assault upon a female, was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment. P.O.W. MAIL WELLINGTON, April 24. The Acting Postmaster-General (Mr. Jones) states that under existing conditions there is now little prospect of any prisoners-of-war letters being delivered in Germany. In the circumstances, h e advised persons communicating with prisoners who are not yet reported as having been released, to address letters care of the New Zealand Army Post Office, 35, The Strand, London, W.C. 2, where they, would be held and delivered to addressees on their arrival in England. Such letters should bear the addressee’s service number. The Minister stated further that parcels bearing German prison camp addresses which were at'jpresent on hand in London, or in transit to London, would, as far as practicable also be held therte, pending repatriation of prisoners.