DOMINION NEWS

Grey River Argus, 5 October 1945, Page 2

DOMINION NEWS

WHITEBAITER DROWNED. P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, October 4. Leslie Henry Jolly, an upholsterer, aged 35, of Harbour Road, was found drowned in the Styx River. He was whitebaiting at 7 a.m., and shortly after a passer-by saw his body floating among weeds and sticks. He was wearing a coat and gumboots. Jolly was married with three children. i' _____ CENSUS FIGURES. P.A. WELLINGTON. October 4. The following population figures, as compiled from the recent census were released to-day. Comparative figures for 1936 are given in parentheses: Tekauwhata town district 444 (361), increase S 3. Mangaweka town district 285 (387), decrease 102. Eketahuna Borough 683 (831), decrease 49. Pleasant Point town district 482 (575), decrease 93. RAILWAYMEN'S WAGE CLAIMS P.A. WELLINGTON, Oct. 4 The Railways Tribunal heard more claims to-day. The A.S.R.S. asked an increase of 41d an hour for all its members. The claim said that when the order issued by the Triunal early this year was taken as the basis for a general increase in industrial wages its purpose was defeated. The relation between wages within and without the railwaj' service returned to its status quo. The Society’s 1944 claim was that an increase of 6d was necessary to bring railway rates into line with those in industry generally and compensate for the special skill and conditions of railway life. Since then wage rates had risen 3= d an hour. To restore and preserve the margin between railway and other workers a further 6d hourly would.be required. The Society was splitting the difference and claimed 4id., being 2id balance of the 1944 claim and 2d to restore the margins disturbed bv the general rise of Sid in awards. The effective wages of all adult male workers had risen on official figures by 11 per cent., since 1936, while an increase was 2.3 per cent. The General Manager (Mr. Sawers) submitted the increase sought would result in an effort being made by organisations of workers to have a similar increase generally adopted. Such increase would seriously affect economic stability. ■ ... The E.F.C’.A. submitted claims similar to those of 1944, except that no claim was made for any membei below the grade of third year fireman. The rate for a fireman acting as engine driver at 15 years’ service was increased by one penny an hour to preserve the margin previously agreed to. The use of bad ' coal a ffjw years ago resulted in Is a day di’-ty coal allowance for men on steam locomotives. The position regarding coal had deteriorated considerably in the past 12 to 18 months. The operation of locomotives was back breaking and heart breaking.

CHARGE OF STEALING £2,460 WORTH OF WHISKY. PA WELLINGTON, October 4. A police chase of a lorry Jaden with cases of whisky along Hutt Road on the night of September 12 and the subsequent arrest of the driver of the lorry, had a sequel in the Magistrate’s Court. Dominic; Fitzgerald, taxi-driver, aged 30, was charged before Mr. Stout, S.M., with breaking and entering the warehouse of T. and W. Young, Ltd., Egmont Street, and stealing 246 cases of whisky valued at £2460. He was also charged' with conversion of a truck valued at £l,OOO, the property of T. and W. Young. Accused represented by Mr. C. Evans-Scott, pleaded not guilty to both charges and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Detec-tive-Sergeant Callaghan prosecuted. Evidence was giVen that at 7.45 p.m. three or four men. were seen outside the warehouse, and a truck was driven out and away. • The head storeman for Youngs said he found at 8.45 p.m. that a lorry with 246 cases of whisky and a quantity of tobacco and cigarettes were missing. Later, police brought the lorry back with all the names and advertisements painted out. Sergeant W. R. Fleming said he arrested accused in the truck on the Hutt Road. Accused said he did not know what was in the truck, and was driving it to Petone for a man he did not know.

Detective A. W. Hedwig said accused told him that a man he had met had offered to “give him a score” if he would pick up a truck at Cable Street and drive it to Petone. John Patrick Warren, carrier, said accused had asked him if he could store 100 cases of whisky. A day or two later, accused arrived at Warren’s home with the loaded truck and told him he had the whisky for him —250 cases of it. He said it came from T. and W. Young,” and witness would get his share for storing it. “I told him I wouldn’t have it at any price,” said witness. There were some other men with the accused, but they remained outside the gate and he could not identify them.