LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23263, 4 February 1939, Page 14

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Progress ol Trials Although there were only three sitting days in the first week of the criminal sessions of the Supremo Court satisfactory progress had been made up to yesterday, In nil 11 cases have been dealt with. The grand jury returned one no bill, three men entered pleas of guilty, five have been found guilty and two have been found not guilty and discharged. £0 lor One Vote

One deputy-returning officer and his poll clerk in the election of members of the Christchurch Drainage, Board had little work to do, for at their booth only one vote was cast, 'litis was at the booth at Winters Road, in the Piccarton sub-district. According to the returning officer, Mr. C. F. Champion, tho expenditure of at least £6 was necessary to allow this vote to be cast, Victim of Assault There has been no change in tho condition of George Kahi, a Maori, aged 24, of Pukekohe, who was admitted to the Waikato Hospital in the early hours of Sunday morning suffering from severe head injuries. His condition last night was serious. The injured man was found lying unconscious on the roadside at To Kauwhata. The police consider ho was tho victim of an assault. Arbitration Court Fixtures that will occupy tho attention of the Court of Arbitration until the end of March were made on Thursday when tho Court resumed its Wellington sitting. Mr. Justice O'Regan presided and had associated with him Messrs. W. Cecil Prime (employers' representative) and A. L. Monteith (employees' representative). Twentynine applications for hearing were made. Large Steel Barge

A largo welded steel barge, 100 ft. long by 33ft. wide, has been constructed by the Iloose Shipping Company, Limited, in its workshop on the western bank of the Waikato River at Mercer, and was launched this week. It draws only six inches of water unladen and only two feet laden and can carry 200 tons. It is to be used for the transport of goods on the river, including transhipment work at Port Waikato.

Excuses in Court "One hears so many excuses in these cases," said Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., when listening to explanations from defendants in. the Police Court yesterday as to why they wero on licenced premises after hours. One defendant said ho had summer sickness and he entered the hotel on his way to work to get a port wine and brandy. "It would have been cheaper to go to a chemist," he said, as the magistrate imposed a fine of £l, with 10s costs. Minor Fire on Liner

When in the Bay of Biscay two days out from London, a small fire was discovered in the laundry of the Orient liner Oronsay, which arrived at Auckland yesterday with English and Australian passengers. The fire occurred at one o'clock in the morning and was soon extinguished by members of the ship's company. The passengers were not aroused and few of them knew about the outbreak until many hours later. Damage was confined to the laundry. Protection of Seals " I think the Government should look into the position of the sealing industry," said Mr. F. H. W. Traill, of Stewart Island, in an address at Dunedin. As the islands in that region wero not policed like they were in the old days—it was many years since the Matai had been round —there was nothing to stop tlio Japanese from sailing down aud cleaning out all the seals. They could visit the small islands, he said, and nobody would be aware of their presence. Australian Bush Fire Victims

A donation of £SO has been made by tho Auckland Timberworkers' Union toward the fund for the relief of distress among Victorian timber-workers and their families who suffered in the recent bush fires. It is considered likely that other Dominion unions will make similar contributions. The question of opening subscription lists, and of assisting Victorian workers to come to New Zealand, will bo discussed when the national body of timber-workers m<sets in Christchurch on February 22. Fireworks in Street "Just be more circumspect next time; let this bo a warning to you," said Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., in tho Police Court yesterday, when a youth was charged with setting off fireworks in Quay Street on New Year's Eve. Sub-Inspector Fox said the police were not pressing tho matter. There were many doing the same thing on that occasion, but tho defendant was near a sergeant, who took his name. There were many people about at tho time. After admonishing the defendant tho magistrate dismissed the information.

Smoking in Tramcars When tho Auckland Transport Board introduced single-compartment tramcars it restricted smoking to the back portion, indicating tho rulo by notices half-way down tho car. Some of the older two-compartment cars, which formerly had one section for smokers and one for non-smokers, have now been adapted to tho other arrangement by tho fixing of notices to each sido of tho centre partition, abovo tho doorway. Tho change should bo appreciated by smokers, who no longer have to ascertain which class of compartment they are in.

Railway Excursions Several excursions have been arranged by tho Railway Department for tho week-end. A train will leave Auckland at 6.55 this morning for tho Matamata races and will return after tho last race. For tho benefit of Auclslanders wishing to attend tho Hamilton regatta a special train will leavo at 7.40 this morning, returning hero at 10.3 to-night. A number of tourists on the Orient liner Oronsay will travel south .to-day. Ono train will leavo for Rotorua at 7.*10 this morning and arrive back in Auckland at 10.7 to-night. Other tourists will travel to Rotorua by a train leaving Auckland at nine o'clock this morning. From Rotorua they Avill go by motor-car to Taupo and tho Chateau, and then travel by train to Wellington to rejoin the Oronsay there. An excursion train will leave at 8.50 to-morrow morning for the Waitomo Caves, and return to Auckland at 9.45 to-morrow night. Special trains will be run to Swanson to-morrow for the Labour Party's picnic*