GENERAL'S CAR TAKEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24539, 23 March 1943, Page 2

GENERAL'S CAR TAKEN

CONVERSION CHARGES COMMENT BY MAGISTRATE (0.C.) PALMEItSTON NORTH. Monday When sentencing soldiers in the Magistrate's Court for motor-car conversions, the magistrate, Mr. H. P. Lavvrv, said that such conversions were becoming a scandal. The behaviour of many soldiers was also becoming a scandal, he said, as they appeared to think they could do as they liked. One case concerned a car belonging to a general. Giovanni Joseph t Betti and Joseph Benjamin Richard Aylward, soldiers, were charged with unlawfully converting a motor-car valued at £4OO, the property of the Army Department, to their own use. They were also charged with travelling in a railway carriage without procuring a ticket. Betti was further charged with driving at a speed exceeding 40 miles an hour on the Waikanae main highway. Pleas of guilty were entered to all charges. Accused in a statement admitted taking the car from a camp. The magistrate sentenced both to three months' imprisonment with hard labour on the first charge and fined them £1 each on the second. Betti was I lined £lO for travelling at an excessive speed. Robert Gordon Haggart, soldier, admitted the unlawful conversion of a motor-car valued at £BSO, the property of the Army Department. Senior-Sergeant Mclntyre said accused in s. statement said he had had numerous drinks during the day. He was on leave from a southern camp and had gone to a North Island camp and driven a car out. He was accosted by an officer and arrested. He was too intoxicated to know what ho was doing. In reply to the magistrate, SeniorSergeant Mclntyre said he did not know how accused got past the guard at the camp. The explanation was given, however, that the car belong to a general and was not usually challenged. Accused was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. NORTH SHORE WATER CITY SUPPLY TO-DAY With the completion of repairs to the harbour pipeline yesterday afternoon it is anticipated that the city supply of water to the boroughs of Devonport and Takapuna will be restored this morning. Supplies were cut off last Thursday when a leak was discovered in the submerged pipeline. The city waterworks engineer, Mr. A. 1). Mead, said the fixing of a "split collar" to the strained joint in the pipe could be carried out by a diver at low water only. The job had been completed late in the afternoon and everything was in readiness to connect the supply. Since last Thursday the boroughs have drawn water from Lake Pupuke. ADMISSION TO DANCES EVENING DRESS DEMANDED (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Monday The reported action of some dance hall authorities in refusing admission to women not in evening dress was criticised to-day by Mr. R. T. Alston, secretary of the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association. "1 have received several complaints from manufacturers to the effect that some dance halls in Christchurch have been refusing admission to girls not in evening dress," Mr. Alston said. "Under the present regulations lor simplified practices manufacturers are prohibited from manufacturing fulllength evening dresses, and 1 consider it unfair that in these circumstances restrictions should be placed on girls who are to-day, because of the regulations, unable (o purchase such dresses." The secretary of the Standards Institute, Mr. L. J. McDonald, who was asked about the position of a woman unable to purchase a full-length dress and therefore unable to gain admission to some dance halls, said it would appear such a position could only arise through the people responsible for this ban not being acquainted with the existence of the regulations or the circumstances which had rendered such war-time regulations necessary. If these circumstances were brought to the notice of dance hall authorities concerned. he said, they would no doubt be prepared to review their decree. FORCES IN PACIFIC ° MOBILE RECORDING UNIT (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Monday A mobile recording unit is to be sent to the Pacific war area by the National Broadcasting Service for recording messages and talks by members of the New Zealand forces there. The Minister of Broadcasting, the Hon. D. Wilson, in making this announcement, paid a tribute to the success of the activities of the broadcasting unit in the Middle East, and added that the unit which was to go to the Pacific would be staffed by two officers chosen from the National Broadcasting Service —a commentator and a technician. Some weeks would elapse before messages recorded by it could be heard in New Zealand as it was not yet at hits- station. i