CLOSING OF ROLLS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24869, 15 April 1944, Page 6

CLOSING OF ROLLS

POWER HOARD POLL REMOVING A DIFFICULTY A difficulty over closing dates for rolls to be used in the Auckland Elec-trie-Power Board s election on May 2/ was submitted to the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, yesterday, by a deputation from a conference of local bodies' returning officers held the previous day. The deputation asked that an emergency regulation be issued to rectify an anomaly in the law, and the Minister promised that the request would be fully considered. The secretary and returning officer of the board, Mr. X. M. Speer, explained that the board made use of the rolls of Auckland City and of all the boroughs included in its district. For Manukau County and three road districts — Mount Roskill, Mount Wellington and Panmure Township—it compiled a combined roll, which the Auckland Electric-Power Board Act required to be closed on April 29, or 28 days before polling day. The rolls of Auckland City and the boroughs with populations exceeding 5000 w ; ould close on that date, but those of the boroughs of Ellerslie, Newmarket, Manurewa and Papakura and the Howick town district, which had smaller populations, were required by law to close on May 13, or 14 days before polling day. The effect of this was that the Power Board would have to ask the four smaller 'borough councils and the Howick Town Board to supply it with rolls completed on April 29, whereas those bodies, for their own purposes, would have to use rolls completed on May 13. The difficulty could be set right if an emergency regulation were issued, permitting the board to use the five rolls as completed on May 13. The closing date, April 29, could be retained for all the other rolls used by the board in the election. 1000 EMPTY BOTTLES SLY GROG PROSECUTION GAOL FOR MAORI WOMAN A sentence of one month's imprisonment with hard labour was imposed on Mare Henderson, widow, aged 57. a Maori (Mr. Aekins). when she was convicted by Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., yesterday on a charge of keeping liquor for sale. Accused pleaded not guilty. Evidence was given by Constable Stobie that in company with Sergeant Adams and Constable Vincent he had visited accused's home on the night of Wednesday, April 5. Eight servicemen were present and were drinking beer, wine and spirits. They denied having bought the liquor from accused, but said they had brought it for a party of their own. In a shed at the back of the house were about 1000 emptv bottles. On Friday evening the police party returned to the premises, Constable Stobie continued, and watched the house for about 20 minutes. Concealed in a bush thev found two sugar sacks of unlabelled wine and three cartons of beer. Inside the house there was another sack of unlabelled wine bottles. Once again there were servicemen in the house drinking and three Maori women. Accused told Sergeant Adams that she had allowed the servicemen to consume their liquor in her house. Mr. Aekins submitted that the police had not produced enough evidence to convict accused. Accused said she invited only one of the servicemen and she did not expect any more. She knew nothing about the wine or how it came to be in the garden. WHANGAREIOFFENCES TERM OF IMPRISONMENT (0.c.) WHANGAREI, Friday "Any person carrying on this traffic must know that it means a term of imprisonment," said Mr. Raymond Ferner, S.M.. to-day, when sentencing Gordon Robert Green, aged 34, truck driver, of Wfiangarei, to one month's imprisonment with hard labour on a charge of selling liquor without a licence. On a second charge of selling or supplying liquor to a member of an armed force when in uniform for consumption elsewhere than in the place where itwas supplied, Green was fined £5 with costs. The accused admitted both charges. SEAMEN'S ARDUOUS WORK DESERVING OF TOLERANCE (P. A.) WELLINGTON. Friday An appeal for a more tolerant attitude toward seamen who on coming ashore might behave indecorously, was made by Sir Alexander Roberts, the representative in New Zealand of the British Ministry of War Transport. Sir Alexander recalled the coal-burn-ing ships of the last war, adding that there were still a few now. "1 wouldn't (ire a coal-burner for £SOOO a year," he said. ''lt means living for weeks in an atmosphere of coal-dust .and never knowing when a 'tin fish' is going to get you. Let us be kind to these men. They deserve to _ wash a little of the coaldust out of their throats, even with beer. Don't criticise them. They are carrying out a very difficult job'." He thanked God, he said, that men would do it. We were entirely dependent on the Merchant Navy., not only in war but in peace. POPPY DAY Arrangements being made by the Auckland Returned Services Association for the annual Poppy Day street collection next Friday are well advanced. The manufacture of poppies was retarded early in the year, due to difficulties in the supply of cloth, but these were overcome and sufficient hav|> been made to meet all demands. The association is hopeful that last year's record collection- of £4062 will be exceeded.