SOUTH OTAGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23334, 28 October 1937, Page 15

SOUTH OTAGO

BALCLUTHA Magistrate's Court At the monthly sitting of the Magistrate's Court at Balclutha yesterday, before Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M., Beaumont Richmond, a dealer, of Kakapuaka, was charged with the theft of 15 pinus insignis trees, the property of the Balclutha Borough Council. The defendant pleaded guilty.—Constable Boyle said that the trees had been taken from a forestry reserve of about 80 acres at North Balclutha.—The defendant was convicted, fined £3, and ordered to pay the value of the trees, 15s. James M. Pilgrim, of Clydevale, was charged that on the Balclutha-Clyde-vale highway, he failed to keep his motor car as far as practicable to the left of the roadway.—The defendant was convicted and fined £2, with costs (12s). S. R. N. Murdoch, of Balclutha, on a charge of driving a trade motor vehicle without a driver's licence, was fined £1 10s, with costs (10s).—H. S. Thompson, of Clinton, similarly charged in respect of a motor cycle, and also with operating a motor cycle without a warrant of fitness, was fined £1 and costs (12s), on the first charge, and £l, with costs (10s), on the second charge.—O. O. Stuart, a sawmiller, of Waiwera South, charged with permitting the use of an unlicensed motor vehicle, was fined £2, with costs (12s). —R. and F. Wallis, of Gore, were charged with exceeding the licensed load on a heavy motor vehicle, and were fined £3, with costs (10s).—F. Plew (Balclutha) was charged with permitting the use of an unlicensed motor vehicle (a traction engine), and was fined £2. with costs (10s). Andrew Jacob Haub, inspector of awards, proceeded against Sharpe and Co., sawmillers, Kaka Point, claiming (Da penalty of £lO for a breach of the Southland timber yards and sawmill employees' award in failing to pay to Robert Williamson, employed as a bushman, the minimum wage prescribed; (2) a penalty of £lO for failing to pay to Walter Tyson the minimum wage prescribed; and (3) failing to pay the minimum wage to Alister Johnstone.—Mr Haub said that for the last 18 months the department had been trying to get the defendant to pay the proper wages. There were hundreds of pounds owing apart from these claims. The defendant was convicted and ordered to pay £3O in penalties, with costs (4s). Jacob William Julin, Balclutha, was charged with failure to maintain his child, aged six years.—Constable Buchanan said the defendant was quite willing that an order should be made. —An order was made for the payment of 5s a week. W. B. McDowell, chief transport officer. Dunedin, proceeded against J. H. Stevenson, Ltd., Balclutha, on two charges of carrying on an unauthorised goods service between Gore and Balclutha. The lorries were engaged in carting spoil for the alterations to

the main highway being conducted by the Public Works Department at Kaihiku, and had previous to that been engaged on the same class of work for the department at the HollyfordMilford road.—lnspector McDowell said that on September 13 he saw one of these trade lorries belonging to the defendant company delivering spoil on to a new road in the vicinity of Kaihiku. The driver was unable to produce the necessary licence. Later on in the day, in the same vicinity, the inspector stopped another similar vehicle which the driver stated had been in operation for six weeks. It had been licensed for the carriage of road-making material, in Southland and Wallace Counties, but not for this area. —To Mr W. H. Carson, who appeared for the defendant, the inspector said Mr Stevenson had told him later that application had been made for a licence through him (Mr Carson). He did not know that on September 13 authority was issued to Mr Stevenson to obtain temporary licences, nor that the licensing authority in Dunedin had agreed to the issuing of temporary licences to Mr Stevenson for supplying road material to public works in this district.—Mr Carson said that the three vehicles owned by the defendant had been employed on the Te Anau-Milfor,d road, but when that work was closed down after the avalanche the trucks were sent to this district by the Public Works Department. The licensing authority had consented to issue temporary licences for these trucks. This was done subsequent to September 13, and licences issued on September 14 for theßruceClutha area.—John Henley Stevenson, manager of the defendant company, said that if the vehicles had been taken off after September 13 it would have meant putting between 20 and 30 men out-of work. —The magistrate said that defendant had admitted the offence. The case was not a usual one, as considerable negotiation had been going on before and after the date named in the information. The defendant would be convicted and fined £2, with costs (10s), on the first charge, and tin the second he would be convicted and ordered to pay costs (10s).