Untitled

Otago Witness, Issue 3954, 24 December 1929, Page 46

Charged with, on or about December 7. at Henley, having stolen a pair of field glasses and a leather case, valued at £5, the property of some person unknown, George Hill appeared in the City Police Court on Wednesday morning before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.AI. The accused pleaded guilty. Chief Detective Cameron stated that the accused had come to Dunedin a few days before he was arrested, and, having no money, slept in the open. On December 10 he was found in possession of the binoculars, which he was endeavouring to dispose of to a second-hand dealer for a few shillings. He had first stated that he had bought the glasses for £2 at Rakaia, and had given a false name. Later, however, when he was interviewed by the chief detective and Detective Jenvey, the accused admitted that he had taken the binoculars from a house in the Henley district. All endeavours to find the owner of the glasses had been unavailing. The accused had several convictions against him in the Canterbury district. In answer to a question by the magistrate, the accused stated that he had been drinking and did not know what he was doing. The magistrate stated that the accused's record showed that he had already served several sentences for theft. He would be sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour.

Tr Air H. E. L. Porter, of England, who at the beginning of this year added considerably to his excellent New Zealand climbing record, belongs the credit for the first noteworthy climb of the season in the Southern Alps. He and Guide Williams have made the ascent of Elie de Beaumont (10,200 feet), at the head of the Tasman Glacier. On the day on which Air Potter was successful on Elie de Beaumont, Alessrs Hall and Young, of Wellington, with Guide Crombie, started off from the Alalte Brun hut and climbed The Alinarets (10,058 feet).

Two aeroplanes from Christchurch and one from Invercargill arrived at the Green Island Aerodrome on Tuesday morning carrying Canterbury and Southland delegates who were desirous of attending a conference in Dunedin. The machine which arrived from Invercargill was piloted by Captain Al’Gregor, of the Hamilton Airways, Ltd., his passenger being Air J. S. Dick, secretary of the Southland Aero Club. One of the aeroplanes which flew from Christchurch was piloted by Air Barlow, instructor to the Canterbury Aero Club, and accompanying him was Air P. Climie, the secretary of the club. The second plane was under the charge of Captain Alercer, chief instructor to the Canterbury Club, who wm acompanied by Sir Francis Boys, the president of the club. The conference was held in the morning in the Otago Expansion League’s rooms, Air J. G. Errington (the president of the Expansion League) being in the chair. In addition to the delegates already mentioned there were present: Dr A. OwenJohnston (Invercargill). Alessrs 11. E. Barrowclough, H. AI. Al’Kay. and A. IL Allen (president of the Chamber of Commerce). Business in connection with the forthcoming art union, which is to be conducted by tho three clubs represented at the confer, ence, was dealt with, and it was decided to appoint Air W. B. Steel secretary and treasurer of the funds. The art union is to be launched early in the new year, and will close shortly after the Welling, ton Club's art union. Various other matters affecting the interests of the clubs were also discussed. The Canterbury delegates returned to Christchurch by plane, leaving Green Island at 4.15 p.m. Captain APGregor, who also took his machine north, was engaged by a director of the Goldberg Advertising Agency to convey him to Christchurch to enable him to attend an important meeting in Wellington on Wednesday. Captain Al’Gregor left Dunedin early in the afternoon and landed in Christchurch abput 4 p.m.