LATE NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14446, 5 November 1917, Page 4

LATE NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(Per Press Association.') . WELLINGTON, this day. Charging the Grand Jury at 'the Supreme Court to-day, the Chief Justice, referring to charges of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers, said that although an interesting case it was disgraceful that such a case should come before the Court. It opened up the question whether they as" citizens were going to permit a continuance of gambling m ihese times of strain and stress. It was inconceivable that so much time and money should be wasted m gambling when the very nation was engaged ip a struggle for life and! exist' ence. and when many homes were moaning for the loss of dear opes, it was a reflection on the Railway Department that its clei'Hs should be engaged m gambling instead of attending to their public duties. It seemed! there must be some lack of control if olubs were able to use the direct wire between Trentham and Wellington m order to transmit results of horse races. DUNEDIN, this day. Mr Bartholomew, S.M., gave judgment m a case m which a fireman on a transport (James Ferguson) was charged with assaulting the first and fourth engineers of the ship. Legal points raised, by Mr Hanlon m defence were that it was not proved the ship was on the high seas ; thjit the ship being a transport, was exempt from the Shipping and Seamen's Act. The magistrate upheld the latter point, holding that the, vessel being engaged m transport work, connoted complete control and possession by the Crown, which/posßession would be incomplete witli subjeutfen to the "proyisfcina

oi' tlie .Shipping and Seamen's Act. The magistrate amended the charge m respect to the first engineer to one of com_feltting a.n assault when on a British ship on tlii' high seas, and sentenced Ferguson to two months' imprisonment. Tlie charge respecting the fourth engineer was dismissed, the magistrate stating it appeared that the officer could havo avoided a fight, but decided to deal with the offender after the methods 'of Captain Kettle.