MATAURA NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 22067, 14 July 1933, Page 4

MATAURA NEWS

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

(From Our Correspondent.)

The quarterly sitting of the Magistrate’s Court, was held at Mataura on Tuesday afternoon, Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M., presiding. Judgment was given by default in the following undefended cases:—Beattie Coster and Co. Ltd., v R. Robertson for £1 15/-, costs £1; Beattie Coster and Co. Ltd., v L. Swain for £l, costs £1 1/6; Beattie Coster and Co. Ltd., v J. Stancombe for £6 10/6, court costs 17/-, solicitors fee 15/6; Beattie Coster and Co. Ltd., v T Kitto for £6/0/3, costs 19/-, solicitor’s fee 15/6; J. Mac Gibbon and Sons Ltd. v J. Campbell for balance of costs 9/3; Robert Haugh, labourer, who appeared on a judgment summons issued by D.I.C. Ltd., (Dunedin) gave evidence that he was a manied man with two children. His earnings since the claim was made amounted to approximately £lO and until the present he had been on relief work. The Magistrate refused to make an order. The Inspector of Mines (J. Hughes) proceeded against Thomas Gaudion that on April 5, 1933, at Mataura, being a coal mine manager he did fail to provide that detonators shall be under the control of the manager of the mine or some person or persons especially appointed in writing by the manager for the purpose and according to regulation 229 shall be issued to shotfirers only appointed in writing by the manager. Gaudion pleaded guilty but contended that he was following a system which had been in vogue for 30 years in Eastern Southland at least. To his knowledge no other mine had ever employed the method and it was significant that only one accident had ever happened in the district. The inspector held that the defendant had had his instructions in the matter previous to the charge being laid.

The Magistrate remarked that one never knew when an accident might happen. As mine manager Gaudion should know the regulations but he would give consideration to the explanation offered. He would impose a fine of £2 with costs 10/-.

William Knight was also proceeded against by the Inspector of Mines, the charge in this instance being that on April 5, 1933, he did fail to keep all detonators issued to him until about to be used for the charging of a shot hole in a suitable case or box securely fastened and separate from the explosives.

Knight pleaded guilty, adding that he had been working about the mine for four years but had only been filling boxes for three weeks. The inspector said that defendant had endeavoured to mislead him when questioned. A search had revealed detonators and explosives in the same box. A fine of 20/- with 10/- costs was imposed. E. J. Didham, labourer, residing at Invercargill, made application for the variation or suspension of a maintenance order under the Destitute Pensions Act, 1910. He stated that he had been on relief work. _ The Magistrate varied the order by a reduction in the amount to 5/- per week as from July 11. The arrears except £5 to be remitted.

Miniature Rifle Club.

The weekly shoot of the above club

was held on Monday evening when the club championship and aggregate shoot was continued. The first round for the trophy was also taken and resulted m a tie between five members each having 234 points. In the shoot off Riflemen Bigwood and Coats tied again with 39 points each and in the Anal it was decided that it be taken shot for shot, Rifleman Bigwood proving the

Draughts Match. A party of twelve journeyed to Tuturau on Monday evening, July 10, for the purpose of again crossing swords with their old opponents and after a fairly equal struggle _ Mataura proved the victors by two wins. Congratulations were extended on behalf of Tuturau by Mr W. A. Dickie and by Mr J. H. Clark for Mataura. The matter of the annual match, North V South, to be played at Wyndham was fully discussed and was left in the hands of Mr W. Muir to confer with Mr W. J. Marsh, Wyndham, for a suitable date. Supper, cheers and “Auld Lang Syne” terminated a very enjoyable evening. The match resulted as follows:— W. 1 J. Oughton 1 J- H- Clark 0 1 R. H. Dickie 0 J. Ingram 1 1 D. H. Nicholl OV. Thompson 1 OW. A. Dickie 2T. Bogue 0 0 A. Burgess 0 A. McLeod 1 1 H. Bennett 1 V. Dickie 1 1 D. Collie 0 W. Y. Dickie 3 2 L. G. Townsend 0 A. McKinnell 0 0 R. Collie 0 F. Hamill 2 1 C. Johnston 1 A. Smyth 2 2 G. Collie 1 G. Beaumont 0 1 W. Muir 0 J. Dee _2 11 6 13 Euchre and Dance. ■ The largest gathering yet recorded for these functions was present in the school room at Waikana last Friday evening when the final for the aggregate was competed for and resulted in a win for Mrs J. Henderson for the ladies and Mr J. Shanks. The winners for the evening’s play were found in Mrs Henderson and Mr A. Burgess, the consolation prizes being presented

Winner. the scores: — Following are E. Ramage 76-2—78 F. Ramage 76—2—78 J. Richardson 75—3—78 C. Coats 7.1-4—78 E. Duncan 74-4—78 A. Russell 77 77 F. Gaudion 76—1—77 Mrs Phillips 74—3—77 G. Cullen 71—6—77 R. Barclay 75 75 W. Webb 74 74 0. Pumpa 71—3—74 V. Bigwood 70—3—73 J. Anderson 58-8-66