Dominion News

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 99, 31 August 1923, Page 2

Dominion News

SERIOUS CHARGES. Auckland, August 30. At the Police Court to-day, Victor Henry Simmouds, aged 38, pleaded not guilty to two charges of having indecently assaulted two schoolboys aged ten at Mount Tlbert on August 15. Accused was committed for trial. Accused was also charged with having assaulted two young men with intent to do grievous bodily harm. The evidence showed that when accused was arrested on tho previous charge he broke away f:om the constable and was pursued by tho constable and three men. On being surrounded he jabbed one man, George Alfred Davoren, with a knife, inflicting a wound above tho right knee, while another man, Leslie Edward Howarth, received a cut on the hand duifing the struggle. Accused pleaded not guilty and was committed for trial in custody.

A WIFE'S CRUELTY. Wellington, August 30. After a trial extending over four days the jury returned a verdict in favor of petitioner in the case in which William Henry Nash proceeded against his wife, Maud Mary Nash, for judicial separation. After counsel had addressed the court, His Honor summed up. He said tho jury had been engaged for four days in hearing a lamentable and sordid story of domestic unhappiness. Both parties were willing to separate and recognised the fact that this \va s necessary. Why his time and that of the jury had been taken up hearing lengthy proceedings he did not know. If both patties had been properly advised and had accepted that avice the case would not have come to court. The jury found Mrs Nash guilty of cruelty to her husband and the husband not guilty of cruelty. DEAD MAN'S RETURN.

Wanganui, August 30. In reference to the Press Association message published yesterday, denying that the body of the man found drowned recently was that of Ernest Randal, since reported alive, the Magistrate, Mr Barton requests rhat it be made known that his verdict was as follows:—"In my opinion the evidence tendered does not justify a definite finding that the body was that of Ernest Randal." It will be remembered that at the time Randal was supposed to have disappeared, and some witnesses at the inquest, who saw photographs of the body, were strongly of the opinion that it was that of Randal. The Magistrate, however, returned an ooen verdict and mentioned at the time that the longer Randal remained unheard of the stronger would be the supposition that it might have been his body found in the river.

BACK TO GAOL. Chrs-tchureh, August 30. Thomaß William Ellis, who escaped from custody at the Chriytchurch station on Saturday night, was sentenced to a mouth's close confinement, the Magistrate recommending that he should serve his full term of five years' imprisonment for forgery. Ellis put forward the defence of insanity, but medical witnesses said that he was acting the part and required careful watching. SHORTHORN BREEDERS. Pajmerston North, August 30. A meeting of milking Shorthorn breeders, whose association headquarters are at Palmerstoij North, resoVed to-day to form a branch, to be called the Wellington branch and to include Wairarapa, Hawke's Bay and Taranaki, till separate branches are formed in any of those districts.