TEMUKA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 14 October 1926, Page 9

TEMUKA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)! “TIN CANNING.” An echo of a recent tin-canning episode was heard at the Temuka Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, before Mr JO. D. Mosley, S.M., when Reginald Thomas, Fife Doherty,. Gilbert Jamieson, and Samuel Smith v ero each charged with behaving in a disorderly manner in a publio street, and also with making a firo in a public road without the authority of the local body. Doherty did not appear. The other three defendants pleaded grilty, with the exception cf Thomas, who entered a pica of not guilty to the second charge. In answer to tho Magistrate, ore of the defendants stated that Doherty was -working in I'imaru. T. C. Holmes, Staff Captain of the Salvation Army Hoys’ Jioine, stared that at 11.15 on the night of the occurrence he was awakened by a disturbance on the rpad. This went on for about three-quarters of an hour, and one man was playing an accordion. Afterwards there was a shower of stones on tho roof, which woko up -all the lady members of the staff and the boys. From the sounds there seemed to bo about 12 or 15 voices. Later they loft that part and went on towards Temuka, and witness saw a huge glare, ■which seemed to bo a largo house on fire. Ho went out and saw a gorso fire on tho road, and one of the men seemed to .be walking through it. Ho was within ten yards of tho men, but he could not know any of them. Bad language was being used. There had been a “tin-canning” in a house near, and this was tho breaking up of the evening. Ensign Chard also gave evidence that ho and his wife had been disturbed by yelling and noises. ITo got up .at 12.30 a.m. and saw a firo at the back gato. , Constable Soutliworth read the statements made by • the defendants.

Defendant Smith said that he did not seo who lit the fire, and Thomas said that tho firo was quite safe, and thoy saw that it was out before they left. The Magistrate said that there was nothing very grave in the,charges, but young men would lntvp to restrict the exuberance of their spirits or perhaps the spirits consumed. Sergeant Dwnn said that jt seemed to bo a revival of tho old custom of “tin-canning.” He would like to know who it was went to tho Homo and used the bad language. Defendant Smith said that they eou l d not say who it was, as the men wore not with them.

The Magistrate : “You ought to know all right. You can’t get away with that. I’ve got a little common sense you know:”

Smith: “I was quite sober, and the man who wont into the Homo was not in our pnrty.” Smith, Doherty and Thomas were each convleted, and fined 10s, and posts 8s 9d,' and Jamieson was convicted and ordered to pay 18s 9d posts. ,

MAINTENANCE. Mrs Helen Webb (Mr F. A. Joynt) •proceeded against hor four sons, Seddon, L. It. S., H. G. J., and Alexander Webb, for maintenance. The firstnamed appeared, and Mr W. G. Aspinall appeared for L. R. S. Webb. In answer to tho Magistrate, Seddon Webb said that he was a widower with one child. ■ Complainant said that she was 67 years of ago, and had no money whatever: She owned a house and a 3-acro section, part of which was leasehold. She had a pension of £1 Is 8d per month, and there was a maintenance order for 5s per week, against her husband. Sho kept Seddon’s child, but ho mado no regular payments. Seddon Webb: “Are you getting the pension?” Complainant: “Yes, £1 Is 8d per month.”

Seddon Webb: “What did you do with the money that was in tho Post Office?”

Complainant: “I paid my debts.” Seddon "Webb: “ You drew it,out and planted it, as you thought you would be shrewd. What was the largest amount you had in the bank .prior to paying off the house?” Complainant: “£l5O, but there is nothing now.”

In answer to Mr Aspinall, complainant stated that she had. £ls or £l7 when she applied for pension. The pension was stopped when her husband came back to the house; Sho had no money now;

To Mr Joynt i One of the sons had written to Sergeant Dwan saying that ho was willing to pav 5s per week, The Magistrate i “Havo you got any money at all?”

Complnlnanti “I’ve got a little*, more than £2.”

Each defendant was ordered to pay tho sum of 5s por week, first pnymnot to bo made on 19th inst.

MAGISTERIAL. Mr E. D. Moslov, S.M., presided over the sitting of tho Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. NO LIGHTS. George Watt was charged with riding a hieyclo at night without a light. Sergeant Dwan said that this lad had been in the country only a short time, and was earning only £1 por week. Defendant was convicted and ordered to pa.y costs 14s. For a similar offence Thomas O’Lpughlin was convicted and fined ss, without costs. SPEEDING MOTORIST. W. J. Masson was charged with driving a motor-car in a dangerous manner. Defendant did not appear. Tho evidence of two witnesses showed that defendant was travelling at tho rate of 30 to 32 miles an hour. Defendant was convicted and fined £3 and costs.

: CIVIL CASES. Judgment by default was given in tho following eases:—James Blyth (Mr Aspinall) v. Thomas Williams, claim £3, costs 30s 6d; E. Beri (Mr E. J. Smith) v. A. F. Shanks, claim £9 16s Cd, costs 61s; C. C. Palmer (Mr E. J. Smith) v. C. A. Opie, claim balance account £6 10s, costs 4Gs; J. Crombio (Mr F. J. Smith) v. W. 11. Palmer, claim £9 13s Id, costs 33s Gd; W. H. McMillan v. E. Williams, claim £3, costs 30s 6d; F. A. Scanned (Mr F. J. Smith) v. P. Duncan, claim £2 12s Gd, costs 28s Gd; Zavcri Beri (Mr J. T. Brady) v. Joseph Solomon. , claim £lB 18s, costs Gls. JUDGMENT SUMMONS. 0. E. Otloy and Co. (Mr G. J. Walker) proceodod against Messrs Olson and Wood for tho sum of £24 4s lid on a judgment summons. Thoro was no appearance of defendant, Gerald Wood, who was ordered to pay the amount forthwith, in default 25 days’ imprisonment in. Timaru prison. A RECORD. A hom* rnoorjl for TmnUlco, was es.tnb'lahod by the (ittnndanno af the screenings of "Glorious Now Zealand*' at tho Dominion Theatre yesterday afternoon and evening. Tho previous record was hold by "The Ten Gomimindmonta.G s

AN UNHAPPY FAMILY. A story of an unhappy marital existence occupied the attention of Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., for the best part of three hours on Tuesday, when Mrs Coralena May Trotter applied for separation, maintenance, and guardianship orders to bo made against her husband, Alexander Trotter, .on tho grounds of persistent cruelty, and that ho was a habitual inebriate. Mr G. H. I?,. Ulrich appeared for plaintiff, and Mr F. W. Ongley represented defendant. Complainant stated that defendant was a grocer’s assistant, and they wero married at Wellington in 1918. Three years later witness came to livo with her mother in Winchester. She attended the Tim am Hospital at this lime. Her mother transferred tho house and furniture to witness, and in April, 1922, her husband came from the North Island to live with her, ami her mother left shortly after. All that her husband brought to the house, was a sewing machine, a set of crockery, and some silverivaro. Nothing had been added since. Windows were broken, and he had not repaired any-

thing in the house and he had not given hor any money to have the repairs done. After coming to ■ Winchester her husband did not work for sevorn] months, and then ho got casual work to do. lie had £3OO in the hank and £IOO in notes, but ho lost it all at the races. They had two children, and ho allowed witness Us per week to keep tho house. All the meat they had during tho week was a pieco of skirt steak, and lio only allowed one tin of condensed milk each week. He would not let her buy fresh milk. Defendant would not allow her to obtain any credit, and said that if she did ; ho woidd put a notice in the paper. She threatened to leave about twelve months ago, and ho increased the allowance to 30s per week, and she had to provide food for four, besides coal, wood and other necessities. Owing to his drunken habits, defendant was seldom ahlo to take any breakfast, and did not regularly come 'in for lunch or tea. He went out every night and returned very late. Witness went into details regarding cruelty, stating that her husband'had struck her and had also threatened to kill her, and on ono occasion sho had rung up to Sergeant Dwan. Witness stated ihnt since she left tho house defendant had taken the furniture away and had smashed seme of tho pictures and all the small things. In answer to Mr Ongley, she said her husband grew a few vegetables each year. She had been ill in Palmerston North. Her husband was j never agreeable at any time. Ho al- | ways went out at night. Sho always j cooked his meals.

Mr Ongley: “If your husband says that you have not cooked his breakfast for 12 months, is it right?”. Complainant: “He is never in a condition to eat it.” To Mr Ulrich: Her husband never took her or the children out. Ho had given her £l4 to go for a holiday. Her husband was a far different man outside of his own -home. Cuthbert Mcßratney stated, that he lived next to the parties concerned, and frequently hoard altercations going on. On ono occasion he had hoard a piercing scream from Mrs Trotter, and after that tho children also joined in. On two occasions Mrs Trotter had taken refuge in his place. On ono occasion Jite- heard *a. scream ns if a woman was Pv absolute terror; At 8.15 ono'morning he heard the sound of an axe boing used. Mrs Mcßratney gave similar evidence.

Mrs "Reilly stated that sho remembered Mrs Trotter coming to her place in a very frightened state. Later she accompanied Mrs Trotter to her home and Mr Trotter rushed out in a great rage, but stopped when ho saw witness. Ho told his wife to go inside and then cursed and • swore at witness. Mrs Trotter did not go in; They went away, returning at 2 a.m.* and witness left her at the hotel corner, but shortly after Mrs Trotter came running back and stayed all night with witness. Witness had been in the houso a few days ago, and it was in a very dirty condition. There was a lot of broken glass about, the blinds and curtains had been pulled down, and the small stands were broken. Thomas Langford, storekeeper, Winchester, said that lie employed the defendant, and there was only one occasion on which ho had seen defendant tho worse for liquor during business hours. Defendant was a good worker. He had known Mrs Trotter for 15 years, and she was a fine woman, but at times sho was queer. So far as he know thoy had pnough food, and they got all tho butcher’s moat they wanted for nothing, but sho would not cook it; Ho had known lior to got as many as sovon tins of tongues in one week. As to defendant ill-using the complainant this was very unlikely. Defendant always treated his children well, ,nnd the •wife kept them clean and tidy; To Mr Ulrioh: Witness could not say whether defendant stayed at home at night or not. Defendant had to get up at 5 o’clock on two mornings each week. He had sent to tho hotel on one occasion for defendant.

Defendant stated that his wages were £3 per weekj and he had as much butcher’s meat as lie wanted. He always had a vegetable* garden, and had never to buy vegetables of any kind, So far as bedding was concerned there was always plonty. On two mornings of the week he started work at 5 o’clock, and- returned at 7.30 for breakfast, but there was never any for him. The boginning of tho troublo was when his wifo took the kiddies out at night when they wero suffering from whooping cough. Ho had never ill-used his wifo. nnd he would like to havo her back.

To Mr Ulrich: He had only about £l5O when he came to Winchester. He

had not beon to a rnco meeting for ovor twelve months. Ho admitted doing no repairs to tho house for the. last five years. -Ho never had a keg party at the house. Tlis wife-seemed to be satisfied with the 30s per week, and sho haj no vegetables- or neat to buy. The Magistrate said that it was a. dispute between a neurotic wifo and an unintelligent husband, who, when -they 'wero not going on well, did not do his best-to oil the wheels in order to make' things go moro smoothly. Unfortunately there wore two children, who had to pay the penalty of the disagreement between husband and wife. By her demeanour in tho box, tho woman seemed to bo of a highly nervous temperament, and troub’es assumed unduly exaggerated proportions. Ho was not satisfied that there had been persistent cruelty, and tho charge of drunkenness .must. fail. The charge of failure to maintain was also disposed of, but as to whether 30s "per week was sufficient, to keep a house was a matter of 'opinion. Altogether ho was not satisfied, and the case would bo dismissed.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE. The monthly meeting of flic Temuka. ri.-c+ricf, Hmli” Sclioo' ''Comm-'* W was hold on Tuesday. Present —Messrs A. E. Smith (chairman), A. J. Buzan, O. Ij. Eraser, It. Longson, J. ICay. O. H. Clements, ]\l. Swap, J. Henry and L. Ct. Scrimshaw. Nurse. Cato presented the clinic report in which if. was shown that 120 children had been treated. The Canterbury Education Board ad-’ eised that. £-10 10s 7d had been credited to its building account, being incidental a n owance for the quarter ending September 30. Tho headmaster reported the attendance sinco the term holidays .to have

been very poor in the infant classes owin'; to wliooping cough. -Messrs McNeil, Graham and Haslam paid a visit of inspection to tho school, but tlieir report was not yet to hand. The infant department was inspected in physical drill and th e rest of tho school would bo inspected next Friday. Preparations for the school fancy dress ball were going on apace and everything pointed to a big success. in answer to a question, the headmaster said out of 7G in the infant department only 3d had been presont that day. The second master, Mr .1. T. Smart, had that day been absent owing to influenza. There had been a full attendance in tho secondary department. and also in Standard YL there bad been a full attendance. Mr Longson reported that the doors in tho new open air room were not satisfactory. Owing to the weather there were some holes where water lay. The report was adopted. Messrs I/. G. Scrimshaw and A. E. Smith were appointed a Visiting Committee for tho ensuing mouth.

“THE ENCHANTED HILL,”' TO-NIGHT. A motion picture that liaa.tho sp,ec(l of a machine gnn, that’s “The Enchanted Ilill,” Paramount’s version of Peter B. Kyne’s latest- novel,' to he, screened at Temuka ' to-night. The plot deals with a fight wngsd hy Holt and Miss Vidor-to koe> Their cattle ranches, which Beery and his gang of desperadoes are trying to'take away from them. There is not a dull moment in the picture, and., there,, are some wonderful aeroplane thrills and fonts of horsemanship. There is a vein of mystery, charming love scones, and plenty of eomedv. The featured players are Jack Holt, F’orcnce Vidor,, and Noah Beery. Excellent snnporting pictures will also be screened.