LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 20982, 10 March 1938, Page 8

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Motion of Sympathy A motion of sympathy with the relatives of the late Mayor (Mr P. C. Vinnell) was carried by the Star Football Club at its annual meeting last night. Mr Vinnell was a vice-president of the club. Chinese Fined Described by the police as an opium house keeper. Lowe Hoy was convicted at Wellington yesterday and fined £25, in default one months’ imprisonment, for being found in possession of opium in a form suitable for smoking. Civil Cases Judgment for plaintiff was entered by Mr H. Morgan, S.M., in the Timaru Magistrate's Court yesterday in the following civil cases:—Strawboard N.Z. Ltd. v. Harold Archbold, claim £l9/8/-, costs £l/9/-; South Canterbury Hospital Board v. Athol Talbot, claim £4/5/-, costs £l/13/6. Appeal to be Lodged Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M., has granted Gannaway and Company, Ltd., stevedores, Wellington, leave to appeal against the judgment delivered by him on Tuesday. They had claimed a penalty of £5 from each of 12 men alleged to have refused to load the Port Gisborne on January 13 during the meal hour. Judgment was entered for the defendant in each case, together with costs. A Eucalyptus Pest Some years ago a handsome buff to brown moth made its appearance in Wanganui, and during the succeeding years it has increased to an enormous extent. It was identified as an Australian—Antherea eucalypti, with a partiality for pepper and gum trees. In some suburbs its ravages in the autumn among those trees are very marked, many trees being entirely denuded of leaves. Damages Awarded Judgment for plaintiff for £235/8/6 special damages and £350 general damages was awarded by a jury in the Supreme Court at Napier yesterday in the claim by Norman Walker from Matthew Herrick for £1235/8/6. Walker claimed £lOOO general and £235/8/6 special damages for damage to a motor car and injuries received in a motor accident at Hastings on May 16, 1937. Liability was not disputed by the defendant, only the question of what damages should be awarded. Grocers' Dispute When the Conciliation Council resumed the hearing of the application by workers in the grocery business for a Dominion award at Wellington yesterday, Mr F. D. Cornwell, advocate for the workers, raised the question of a 40-hour five-day week, which in turn brought up the related question of wages. The employees' proposals on a 40-hour five-day week were not acceptable to the employers any more than the employers’ proposals of a 44-hour flve-and-a-half-day week were acceptable to the workers, and neither side would accept the offer of the other with regard to wages. There was agreement on a number of minor clauses. Those outstanding, besides wages and hours, will also be referred to the Court of Arbitration. New Stamp Issues On April 1 the Commonwealth Postal Department will release two new stamps to replace the existing 5/- and 10/- issue. They will portray their Majesties in full Coronation Robes, King George appearing on the 10/- stamp and Queen Elizabeth on the 5/stamp. The designs, which are unique and should have a special appeal, are based upon photographs obtained from England for reproduction on these stamps. The engraving and printing have been carried out by the Commonwealth Note and Stamp Printer. The present designs depicting a Kangaroo inset in a map of Australia have been in use for the last quarter of a century and will be withdrawn from j sale. £1,000,000 From Wool Woo! sold in Hawke’s Bay so far this season has netted growers more than £1,000,000. Monday was “prompt day” in Connection with the third Napier sale held on Monday, February 21, and a sum estimated at roughly £340,000 was distributed to growers. In the vicinity of 90 per cent, of the offering of 29,600 bales was disposed of at the last sale, and it is estimated that the offering brought an average of £l2/17/6 a bale, or about 9d per lb. The first Napier sale resulted in a distribution to the growers of £246,518, while the wool cheque for the second sale was in the vicinity of £540,000, which, with the amount netted in connection with the third sale, brought the total for the season past the £1,000,000 mark. Government Intervenes Following intervention by the Government, the loading of fruit on the Port Auckland, which was delayed at Napier on Tuesday and yesterday through the refusal of the watersiders to work, was recommenced last night. The trouble originated through the loading of the Rangitiki on Saturday being abandoned because of rain. The men engaged to load her claimed that they were entitled to more pay than they received. On Tuesday a heavy swell prevented the loading of the Port Auckland and the meat in two lighters had to be returned to the freezing works. The men refused to unload the meat into the trucks until the question of Saturday’s pay was settled. However, they returned to work at 3.45 p.m. and the unloading was completed at 8 p.mYesterday morning the men again refused to work and no agreement was reached at a meeting of the Disputes Committee. Later in the day a message was received from the Government and the men then resumed work. The decision averts a big loss to the Hawke’s Bay fruitgrowers, as no storage space is available for 19,000 cases not loaded owing to the dispute. Robbery Alleged Allan John Williams and Bernard Andrew Mcßrearty, both butchers, were committed for trial at Palmerston North yesterday on a charge of robbing Charles Cecil Mudgway, labourer, of Ohura, of £2/15/- and a watch and chain valued at 30/- and also, immediately prior to the robbery, using personal violence on Mudgway. The evidence of Mudgway was to the effect that he met both the accused at Levin, where all partook of several drinks. The accused obliged him with a ride in a car to Palmerston North, but when at Himitangi the engine gave out. While Williams attended the engine Mcßrearty accused witness of calling him names and delivered a blow to the face which knocked witness down. Mcßrearty dragged him up and again felled him with a blow to the chest. All got in the car again, witness not remembering much of the rest of the journey to Palmerston North. When they arrived at Mil Son, a suburb, all got out and he was pushed over with a blow to the chest. As he lay on the ground he was kicked on the face, his false teeth being broken. The accused rolled him over, went through his pockets and then drove away, but witness was able to get the number of the car. Detective Power said in a pocket of a pair of trousers belonging to Williams he found three bloodstained pound notes, also in an overcoat pocket a bloodstained postal note. In a pocket of a pair of trousers belonging to Mcßrearty he found Mudgway’s watch and chain. The accused explained that he did not know it was there.