DOMINION EVENTS

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 24 July 1923, Page 2

DOMINION EVENTS

WELLINGTON, Monday. Two men. were before the Court today, charged with the illegal removal of opossums. It was alleged against Henry Chettick and Joseph August, that tliey took opossums without a license, removing them out of season. Il was stated that rhe movements of accused had been | closely watched by the rangers employ- | cd by the Acclimatistatiou Society. A I number of opossum traps were found, | which had been set by the accused, ft ’ was difficult to detect offenders in such j cases, and a heavy fine was asked for I if a conviction was recorded. The Magistrate agreed that small fines were useless as large profits could ' be made from the practice. Accused were fined £25. I CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. 1 The habit of using other people’s motor cars having become lather com- j mon recently in and around Christ- | church, the sentence imposed by Air | Wyvern Wilson, S.M., on two men at I the Magistrate’s Court, Rangiora, to- | day, .should help to restrain future j joy-riders. The two men charged were Reginald I Pearce and Joseph Mortland. Peaces I was fined £5 and costs, and Mortland was sentenced to one month's imprisonment. ' The Magistrate said the offence of ' taking cars was becoming too common. ! The only way to stop these offences ; was to impose such a penalty as to create fear among the community. BLENHEIM. Monday.

Startling statements were made at a meeting of the Blenheim banners Union with regard to railway freight lates. The chairman stated that there did not seem to be a fixed rate on the railway for freight. Evidently the Department was exploiting everyone wherever possible. When high and unreasonable charges were found out and questioned, the Department rapidly climbed down.

A resolution was passed that the Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union should be asked to inquire into the matter of different railages on the local railways on goods as between shipping firms and private individuals.