Haboured absconder; fined
A man who spent a night with a girl who had absconded from the Caversham Industrial School did not arouse any feelings of sympathy in the Magistrate (Mr J.R. Bartholomew SM) in the City Police Court yesterday morning. To the assertion that, though the accused knew the girl was legally an inmate of the institution, he did not know that she had absconded because she had told him that she had been given leave of absence for the week-end, the Magistrate replied that no man, even in the accused’s station in life, would have believed such a story. "The question is whether the accused knew that the girl was absconding or had withdrawn herself from the school. He says that she told him that she had a week-end off. On this point there is only his own statement, which is not supported by that of the girl. No man could be so stupid as to believe that the girl would he allowed to spend a week-end at her own sweet will. This is a serious offence, for which there is not adequate provision under the Act, which provides a maximum penalty of £10. The accused will be fined the maximum amount and costs, and ordered to pay 10 shillings witnesses’ expenses."
Waipori powers down
The loading on the city electric power supply was a little lighter yesterday but this is not helping the present acute position to any extent, as the flow of water which supplies the generators at Waipori continues to decrease. A few showers fell at Waipori yesterday, but they did not relieve the situation. It would require 12 hours’ steady hard rain if any benefit is to result. The tramways management cut as many special cars as they possibly could yesterday, and today the service will be run without any specials at all. The tramways are to be driven from this morning onwards by power generated from the standby plant only — one diesel engine of 750 horsepower and the other of 500hp. The standby plant is only able to run what is termed the regular service, and therefore the department will not be able to cater for rush hour traffic. The Electric Power Department desires to again impress on the users of light — shopkeepers especially — that if it is discovered that a too generous use of lighting is being made the department will at once take immediate and drastic steps to stop the practice. — ODT, 3.4.1924
Compiled by Peter Dowden