MAGISTRATE'S COURT

In the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. J, L. Stout, S.M., Allen Edward Ross, soldier and baker, 37, admitted the theft of a lady's bicycle at Napier on June 26. Detective-Ser-geant G. E. Callaghan stated that the accused was recently sentenced to six months' imprisonment at Lower Hutt for the theft of six other bicycles, and the present case:was the last of the series. The Magistrate^ sentenced him to another month; to be cumulative with the present sentence. Reinholt Arnold Larson, Danish seaman, 25, pleaded guilty to a charge that, being a prohibited immigrant, he unlawfully landed in New Zealand. He was ordered to be deported, and to be held in custody in the meantime. Geo. H. Scales Pacific, Ltd., pleaded <*uilty to two breaches regarding the rationing of tea, one of failing to dispose of coupons and permits under the directions pf the Rationing Controller, and the other of supplying 210 pounds of tea to Stanley John Newland otherwise than in accordance with the Rationing Emergency Regulations. 1942. Neither charge was considered to be serious, said Mr. Callaghan. With regard to the first, it was stated that from June, 1942, the company had failed to make returns to the Controller. Tea was only a small sideline for the company, and it received no profits from it. Since 1943 the company had drawn no new stock of tea, and there had just been carelessness regarding the returns. With regard to the other charge, Newland was a providore for a ship which was instructed to draw rations in Wellington before proceeding to the^ Islands on Government business. It was supplied in a hurry, and the question of obtaining a permit for the tea was entirely overlooked. . The Magistrate agreed that there was no question of black marketing, and that a permit could have been easily obtained. He imposed a fine of £2 10s on each charge. The following cases, for breaches of price orders, were heard before Mr. W. F. Stilwell, S.M.:— Peter Sum, trading as Hing Lee, fruiterer, was fined £5 and costs for selling 21b loz of apples for 7d, which was not in conformity with an order. Wong Lai, trading as the Nelson Fruit Co., was fined £5 and costs for selling 21b of apples for 7d. Chun Yee Hop, trading as Hing Lee, fruiterer, was fined £5 and costs on each of two charges of selling lib of apples for 3|d. Poy Young, trading as T. P. Young, fruiterer, was fined £7 and costs for selling lib .df apples for 4d. Naeshi Govin, fruiterer, for selling lib of tomatoes for lOd and for selling 21b. of apples for 7d, the subject of two charges, was convicted and ordered to pay costs on each.