MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 108, 12 June 1914, Page 10

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

A large number of cases were heard before Mr T. A. B. Bailey at tlie Magistrate's Court to-day. DRUNKENNESS.

John Leahy was fined 20/- for his second offence against sobriety.

TWO CHARGES.

George Henry Clarkson pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing sheet lead to the value of 30/-, and of accompanying a prohibited person into an hotel. He was remanded. IMPORTUNING.

Elizabeth Ward pleaded guilty to importuning, and was sentenced to one month's imprisonment. FRACTURED BY-LAWS.

George L. Bowron, who did not appear, was fined 10/- for driving a motor car , over the Bank of New Zealand crossing at a greater speed than allowed by the by-laws. Frank Hardy was similarly charged, the locality of the offence being the inter-section of Colombo Street aud Moorhouse Avenue. The speed alleged was 10 miles an hour. The defendant said that it was not his car, but he was driving it. He went over the crossing, but not at an excessive rate of speed. A constable said that the defendant had told him that he could not go too fast over the crossing because there two bad ruts.

The defendant: I did not know when he interviewed me that he was an officer. (Laughter). ' A fine of 1.0/'-was imposed. ON THE FOOTBOARD.

Douglas James Whiteombe j>leaded guilty to travelling o?i the footboard of a tram car. He explained that he was on his way from the rear platform of the car to an empty seat. lie missed his hold of the stanchions, and went overboard. He was fined 2/- without costs. IN MOTION. Leslie Hawiey was fined 5/- and costs for boarding a*moving tram. NO LIGHTS. , Joseph Barron, charged with leaving a vehicle at night in Brougham Street without lights, was fined 5/- and costs. James Gordon Goodf ellow was oharged with motor cycling, without a light, and with failing * to have his registered number on the machine.

Mr Salter, who appeared for the defendant, said that ,thc man had only Cycied from Kiddies' shop on Oxford Terrace to the Y.M.C.A.. He lit his lamp, but it went out, and at the Y.M.C.A. he ran into the arms of three constables. As to the other charge, the defendant had -purchased the cycle and registered it that, day, but had not time to get it painted. The Farmers' Co-op-, from whom he had, purchased the machine, lent him their number, which was written on a piece of paper, and was attached to the motor cycle.

The magistrate said that the Farmers' Co-op. had no right to lend numbers with the machines they sold.

Mr Salter. said that the case was a paltry one, /and the police had very little to do when they took it up.

Senior-Sergeant Mathieson: It is a very important matter. 1 The magistrate convicted and discharged the defendant on both thecharges. THE PLUMBER. Thomas Edward Loach admitted that, being ah unregistered plumber, he had connected a Hushing system with the Drainage Board's sewer, " Mr W. Cowlishaw, who appeared for the board, said that this was the first information lender the Plumbers'•Registration Act of .1912. The board did not wish to press for a heavy penalty. Evidence was given that the work had been done well-by the defendant. It was simply a question of registration. .

A fine of 5/- way imposed. A WANDERING HORSE. : Henry James Wells, charged Avith allowing a horse to wander on two occasions, said that the gate must have been opened by some unauthorised person. The horse could not get through four strands of barb wire. He was fined 5/-.

LYTTELTON.

(Before Mr J. R. Webb, J.P.) At the Lyttelton Magistrate 's ( Court this morning Walter Hammond, a lamp trimmer on the steamer Rotorua, was charged with the theft of a silver watch (£4r), chain and pendant (£2 10/-), stud (3d), saving banks book, and £6 9/- in cash, a total value of £l3 2/3, the property of Thos. Wilson, also of the Rotorua. Accused was represented by Mr H. J. Beswick, who pleaded not guilty on his behalf. Senr. Sergeant Ryan asked for a remand fpr a week. The application was strongly opposed by 1 Mr Beswick, who suggested that the remand be made till to-morrow morning, at -Christehureii, as the steamer was leaving Lyttelton that afternoon. The presiding justice remanded the case till June 19, next Fridav. "