MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 162, 14 August 1914, Page 5

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M.) A bunch of ten first offenders for drunkenness were fined 5/ : each for having celebrated race day with too much success. John Fleming and Alexander Scott were two other holiday celebrants who looked too long upon the beer when it was brown for the second time within six months. They were each fined 10/for their indiscretion. A first offender who was charged on August 6 with being helplessly drunk and remanded for medical treatment, was ordered to pay 17/6 medical expenses. VAGRANCY. Mary Agnes Vaughan was charged with having ben found drunk in Hagley Park early this morning and pleaded guilty. She was also charged with being a rogue and a vagabond, and pleached not guilty to this. The police evidence stated that last month she had been committed to the Salvation Army Home for six months, but had refused to stay in the institution. She was fined 20/- or seven days imprisonment for drunkenness and remanded on the vagrancy charge. ALLEGED THEFT. John Manton, charged with- having on August 12 stolen the sum of £3 14/6, pleaded not guilty and was remanded until August 19. , A LITTLE CHANGE. Joseph Loder, an elderly man to whom the police gave a good character, was charged with having been drunk in Cathedral Square last night and with having bereft a newsboy of eleven 1 ' pence. He pleaded guilty to having been drunk, but said he knew nothing of the other matter. The paper seller gave evidence that Loader ,had taken a paper from him and offered him a two shilling piece. He had given him all his spare coppers, amounting to lid, in return, and had set off to change the florin. He was unable to get change and had handed back the two shillings and demanded his paper and the elevenpence back, But the man moved on and refused to return the pennies, whereon the boy immediately informed a policeman.

Loder said that he had never in his life done a dishonest action and could not remember a thing about this one. He was of opinion that it was an error due to his insobriety. The Magistrate was also of the opinion that insobriety had something to do with it and imposed a fine of 5/- for drunkenness and ordered him to refund the elevenpence and pay 8/- witnesses' expenses. BREACHES OF BY-LAWS.

A fine of 40/- and costs was imposed on George Johnston, a taxi-driver, for having driven his car round a corner on the wrong side of the road, thereby doing serious injury to a cyclist. For cycling on the footpath Joseph Dwyer was fined 7/- and costs. LYTTELTON. (Before Messrs J. R. Webb and L. A. Stringer, J.P.'s.) DRUNKENNESS. One first offender for drunkenness was fined the usual 5/-. THEFT. For stealing a parcel- of sailors' clothing valued at 30/- from the Sailors' Home, Robert Guyton was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment.