POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 149, 27 June 1898, Page 4

POLICE COURT.

TniS DAY.

(Before Mr H. W. Brabant, S.M.)

Unfortunate Girls. — Eliza Grace Coonibe, the girl found guilty on Saturday of buing an idle and disorderly person, was discharged on condition that she entered the Magdalen Home, Christchurch. She expressed her willingness to go, and Sergeant Kelly stated that there was no difficulty in the way of her being admitted. The police would provide her passagemoney to Christchurch.—Rose Harrington, another girl who was before the Court on Saturday on a charge of stealing a lady's jacket, was convicted and discharged, also on condition that she should enter the Magdalen Home.

The Only Alternative.—S. 'J. Ambury, of Ambury and English, dairymen, pleaded guilty to a breach of the Shop Hours Act, through employing two assistants later than half an hour after the prescribed time for closing their shop. There was no desire to break the law, said the defendant. It was not possible for them to get through the work in the time prescribed by law, owing to a scarcity of milk, which necessitated the procuring of a special supply. "We had either to give up business," he said, "or break the law." "Well, I'm afraid it-would have to be a case of^givinoup business," replied the Bench ;•" there is no other alternative. The law must not be broken."—A line of 20s in each case was inflicted. Costs amounting to £2 5s were allowed against the defendants. The information was laid by the Inspector under the Act, (Mr Ferguson) for whom Mr McAlister appeared.

A Railway Book Stall.—Another case under the Shop Hours Act was brought by the Inspector, this time against .Robert Spreeldey, owner of the book stall at the Auckland Railway Station. The defendant pleaded guilty to employing an assistant under 18 years for more than live consecutive hours without granting at least half an hour for refreshments. He stated that he had told his assistant to take time oft" for refreshments, but neither he nor the boy knew that this was compulsory. The boy had a very easy time between' the arrival of trains. A Hue of 10s was imposed. —Defendant also pleaded guilty to not giving the assistant at the book stall ahalf holiday on a Saturday afternoon. The breach ©f the Act was due, lie said, to a misapprehension. He had thought that the exemption from closing the stall applied also to the half-holiday. A fine of 10s was inflicted, and costs "in each case were allowed against the defendant. Youthful Offenders.—Two small boys named Victor Shnmonds and William Ryan were charged with. breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Messrs Pitt and Roekstro, Hepburn-street, and stealing a watch and chain and a -pair of sleevelinks, worth £1 2s 6d.—lt was decided to deal summarily with the case, and the boys pleaded guilty. One of them said he "picked up" the watch, but it transpired that he picked it up out of a box which stood on a table inside the house.—His Worship remanded the boys for a few hours to allow the Probation Officer to make a report as to their antecedents. Sunday Drinks.—Two men named Henry Stevens and Edwin Stocken were charged with obtaining liquor at the Carpenters' Arms on a Sunday by falsely representing themselves to be travellers'. Mr Baumo appeared for the. defence and pleaded guilty. He stated that both men resided out'of the City district, and had thought they were justified in saying they were travellers. He asked that a nominal penalty might be inflicted.—Mr Brabant fined each man £1 with costs.