POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 116, 17 May 1901, Page 8

POLICE COURT.

THIS DAY.

(Before Mr. T. Hutchison, S.M.)

Theft of Cheques.—A youth named Edward Joseph James Mungan, for whom Mr. Lundon appeared, pleaded guilty to stealing cheques for the payment of ,£ll. the property of W r. j vS. Laurie. Chief Detective Grace, who conducted the prosecution, said he had understood that the informant would prefer further charge:;, but Mr. Laurie had since declined to do so. There was therefore only the. one charge before the Court. The ! question of dealing summarily with the ca.se. instead of committing1 for trial, was deferred till Monday, bail being1 allowed as before. Drunkenness. —For this offence Charles Edward Madden was fined 5/, in default 24 hours' hard labour; Margaret Wilkie. 10/, or 48 hours; and Tlettic McGregor, £ '1. or 7 days. Disorderly Behaviour. — Elizabeth Black was sentenced to seven clays' hard labour for behaving in a riotous manner in Queen-street. A Fracas in Queen-street.—Henry Wilson, a man-o'-warsman, pleaded g-uilty to disorderly conduct, while drunk, and resisting Constable Nicholls in the execution of his duty, and not guilty to assaulting Constable Nichplls. The latter deposed that he arrested the prisoner last nijjht for being drunk and disorderly in Queen-street, and endeavoured to get the man into a cab. Wilson resisted violently, and struck at witness with his fist. Witness called to several of the bystanders to assist, him, but could get no help from any of them. The crowd, in fact, were hooting witness, and inciting the prisoner to resist. Presently two more constables arrived, whereupon a bystander rushed at. one of them, and a general melee resulted. Eventually more police came on the scene, and the prisoner was removed to the station. During the struggle he kicked witness severely on the leg. Witness would not have arrested the prisoner in the. first instance if the man had not made use of foul and abusive language when spoken to. Men-o'-warsmen were generally allowed a certain amount of latitude, by the police when ashore. Constable Finlay gave corroborative evidence. His Worship said the language used by the prisoner, though very violent, was not such as to justify his arrest. He felt compelled to decide, therefore that the man was illegally under arrest, and consequently the other charges must fall through. Prisoner would be fined 5/ or 24 hours for the drunkenness, and the other charges would be dismissed.— William Brooker, another bluejacket, was charged ' with obstructing Constables Nicholls and Finla.y in the execution of their, duty and inciting the prisoner Wilson to resist the police. His Worship, after hearing evidence, convicted the accused and discharged him. Harry Perry and William Calvert, two civilians, were, also charged with inciting the prisoner Wilson to resist the police, but. RubInspector Mitchell said that, in view of His Worship's expression of opinion he would offer no evidence. The charges were accordingly dismissed, ana" the men were discharged with a severe caution, the Bench informing them that they had had a narrow escape of going to gaol. Alleged Vagrancy.—.Two girls named Annie McGuire and Harriet Bake.r appeared on remand charged with being idle and disorderly persons, with insufficient lawful means of support. Sistre Francis and the Salvation Army Home both offered to take the girls but the latter were unwilling to go. Eventually both cases were adjourned till the 29th inst. His Worship advising the girls_jn the meanwhile to accept the assistance offered them.