POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 64, 14 March 1908, Page 5

POLICE COURT.

(Before Mr. R. YV. Dyer, S.M.) THE UNDERWEIGHT CALF. The case against Adam Byers, a slaughterman charged with killing and dressing a calf less than 601bs in weight, was continued in the afternoon, Mr. Mays prosecuting, and Mr. Hanna defending." Sergeant Eales gave evidence as to weighing half of the offending calf. The half he weighed scaled 2__lbs. The defence submitted that the calf, which was bought by defendant, killed, and sold to a restaurant keeper, was 61 lbs in weight when killed and dressed, including the skin. Ah Sing, cook of a restaurant in Cus-toms-street, remembered buying the calf. It was a good calf. Policeman then came along and asked, "How heavy?" and they put half the calf on the only scales the establishment possessed, but the scales were so dirty that he could not well see the weight himself. He was holding them up. The boy sing out 251b5., and he think perhaps too young, but the calf was very good meat. Some amusement was here caused by witness pulling an ancient fly-visited spring scale from his pocket, holding it up, and declaring that "this only scale i they have. Hang up year by year —never I used at all." Mr. Hanna objected that this implement might register any weight less than it should. Sing went on to ! explain that the calf was cut into three parts and weighed per medium of this scale. The Magistrate pointed out, however, that if half of the calf had been redivided into three portions, one of those parts could not possibly have weighed 13Ibs, which the constable swore it did, no one else dissenting. After some considerable calculation respecting the calfs probable averdupois, an outside limit of 541bs was reached, including shrinkage. On these figures his YV'orship decided to convict and fine Byers £1 and £3 costs, with a warning for the guidance of those interested in the trade and slaughtering line that this offence of dressing underweight calves was liable to a maximum penalty of £50. WARNED OFT. Charles Burrows, when warned by Detective Miller to quit the Takapuna Racecourse on Anniversary Day, refused to leave, declaring that his right to be there was incontestable. Tho detective produced a written authority from the trustees to warn off all bookmakers and bookmakers' clerks, who had not been duly licensed by the club, and all persons considered undesirable. The Magistrate decided to fine Burrows £5 and costs for neglecting to leave the course when warned to do so. (Before Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M.) GUILTY UNDER PROTEST. William Joseph Charles Franklin, an unsavoury-looking specimen of middleaged humanity, was seen by an employee of the Auckland Sanitary Company to be lurking about the Hobson-street wharf last night, and suspicion concerning the honesty of his intentions developed. Presently the suspected one was seen to be gliding away under a bundle of sacks, and pursuit was instituted. The nerves of Franklin were, unequal to this test, and he took to flight, but when overtaken he breathlessly denied any acquaintance with the sacks, adding that he had seen the thief run away. Ruthlessly his captors haled him to the nearest constable and accused him of the roguery. The fugitive tried bravely to discredit the veracity of his accusers, but when invited to offer a defence, his heart failed him. "I've got nothing to say. and I've got no witnesses. I am absolutely on my own, and as everybody is against mc I had better plead guilty." he mourned, and when reminded by the magistrate that he was not required to admit what he had not done, he conceded that "I must have done it on the impulse of the moment," and went to _-aol for seven days. INEBRIATE. A cheery visitor from the King Country who intimated he had journeyed citywards to enjoy a little holiday, promised to donate a guinea to the Hospital if they gave him a chance. "You know, 1 haven't done anything much to be ashamed about," he argued, with the confidence of conscious innocence, and went his way declaring that the Hospital should benefit to the guinea extent in commemoration of his first appearance in a law court. Another King Country pilgrim to the town lamented the strength of the Auckland beer. 'Tt was too much for mc," he sorrowed in retrospective accepts, while', the subdued light of his eye spoke of the numerous "vanquishers" that had combined to his defeat the night before. The two King Country aspirants to alcoholic fame and another were awarded the lot of the "unwise." MAINTENANCE. William McDowell, for failing to contribute to the support of his wife and children was given 14 days' grace to substantiate, in order to avoid three months' imprisonment. A WEEK TO MEDITATE. James Dunn, the Market Hotel porter, who attempted to attain permanent forgetfulnoss in an outhouse yesterday afternoon by applying a razor edge to each of his wrists, appeared in Court this morning looking white and extremely shaky from loss of blood and nerve rack. Sub-Inspector Cordon suggested that a week's remand for medical attention would be an excellent thing for Dunn. who had apparently been succumbing of late to the thirsty influence of the climate. Dunn protested that the remand was not necessary, and retired to it with evident reluctance.