POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 203, 25 August 1908, Page 5

POLICE COURT.

(Before Mr. C. O. Kettle, &M.) BE CAREFUL ON THE PLATFOBM. Edward Barrett, a young man who labours and lives in town, was escorting a friend to his home at EUeralie yesterday in the evening, and had eecorted him so far as the Auckland Kail-way Station when the trouble happened. The friend took up a recumbent attitude on a seat upon the platform. while Barrett apparently kept watch, and nature revolted within the friend to an extent that aroused the protest of a porter, and the pity of Barrett, who felt his heart grow soft at the sight. So much so that he remarked, when the porter commented in accents of unmistakable intolerance respecting the performance of.the recumbent one, "Let him stay there. He's not doing any harm, and Fin going ■to take him off by traH , . in a few minutes." His tone was such as would command the other's sympathy, as to one who might one day find himself in such a plight, and ths anger of the porter rose in .his tbror-i. to the indignance of demanding the immediate removal of the one within whom nature quaked. But Barrett yearned to let him lie there and offend the platform, not because of the offence, but out of lovingkindness to his friend, and he expressed so much of his ideas in free terms to the impatient porter, who held a broom, which, according to Barrett, was dropped to enable its holder the more easily to hit Barrett. But it was proved this morning that Barrett did most or all of the hitting—he himself admitted they both got a bit nasty, but he was only 10 stone, and did not consider the advantage had been by any means on his side. The marks on the other man's face, together with the general testimony, spoke, however, to the no great benefit of Barrett, who was consequently fined £5, in default one month's hard labour, his Worship. remarking that order must be maintained on the railway station at all risks. Barrett was reminded by SubInspector Gordon, moreover, that he committed an offence by taking his friend on to the station Tinder such circumstances. Rxnnmro amok. Albert Wright, who was remanded last week, after rising one morning in the house of his landlady and turning himseK loose on stray articles of furniture, and scaring the inmates generally, was this morning discharged upon condition that 'he paid the cost of the breakages and court expenses. DISCHARGED. John Ledman, the sailor off the American hospital ship Belief, charged with desertion, was this morning discharged, Sub-Inspector Gordon stating that the American authorities no longer wished to enforce the man's return to his ship,. as he was so much opposed to it. Ledman, in a strong American accent, remarked that he was a seafaring man, and would find- a ship 'bound home to America. A RECALCITRANT HUSBAND. Charles James Harris, charged with the disobedience of the Court order that he should' contribute 30/ a week towards the support of his wife and child, pleaded inability to conform, and prayed in turn that the order be cancelled. Mr. Brookfield represented the wife, and Mr. Hackett the husband, who attempte d to slight his wife's good name, for which he was soundly reprimanded by the magistrate, Mr. Kettle stamping hie conduct as being that of a low blackguard. For the disobedience to the Court's order Harris was sentenced to one month's imprisonment respecting the order made on behalf of the child, and to two months' hard labour for failure in maintenance order for the wife, warrant to be suspended seven days to enable him to pay. His Worship refused to cancel the order as desired by Harris, recommending him to apply again later if he were honestly not able to meet the payments. Harris: I don't want to go on with the application. I can see that your Worship is dead against mc. Mr. Kettle: Well, you have a week in which to pay the arreers. Harris: I won't pay. "Then you will go to gaol," returned the magistrate. " I will go now, if you like, but I won't pay," reiterated Harris, hotly. " Very well," replied the Court, and proceeded with the next case, what time Harris retired in heated converse with his solicitor.