POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 52, 2 March 1909, Page 5

POLICE COURT.

.;. t . YESTERDAY. (Before Mr C. C. Kettle, S.M.) THE AGE OF CONSENT. The case in which Frank' Tate was charged with having improper relations ; with a girl under the age of 16 years was continued before Mr Kettle, S.M., yesterday. After considerable evidence had been called by " Chief Detective Marsack, his worship committed the accused for trial. (Before Mr. R. W. Dyer, SJVI.) STRIKING A BARMAID. George Jackson, a young man of some 23 or 24 years of age, was charged with having assaulted a barmaid at the Waverley Hotel, by striking her, and by throwing glasses at her. The accused wasuefended by Mr. J. R. Lundon. The evidence of the girl was to the effect that tho affair had arisen through a. dispute as to change, the accused havjring held thai a sixpence was due to him out of the coin tendered in payment for drinks. The .witness had contradicted him, and he had thereupon leant over and struck her on the face with his open hand. He had then thrown a glass at her, which passed near her head. •To Mr. Lundon: The accused had not knocked the glass off the counter. I Another wiftiess named Hoskin, who stated that he saw the blow struck, said that the effect of it was sufficient to make the girl stagger. ' James Kelly, a witness for the defence, contradicted the evidence of the [ previous witnesses as to the throwing of ! the glass. Other witnesses corroborated Kelly on this point. His Worship stated that he regarded the offence as a most serious one, and remarked that it was merciful that the glass had not struck the girl. Sentence of six months' imprisonment was passed. THIS DAY. (Before Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M.) INEBRIATE. James McAllister, who did not put in an appearance, loses £1, the amount of his bail. REMANDED. A young man named Edwin P. Gougb was remanded until to-morrow morning on a charge of assault at Ohakune. No particulars of the case are yet available. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. Archibald Hart, a slightly-built and rather weak-looking individual of mid-dle-age, pleaded guilty to having attempted suicide on February 15 by firing a revolver at himself. The case had been previously called, and adjourned for further investigation. "It is a very wrong thing to do," said Mr. Kettle, "and I don't think any man would do it unless he were beside himself. I can quite understand that in a new country, and without friends, you feel despondent, but you should go somewhere where you would be able to have more control of yourself. Hart was then convicted and discharged on condition that he entered the Salvation Army Home, a course which he accordingly agreed to. THREE MONTHS. Harry Boyson, who had been remand-1 ed on charges of drunkenness, and with stealing a couple of shirts, was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon on the first count, three months' imprisonment being passed on the charge of theft. A CASE FOR SURETIES. William Moss Oliver, remanded for medical examination, when charged on two accounts of assault, another of breach of the peace, and a fourth of trespass, again appeared this morning. On perusing the doctor's report, his Worship remarked that he considered the case would be met by binding Oliver over in sureties to keep the peace. It was stated that the accused's brother would arrive from the country this evening, and a remand was accordingly granted until to-morrow to see what arrangement could be made. ALLEGED FORGERY. A short, stylishly dressed young man named Carl Frederick Walker, was charged with having, on March 1, uttered a forged document purporting to •be a cheque, knowing the same to be forged,- and, on a second count, with committing forgery of a certain document, which purported to be a cheque. On the application of Chief-Detective Marsack, the accused was remanded for a week, bail being allowed in two sureties of £100 each. " PANCAKES OFF/ A diminutive but stoutly-built young seaman, who owns the name of Carl Menz, plead ed not guilty to a charge of deserting from the German barque Nal, now at Auckland, basing his denial of any blame on a series of impressively uttered allegations as to the extent of the shin's commissariat, and his treatment by the officers. In a deep bass voice, which fairly startled the Court, he intimated that he had been "treated like a dog," and had determined to make good his escape as early as possible. So far as the listeners in the Court-room were concerned, the main complaints, voicetr with a strong German accent, appeared to be concerned with pancakes and rice, both of which, he alleged, had been refused the crew. "When ther maite seen 'em," continued the disappointed tar, "he sez, sez he, 'Ho, no! no pancakes for ther men. Guv them hash.' An* we had hash." After Menz had recounted another incident of a similarly distressing nature with respect to rice, evidence was given •by the skipper and mate of the vessel, denying any ill-treatment. "You come here to complain of nothing more than pancakes and rice," said 'Mr. Kettle, "and you put your owners and masters to a great deal of trouble. You will be convicted and ordered to pay costs, and rejoin your ship at once." "I vill rund avay again as soon as ever I gets a chants," quoth Menz, striding out of the Court-room. HAINTENANCB. Frank McKinnon was ordered to pay ' 25/ a week towards the maintenance of I his wife and infant son. An order for 5/ a week was made against Nellie White for the maintenance ' of her child. j Charles Harrod, charged with failing to make due allowance for the maintenance : of his wife, was ordered to pay 10/ a! week, -with costs, Mrs. Harrod declaring herself to be quite destitute. I Frank Hunt was charged with disobey-' ing an order of the Court to pay £1 10/ per week towards the maintenance of his wife. Sentence of three months imprisonment was passed, the order to be suspended for seven days. SEPARATZOfr. As application by Phoebe Balaton for a separation order against her ht_band, Alexander McDougall Balaton, was allowed by his Worship, an ojder being BO— for 15/ a -week maintenance. j