POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 305, 21 December 1912, Page 5

POLICE COURT.

(Before Mr F. V. Frazer, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. Two first offenders paid the usual penalty, and Henry Kelly, who bad broken thi> terms of his prohibition order, was fined 40/, in default seven days' imprisonment. John Milne, when drunk yesterday aftrrnuon, went along th<" street calling down something which was not a blessing an the hear! of some publican wlio had refused to senr- him with liquor. He stopped opposite a church, and apparently to give greater effect to his telepathic reproaches, broke into loud and obscene language respecting the other person. For the character of the language used he was sentenced to 14 days' hard labour. ERRANT HUSBANDS. Thomas \V. Cooper, whose failure to provide for his wife was represented by arrears of the maintenance order amounting to £174, stated that h-e had been bushfnlling. fishing, and contracting, but had not been able to do any crood. In reply to pointed questions from the Bench, the prisoner admitted that he had been living with the Maoris, and had a Maori -wife.

Remarking that the man was obviously quite callous, the Magistrate inflicted a sentence of three months' hard labour. Frederick Webb, on a charge that at Wellington be had failed to provide his wife with adequate means of maintenance, was remanded to appear at Wellington on Tuesday, bail being fixed at one surety of £100. (Before Mr E. C. Cutten, S.M.) BOARDINGHOUSE INCIDENT. James Ferguson and Francis Banks wore jointly committed to the Supreme Court on a charge of having assaulted the landlady of a boardinghouse in Grey Street on Tuesday last, and Fprguson also on the charge of assaulting the landlady's son.

In further evidence. Constable Power, who was called ill by the landlady's daughter, stated that he was of opinion that Fergusou was very drank at the time, while Constable Bruton. who a few minute* later took charge of Ferguson, considered that the prisoner had heen drinking, but was not drunk. Detective Scott, who had made inquiries later, and got statements from Ferguson and some of his shipmates on the Makura, put in the statements. They were to the. effect that Ferguson had worked his passage on the boat, his objective being Sydney. He and some shipmates had had a number of drinks in an hotel near the wharf, after which Ferguson disappeared, and the other.-, including Banks, went back to the Makura. Two stewards stated that they had seen Banks in bis bunk on board at 1 p.m.. and again at 4 p.m., and they did not see him leave or come aboard between those times. Ferguson stated that hs left the hotel very drunk, and had no recollection of what happened afterwards till he found himself in the lock-up. He left the hotel by himself, and could not remember having any companion, his being to return to the shir.

Banks gave evidence to the effect that be !iad returned to th<? ship about 1 p.m.. having had a number of drinks, and went to sleep till about 4 p.m., so that he could not have been with Ferguson at 2 p.m. Mr F. Stilling defended Ferguson and Mr \Y. Hackett appeared for Banks. Bail was allowed in two sureties of £50 each.