POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 82, 6 April 1914, Page 5

POLICE COURT.

(Before Mr E. C. Catten, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. Two first offenders were fined .">/ apiece, and one forfeited bail. .Samuel Walker (51), for his third offence, was prohibited and discharged; and James Downey's second la.pse witiiin six monUis cost 'him 10/, in default 48 hours' imprisonment. Thomae Bfeen's (54) drunkenness was aggravated by misdemeanour, and he was fined 40/ (in default seven daye' imprisonment); and for a similar lapse Jonn Bobineon (40) vas also iineJ 40/. PREFERRED THE ISLAND. "I don't know Ik>w he comes to be at large .it all," remarked Inspector 'Mfc Gratii of Louis HaroM Eowe (30), wh<x was charged with being an idle and disorderly person, and with having failed to provide his wife with adequate main-iennni-o. 'He iw sent to Rotoroa Island Tor six months on February 11," continued the Inspector. '"I was brought back by the wife, who got an order from a magistrate." explained Rowe. "I'm not a. vagrant," he proceeded. "I've t>een earning money oi'pn- day. b-.it I've been ependimr it in drink as fast as I <?ot it. I think I'd huvr- bfcn a lot better off at that Island instead of being brought back when J\l been only two or three days there." His Worship dismissed the vagrancy charge, prohibited Rowe, and for failing to maintain his wife, sentenced him to three months' hard labour. INSUFFICIENT YABD SPACE. (i. l>. AVarman did not appear to answer a charge under the Municipal Corporations Act that foe used part of a building in Hobson Street as a residence, which did not have sufficient yard space. .11:. Stanton, for the City Council, stated that defendant had eTeeted a three-storeyed brick buOdrag in Hobson Street, and occupied part of it as a residence. When informed that it was a breach of t!ie Act to use the place for residential purposes, as it had not sufficient yard space, the defendant asked for'permission to use the place for six months, ■until he could occupy a house he was ■building nt Takapuna. "Ore request had been declined, but defendant continued to occupy the premises.

I>efendant was fined 20/ and 28/ costs, and an application by the local authority for permission to pull the building down was adjourned for a fortnight, to enable the defendant to avoid this drastic measure, by ceasing to ueo the. building (a good one) for residential purposes. AT HIS OWN REQUEST. Hugh Murray (32), the possessor of 2d. went to the police station last night and asked to be given a place in the cells in order that ho might have a sleep. He said he had no friends, no home, and his chief desire for the timo being was a corner in which to curl up and sleep. Constable F. Smith, who gave the man a pla<w iii the cells, on a charge of vagrancy, said that Murray looked as if he had been on a drinking bout.. Murray was prohibited, and sentenced to three months' hard labour. LATELY FROM LONDON. Alexander Vernon. aged 22 years, last night stack up two constables in Symonds Street and asked for "tupponce" to help him get a bed. The constables naturally made some inquiries, and found that the young fellow had been only three or four weeks in New Zealand , , had done no work, and had been petting an existence by cadging. He had then 1/7 in his pockets, which he admitted having got by tapping the generosity of stray pedestrians. "I don't want to say anything," intimated Vernon, with a smile, when charged with being a, vagrant. Questioned by the magistrate, he said he was a grocer, worked last in London, had been

"I don't want to say anything," intimated Vornon, with a smile, when charged with being a vagrant. Questioned by the magistrate, he said he was a grocer, worked last in London, had been four weeks in Auckland, had a good look round, and had seen no work waiting for him. He also admitted that he had been sent to gaol in London four or five years ago for begging.

"Pity he didn't stay in England," interjected Inspector McGrath. "I think so. too," replied Vernon.

His Worship remanded accused till Thursday, pending inquiries as to placing the. young man on the Salvation Army's farm. At the same time the magistrate remarked that Vernon didn't seem to be. quite '"all there."' A CONSTABLE'S SMILE. Vrederiea Meyere, keeper of a refreshment shop in Hobeon Street, through tier eoiinee!, Mr \V. JV C.-acroft Wilson, admitted that on Maivh 15 she sold whisky without having a license to do so. Mr Wilson ?aid that tlie woman iwJ had a very hard struggle for, existence in the locality, owing to tlio place !>:>ving had a reputation of which ?hc v.anot awarp when she took it over, and which slio had to overcome. She !ui(i for some time been endeavouring, unsuccessfully, to sell the refreshment business, owing to the difficulty she had in adapting herself to tlie locality, •■lie n'ways kept a little spirits in the hous: , . ;md even the police would not tha f . sly jxrog selling ha<l ly»;si £oing on there for any time or to any extent. The prkt. charged the ,:n.istables who bought come whisky off her on the Pnuday was sixpence a nip, the fianie as tlie soft drinks. The woman liad previously Tiad much trouble with people w'iO brought a flask of whieky with them, bought soda in the. shop, ar.d mixed themselves a whisky and ?oia on the epnl.

Inspector McGrath eairi ih.it three cows-tables, in disguaee, went t:> the shop on a Sunday, ami one of thf.ni requested three drinks. Accused said. "What do v<Hi ■want? -, Tbe spokesman Eiuik'd, an.l slip said, "I know what you want," and gjt the whisky for fchem. Ihere was rctljiiig else known by the police to the v.Oiaan'e detriment, and : t was only very recently that it wae known ely grog celling went on at the shop, so it wae quite possible she had been in :i way driven to it. to make, ends meet. Only a very small amount of liquor was found •vriien the premises -were searched. Accused was convicted and fined £5 and 7/ costs. MISCEIXAJTEOTJS. Albert Boycott, for driving a motor car round' a corner in a dangerous manner, and refusing to give his name to ,i constable (in plain clothes), was fined 10/ and 14/ costs. For breaches of prohibition orders, William Richardson, jun., and James Rae were fined 20/ and costs each.

Charlee Strand, for driving a motorcar TOTnd a corner in Khyber Pass Road at more than four miles an hour, wae fined 10/ and 37/ costs.