POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 13, 15 January 1916, Page 9

POLICE COURT.

(Before Mr F. V. Frazer, <S.M.) j DRUNKENNESS. | Tliree first offenders .had' to pay 5/ each, and only a statutory "first," who had a long previous record, was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, a condition being that he should at once hit the trail for the waving cornfields in the country. Another "first" forfeited bail, and yet another, who was undergoing nospital treatment, was remanded for a week. id TOO MUCH " TREATING/ , ,c A returned soldier, who took offence at is being warned by a constable to get home 3 f off the street when he was drunk yesterin day, went to the police station to complain, but was so drunk and muddled at 'o the time that he was ejected with a reJf petition of the constable's advice that -c home was the best place for him in the s- meantime. As he was going away he id "broke into obscene language in abusing id the police and wae arrested. When he m came up this morning on the charge of ,-s using obscene language, the Snb-ln- .„ specter stated that the man was very ie drunk at the time, and the fact that t- he had fought for his country might t t be taken into consideration; also the fact that his drunkenness wea the result of mistaken kindness on the part of would-be friends. His Worship remarked that he had noticed that the Minister for Defence had recently foreshadowed the possibility of legislation to prevent people from being kind in this unkind way to soldiers. Beyond that, however, the soldiers -themselves should endeavour to preserve the uniform they wore from the disgrace of such proceedings. Eiley, '" on this occasion, would be convicted c and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. GOT SOMEWHAT BEHIND. Frank Hayes, a man whose appearance showed a touch of the native, adj mitted that he had five children in vanI ous institutions being kept at the ex- | pense of the State, and that though he had been requested to pay only half-a-crown a week for the keep of each of them, he was £202 14/11 in arrears with the payments. He pleaded inability to pay, and stated that for the last two months his earnI ings had averaged only about £2 8/ a i I week, on which he had to keep himself r and his wife. In cross-examination by , the Sub-Inspector his replies indicated I c that he had a distinct disposition to f I spend freely in waipiro. ; i Hie Worship considered that Hayes j I had not made any real effort to keep up j I tlie payments, and decided to apply a t i stimulus in the shape of a warrant for J s I three months' imprisonment, which was | f j not to be carried into effect so long as j 1 i Hayes paid 12/G a week off the arrears, . i the other payments under the order to i be suspended meantime. ' A X.OST KING. j Edward Sydney Groat (3S) was . charged that yesterday ie etole a ring, value 25/, the property of Theresa J Phelan. j. The arrest was -the- result of eojne excitement at the Prince Arthur Hotel " about closing time laet night. Miss Phelan, a barmaid, went to shake hands with an old acquaintance, when, it m alleged. Groat also claimed to be an old acquaintance with the young lady, and also shook hands. Immediately , afterj wards Miss Phelan noticed that a looseifitting ring she had been wearing was j gone from one of her fingers. Groat was accused of having taken it> an-accu-sation which he denied, and: though the police wero called in, the doors shut, and | , accused and the bar searched the ring was not forthcoming. Groat was eventually arrested, and a little later the ring turned up, stated to have been found in the bar. Accused -was remanded till Tuesday, bail being allowed in a deposit of £20. TWO RECRUITS. Charles Munro (42) and JPeterGraham ' (44). who had been on remand since last ' Saturday on a charge of stealing three 1 fowls and being illegally by night on the premises of a. Queen Street boarding- ' ' house, came up lor sentence. i < Sub-Inspector Mcllveney stated that ' nothing iurihex had been, discovered against the men. Both of them had ; I eigned on for calietmcnt, and had then , got drinking. He suggested, as the cir--1 cumetances on which they w«re found on the premises suggested felon ioue intent ' -which was punishable by imprisonment, ] 1 it might be well to see that effect was - given to their previous good intention of J • going to the war in preference to send- ~ ' ing them to gaol. Should that course be , 1 followed, however., it would be well to Keep them out of the way of succumbing < ' again to the drink temptation by keep- ( ! ing them in custody until the military <j ; authorities could £ske .charge of tiiem. »j They could be cent on to Trentham on j • Monday. ' The Sub-Inspector's suggestion wae ' followed, his Worship directing tha-t ' until the men -were taken over by tfte ' (military authorities they should be J . kept in custody. ....... T ., .. >j