POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 92, 17 April 1916, Page 6

POLICE COURT.

» ! [(Before Mr E. C. S.M.). One first offender forfeited bail, and one ,imm conrricted and.: discharged. Martin Lestrange (66), having added another to his long list of convictions for drunkenness, was committed to Rotoroa Island for two Tears. James Hanlon (27) and Edward Flood (39), two seamen off the s.s. Cumberland, who had got drank and missed their, ship, were remanded until to-morrow, {lending inquiries as to their being sent South to connect up with the ship. UNDER PROVOCATION. Ethel May Smith (22) was charged that a fortnight ago she assaulted Joseph Windsor by striking him on the head with a barrel. The Sub-Inspector stated that ; the case was an unfortunate one of a daughter having assaulted her father. The father at the time was in a state of intoxication, and accused hie daughter quite unjustifiably of being oi loose character. In a fit of vexation, she picked up a light barrel, and threw it at her father, intending to hit him on the legs with it, but he shifted his position at the time, and an edge of the barrel hit him on the head and inflicted a painful wound. He had to go to the hospital, the medical expenses being £2 8/. There was also 7/6 police expenses. The father was not favourably known to the police, while the daughter was a married woman of good character. His Worship remarked that under the circumstances the woman would be merely convicted and ordered to pay the police expenses, 7/6. The father had brought the trouble on himself, and he would have to arrange for the medical expenses himself. AFTER-EFFECTS OF DIVORCE. Oil* a private information Catherine Agnes Taylor was charged that she used provoking language to May Charlotte Johnston, and complainant applied to have defendant bound over to keep the peace. The evidence for complainant (for whom Mr. A. Moody appeared) showed that the relationships of the parties were unusually involved. Defendant had been .married to Johnston, and had been divorced, since when Johnston had married the complainant, and defendant also had married again. Johnston had custody of three children by, his divorced wife, which were now cared for by the second Mrs. Johnston, and the mother of these children, the first Mrs. Johnston, now Mrs. Taylor, on occasions when she was allowed to see these children, would cross-examine them about how they were treated by their step-mother, and would examine their clothing and make uncomplimentary remarks to the children about the cleanliness of the clothing. It was also stated that she had threatened to smack the second Mrs. Johnston's face, and that she had advised the children to smack their step-mother's face. Mrs. Taylor declared that her. attitude towards the lady who bar fallen heir to her first husband was generally that of ignoring her, but on one occasion when Mrs. Johnston said she would smack witness' face, witness had made reply in kind. She admitted that When one of the children had been sent to th_ hospital she bad taken away the shirt the boy had on in order to wash it and sew a button on. "Who was entitled to take care of the children more than their own mother?" she asked. _ , His Worship remarked that the involved circumstances of the parties caused half the trouble, but he was inclined to think that Mm.. Taylor bad made things more difficult than they would ordinarily be. To catechise the children about their clothing and their step-mother. was insulting to the latter and likely to cause a breach of the peace. Defendant would be ordered to enter into a bond of £5 to keep the peace towards complainant, and to pay 28/, costs. BUTCH-SB AND IWTT.-Off AJT. Stephen Nugent (23) admitted that between January 1 and April IS be stole meat valued at '£5 2/6, belonging'to his employers, the Auckland Meat Company. Chief-Detective MeMahon stated that Nugent ihad for .nine, and a-h_df years been employed by the Auckland Meat Company. His position latterly was that of roundsman, and be bad to take meat from the Parnell branch to the head office in Wakefield Street. . He appeared to take pains to arrive at Wakefield Street at a time when everybody was too busy to carefully check the weight. taken at the Parnell shop, and he made also a habit of taking to bis home each Saturday a joint of meat, and since Christmas, iwben he started the habit, he had taken inqatto the value of £9 2/6. Prior to tins nothing was known against Nugent. For the last month or two he bad' also taken meat to the value of 27/6, which he had given to a milkman, in return for some email favours. Counsel for accused stated that Nugent erred rather . through thoughtlessness and good nature than any deerre for profit. He took the meat for the home to help his people; and be must have known, had he thought about the matter, that he would be' found, out by the check .system. His Worahip remarked that .the accused could not be. allowed the benefit of the .First Offenders' Act, as it was a series of thefts. Meantime he would be remanded hi custody for sentence until Thursday. Harold Watts admitted, j having received meat (value 27/6) from Nttgeni knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained. Chief-Detective MeMahon stated that Watts, a milkman, had on one occasion asked Nugent if he,had any dog's meat to spare, and from getting dog's meat the matter grew to the getting of a joint of meat every Saturday,, in Teturr for which Nugent was given, a pot of cream valued at about Bd. Watts had been in trouble previously about 9 yean ago, hut he Ihad been quite fi-ahk about this matter " when seen by "Detective Hollis. v : Accused said that he had at first de murred to taking the meat, remarking that Nugent would get into trouble oyei it, but when Nugent declared that h. would not get into trouble he took the meat. His Wor__iip stated the opinion that Watte had been led into the trouble.. He would, be convicted and fined £5 and costs, and. ordered to refund the value oi the meat taken. MISCELLANEOUS. Jane Quinn (39), for soliciting in Grey Street on Saturday night, was sentenced to a month's hard labour.