POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 37, 12 February 1917, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

(Before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M.) D-RTTNKENNESS. Two first offenders forfeited bail, and one was fined 5/-. John Joseph Doyle (33). who had made a fuss in Customs Street on Saturday night, and attracted a crowd by striking a man who had, he said, called him a liar, was fined 20/-. DIDN'T REMEMBER WHEN HE WAS BORN. David Seeler, alias Jack O'Connor, was charged that at Thames he failed to make application for enrolment in the reserve. Seeier, who was on the list as 40 years of age, said that sine had filled in' the registration card, and when he got the application to enrol he went to the post oiHee, and was told by a young woman there that- it was no use "filling in the application list., as he was over the age. Senior-sergeant Butledge: What is your age? Defendant: I (have no idea at all. The Senior-sergeant said it was true that the man did call at the post office, but he didn't fill in the application form. He was now undergoing a sentence which would be up in fourteen days. Seeler said that lie was quite ready to enlist, and 'his Worship replied that defendant would have to be convicted and that would have the same effect as enlistment by defendant, as the authorities would then have the right to take him. As defendant was ready to go, the penalty would be made so as not to increase his sentence; he would be convicted and sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment. MADE TWO MISTAKES. George Hy. Church admitted that between Auckland and . Thames, on October 21, he carried dangerous goods, to wit, a tin of benzine, in a railway carriageSenior Sergt. Rutledge stated that on the date in question defendant took a tin of benzine wrapped in'a sack into a railway carriage and forgot about it,' with the result that the railway officials got it and'inade inquiries that resulted in the present, charge. Defendant said that he had taken the benzine into the carriage in error. He had in his shed at home a tin of benzine and a tin of oil, the appearance of the tins being similar. He wanted to take the oil to his farm in. the Thames district, and T took it. from the shed in a sack and into the railway carriage for that purpose- When lie got back home again he discovered that he had taken, the tin of benzine instead of the tin of oil. His Worship remarked that whether it was there by accident or by design benzine was a very dangerous commodity to. hg,ve in a railway carriage. Defendant would be fined £2 'and 11/ costs. . TO THE PUBLIC DANGER. Alexander Hutton -was charged that at Parnell on' January 8 and 9 he discharged a pea-rifle without reasonable cause, and to the danger of toy -passers. The police evidence was to the effect that defendant lived at Bridgewater Road,-and that on January D a man who was calling at the backdoor of a house in St. Stephen's Avenue was startled by something 'which he believed to bte a bullet whizzing past him, while he immediately heard the report of a pea-rifle coming from the direction of the gully. He was informed that the shooting had bfen going on for two days, and he himself heard several other shots. 'The time was 11 a.ai. A constable was informed, and he interviewed defendant at his house at Bridgewater Road, in the gully, and defendant admitted that he had been firing a pea-rifle at rate on both dates •mentioned, but at 7.30 a.m. Defendant stated that it was only in the early morning that he had fired the pea-rifle at rats, and then great care was exercise, and the nearest that a by-paeeer could come to the direction in which the rifle was fired was 250 yards. The firing was down the gully. His Worship remarked that residents in a city area had no business to fire a pea-rifle in the residential area, as there was always the risk of accident through the ricochet of a bullet. Defendant was fined £2 and 14/ costs. A MATTER OF LEAVE. Jno. Mitmjer (22), a Dutch sailor off the American barque Andy Mahony, was charged that on Thursday he Tvas absent without leave from his ship. The captain gave evidence that the •men -were not supposed to go ashore without the permission of the Customs, 'but they paid nc attention to the law on the point, and just went and had a drink when they felt dry. He had cautioned them not to go, but they continued to go and get drunk, and as he was in fear of fire getting among his gasoline cargo when the men were not sober he took this action as' a warning. He said that under the signed articles the only man on the 6hip competent to give leave was the master. Defendant, for -whom Mr. Lundon appeared, contended he got leave from the mate. The ease is proceeding. M-SCEI-LANEOUS. Robert Edward Powell (20), charged with the theft of a suit of clothes and other garments, value £7 11/, the property of Joseph Eames, was remanded _or a week* Edward Joyce, for committing an indecent act in Federal Street, under mitigating drouinstances, had to pay 7/ costs. For failing to clear gorse, etc., off their properties at Mount Albert, Ja_. K. Popple and Charlotte E. Pattersaon vrere fined each 10/ and 31/6, and Wm. Bruce i was fined 10/ and 20/0 coster j