POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 126, 28 May 1919, Page 5

POLICE COURT.

(Before Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. Alexander Mellis (56), Charles Arthur Sullivan (46), and Mabel Walters (39) c all of whom were second offenders, were fined 10/ apiece. One first offender forfeited bail. . Ernest Arnold Curtis: (27), up for a second recent offenceagreed to the issue of a prohibition! order and was prohibited and fined 10/. "WANTED A "WET."* William Ferguson, a fireman, admitted that on April 9 he was found unlawfully on the premises of the Shakspeare Hotel at a time when such licensed premises were required by law to be closed. The circumstances were that about twenty minutes before nine, "opening time" for public bars, on the morning of the day in question defendant and another man were seen -by a constable to enter the Shakespeare Hotel, and the constable followed them in. He met them being herded out by the licensee, who stated • that .they had looked him up and had inquired if there was "any chance of a wet." "It is men of your kind that get hotel-keepers into trouble," commented his Worship as he fined defendant 40£_ and 15/, in default seven days' imprisonment. WHEN THE WIFE "WAS AWAY, Ernest A. Curtis (27) admitted* tho theft of a sewing machine, value -£5, the property of F. O. Lambert. The circumstances were that when his wife was in the hospital Curtis on Saturday I offered the sewing machine in his house Ito Lambert, a" second-hand dealer, who paid him £5 for it, on condition the I machine was delivered on Monday. When Ihe got the money Curtis got drinking. and then went to an auctioneer and sold the machine for £6 and gave delivery of it. He was caught drunk in Symonds Street yesterday. It was stated that no previous charge of dishonesty was known against accused, whose weakness was drink. Accused was convicted and ordered tt come up for sentence when called ■ on, and to refund the auctioneer the £<E paid for the machine, which was ordered, to be handed over to Lambert. AFTER THE TWO-UP RAID. John Martin, a well-dressed young man, was charged that at Duder's -brick kiln at Devonport on March 3C he committed a breach of the Gaming Act by playing two-up. Evidence was given by Detective Sergeant Hammond and Detectives Cummings and Young .that on the date in question, when a, raid was made on a "two-up school" at Devonport, defendant waa among those present, and ran away when the witnessesfcame openly on the scene? Detective Hammond stated that he saw defendant offering to make bets on the fall of the coins. Defendant, represented by -Mr A. . Moody, denied that he took any part in the game and stated that he was onlyj looking on. In the course of cross-examination at length by Chief Detective McMahon, defendant said he was a barman ' and a wool-sorter by occupation, but had not been able to work since Christmas on account of having had influenza. He had not been betting recently, though he had -been convicted once for bookmaking. Defendant was fined £5 and costs, in default fourteen days' imprisonment. A DOMESTIC DIFFERENCE. Thomas Frederick Young was charged that on April 15 he assaulted William C. - Bickley at Awatea Road, Parnell, and that he used obscene and indecent language. Evidence was given that Young, a motor driver, •went home about 2 a.m. on April 15, and drank a couple of small bottles of stout and a glass of brandy, an.d had some words with his wife. The wife went to a neighbouring house occupied by Wm. Bickley a**ru his family, and she was followed by Young, who "struck Bickley when the latter objected to Young gGing into the house. He also used obscene language, and Bickley rang up for the police, with the result that Sergt. Parsons came on the scene, and it was then that further bad language was used. Bickley stated that the assault was veryslight, that he and Young were good friends, generally, and that he had never previously known Young to quarrel with I his wife. I Accused's explanation (through Mr. A". E. Skelton) was that he was particularly anxious to keep a late engagement as he was struggling hard to work up a taxi connection, and his wife had objected to the late work, with the result that they had had words. It was unusual for them to quarrel, and the wife in her; excitement ran off to the neighbours. His Worship remarked that obviously the drink had caused the trouble. Accused would be fined 40/ and 20/ costs. MISCELLANEOUS. William Hooton and Carl Langisen, for: driving without lights at Birkenhead, were fined 5/ and 9/ cocts each. B. J. Dingle and Keith L. Laurie, for leaving their motor cars on the street after sunset without lights, were fined, each 5/ and 9/ costs. George Reed, for using obscene language in Victoria Street, was fined £o.