POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 47, 24 February 1923, Page 11

POLICE COURT.

(Before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., and J. H. Fray, J. P.) MIXED NAMES. By a mixing of names in yesterday's report of the Police Court, it was made to appear that Oliver Stanley Gasgoigne was sentenced to one month's imprisonment for the theft of some furniture, the property of Grossmans. in Karangahape Road. This was not the fact. Mr. Gasgoigne was merely fined 10/ for a minor breach of the Arms Act. The name of the man who was ordered imprisonment for theft is William Frederick Morris, aged 48. THE MAORI SMILES AGAIN. Kitto Te Kipere, a young Maori whoso face is a continual smile, fairly beamed upon the Bench to-day, when brought up again on remand on a charge of vagrancy.

Sergeant Rowell said the Maori was discharged from gaol, following on the serving of a sentence, and had been given a boat ticket to take him near his home in the North. However, he destroyed the ticket and gave himself up to the police, saying that he was penniless. He had been chased by Chinese through the city for stealing their fruit. The gaol authorities had refused to issue another steamer pass for him.

"Up is quite unsuited to wander about the town," said the magistrate, surveying the smiling Maori. He would bo all right with his own people. I don't want to sent liim back to gaol, for it would he the same thing over again when he is released. He must steal to live while here, apparently. He can't —or won't —.vork. However, the rerrnnns'ibiljtv is on Ihose who refused to issue him a ticket home. He is discharged. It means that lie will pet into trouble again, but we cannot help that. RESISTING THE POLICE. Thomas Dughurst pleaded guilty to having assaulted a person unknown and. sail! "Just the same," when further charged with having resisted a-rrest. "A man called mc something and so I had to do something—and 1 hit him one." It was explained that the accused a fireman -on the steamer Katoa. He was convicted and discharged for the assault, the magistrate observing that the other man, who could not be found, might have been the provoker, and on the charge of resisting the police he was fined £2. MISCELLANEOUS. Joseph Baccon, a sailor who had previously been before the Court, was convicted of drunkenness and warned to return to his ship and keep out of trouble in future. For a third offence of drunkenness, John Thompson was fined in default seven days' imprisonment. George Harrison, another inebriate, was ordered to pay £5 8/ hospital expenses, in default H days' imprisonment. For the theft of a yard ot shingle from a heap left on a roadway for repairs, the property of the City Council, Alexander Mitchell was ordered to pay £1. the value of the material. The alleged blocking of a passage at the Arcadia picture theatre was investigated, when the manager, W. Alexander, was charged with having failed to conform to '. he orders of the City Council inspectors with regard to regulating the public, who were obstructing ingress and egress. After hearing evidence, the magistrate dismissed the charge. Smeetons, Ltd., were fined 20/ and costs for having stocked ammunition for sale when not holding a dealers' license. For j having trespassed on his wife's property during the currency of a separation order, Charles William Purdy was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon. James McKenzie (57) was fined £3 for having committed indecency whilst drunk. JUVENILE COURT. It was stated by the police of a- 15----year-old youth that he was lucky not to be charged with indecent assault instead of common assault. "This boy has placed himself in a very serious position," said Sergt. Rowell. "There is no question that he did assault the little girl concerned." The juvenile Probation Officer said it had been an impulsive act. The accused had hitherto been a very good boy. Sergt. Rowell: The little girl is only seven years of age, and this is a strong lump of a boy. Magistrate: Boys of his age are full of impulse. He ought to be. given a sound thrashing in the presence of the Probation Officer. The boy's father said that he had alrendv thrashed his son. Magistrate: Give him another thrashing in the presence of the Probation Officer. The youth was severely admonished ■>nd ordered to be placed on probation for two years. a condition being that he be thrashed by his father in the presence and to the satisfaction of the Pronation Officer. Two boys were admonished for stonethrOwing and street, fighting, and another was admonished »nd discharged for havinor stolen some fruit. Four other boys were admonished for li-v ; nsr stolei a cr : eket ball and two «ticks of toffee. In discharTin? them the Magistrate reminded them that small thefts led to Inrter ones. It j* m =in to steal a pin. , ' remarked his Worship.