POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 308, 29 December 1924, Page 3

POLICE COURT.

(Before Messrs. J. H. Fray and Bees I George, J.P.'s.) " GOOD-NIGHT, POLICEMAN." This morning there were about a dozen in the line that leads to the dock. In the parade were two women. One was Mary Smith. She had been found j somewhere out near Titirangi. The taxi ride back meant 17/6 in addition to her £1 fine. Elsie Neville appeared j in the role of a fourth offender, t.'.ie ■ coyly made an explanation. *T said 'Good-night, policeman,' but of course [ wouldn't if I hadn't been drunk," she said. "And, sir, I would like to spend the New Year with my husband if you'll let mc pay a fine." But the Bench cast her hopes to the gTound, and scut her to gaol for a month. IN THE WAR ZONE. When, on Saturday night, John Collie (o7) sought shelter from the gloomy night in the Drill Hall in Rutland Street, he made one error. He allowed himself to be seen by the caretaker's wife. Consequently, when the caretaker, accompanied by a constable, commenced a search for the trespasser, Collie was | discovered in an outhouse. This morning he was charged with being drunk in Rutland Street on December 27, and with being idle and disorderly in that he had insufficient means of support. The constable who had helped to unearth Collie said that the latter had admitted to him that parks and streets and other open places were where he had been in the habit of spending the nocturnal hours. He will now spend fourteen, days and nights ifc Mount Eden, having received thai penalty on the second charge and beina convicted and discharged on the iirst LANGUAGE. Joseph Bridgman (28) was charged with using obscene language in We! Lesley Street. "A constable heard hut fifty yards away," remarked Sergeant Rowell. Incidentally there was a lady in the street, and "she had heard th* word on which the charge rested. In the dock Bridgman heard five words: "£3 or seven days." A FIGHT THAT FAILED. When Roderick Nicholson (25) was in the bar of an hotel on Saturday it was found necessary to ask him to leave, 6aid Sergeant Rowell. But Nicholson had evidently been so channel with that bar (or its contents! tint he declined the request. So Constable Riddle was asked to eject him. From that point there was trouble in thp bar, for Nicholson violently objected to police interference. However, more officers were forthcoming, and the arrest was made. He was convicted and discharged this morning on tho charge of being disorderly while drunk, but was fined £3 or seven days for his bout with the constable. BACK TO THE ARMY. "Guilty," replied Frank Gough vacantly, when charged that he was idle and disorderly, with no lawful means of support. Sergeant Howell said that Gough was harmless, but the police could not get him into the Auckland Infirmary at present. He had been in the Army Home, but had wandered away. Staff-Captain Davies, however, intimated that he was willing to give the man another chance. "Will you stay!" queried the sergeant. "Yes," murmured Gough. So he was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, meantiro? to remain in charge of the Salvation Army. A YOUNG OFFENDER. (Jeorge Brewer, who appeared a day or two ago in connection with his exploits with motor car dealers, was remanded until January 3, on the application of Chief Detective Cummings. The lad said that he had a job to go to at Papakura. "I left home when I was fairly young," he said, obviously concerned with the position in which he has placed himself. "I did not know that I was doing any wrong. I would like to turn over a new leaf in the New Year." The chief detective remarked that the police were awaiting a reply to inquiries about the possibility of Brewer being put into an institution.