POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 66, 19 March 1925, Page 5

POLICE COURT.

(Before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., and ilessrs. J. H. Fray and Twohill, J.P'a.) REMANDED. On a charge of breaking and entering by night the dwelling of Albert Pickering, and stealing 14/9, Hairy Stewart, a young man, was remanded. -1 BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. To two charges of obtaining fl from Francis Riding, and from R. J. Hall, with intent to defraud by falsely representing that he was the second engineer of the s.s. Marama, and that he required the money to pay union fees, John Thomas Scott (29) pleaded not guilty. Mr. J. J. Sullivan appeared for accused. Robert John Hall said that he was a labourer and had never been at sea. He was present at the Government Shipping ollxce recently endeavouring to obtain a position on the steamer Jlarama. There were a large number of men in the office and witness wasinformed that accused was the second engineer of the vessel. He approached accused and asked him for a job. Scott told witness that he would have to become a member of.the union before he could get one. Accused said that it would cost £1, so witness handed him that sum and was told to come back later. Witness suspected that everything was not as it should be, so he subsequently looked for accused. He saw Scott in an hotel, and asked him if everything was all right. Scott said that it was, and witness that he could go and get his things ready. Accused represented that he was the second engineer and that he could get witness the job: however, witness had not pot either the job or the return of his fl. He was positive that accused was the man who accepted his money. The next witness. Riding, said that Scott asked him while at the Government shipping office whether he wanted a job on the Marama. At accused's request Witness gave him £1, but had not got a job. He identified accused from a number of other men at the police station. Cross-examined by Mr. Sullivan the witness said that he did see another man in the shipping office who was talking to other men and who was handling their papers. That man was not •i censed. Detective MeHugh said that on the day in question he saw accused outside the shipping office. On being arrested by witness Scott denied that he was in the sliip'p'njr-office at the time mentioned, nbout 2.15 p.m. He said that he was at the Registrar of Births, Marrianrfls pnd Deaths Office that afternoon, . and subsequently attended a party. Another witness called by the prosecution said that he saw accused outsde ; the shipping office about 1.45 p.m. He knew accused, who used to work on the same steamer as witness. Witness I saw another man, supposed to be the second ensrineer. in the shipping office that afternoon. He was looking at the men's Witness did not I see accused inside the office. Evidence wna al=o given by a clerk in J the ren-istrnr's office to the" J eflfect that 1 accused called in just before three 1 o'clock and signed a bonk there. i - At tVii* stasre Mr. Sullivan said that 3 one of the w ; tne<=ses for'the proseeu- : tion had stated exactly what the defence would, be —that another man was c in the shinpinff oTire who was thought J to be the second engineer. Would a * jnrv convict a man on the evidence 3 th-nt had been brought? Counsel 1 thonerht tliit there was not sufficient 3 evidence to support the charge. - Mr. Poynton: No: I do not think that 5 any jury would convict. Accused will " Tet the benefit of the doubt. DisI missed! i CHARGE AGAINST HAWKERS. II La«t wee , -' a case presenting some r peculiar features was before the Court, 1 when two hawkers, Roy Johnston (22) ' and Thomas Bond (2o). were jointly - charsred with stpal T ng a bar of pig lead, J valued at £5, the' property of Clark " and Dally. I After evidence had been given to the *• effect t ] mt the lead hnd been taken 1 from a shed in Mount Eden between 4 2 and 5 p.m. on February 4. and that it " hiid been sold by accused to a scrap 2 and metal deoler at 5 p.m. the same - day, the cnse was adjourned to enable 3 expert evidence to be given by Pro- ! fessor Worley as to marks on the lead. 1 1 Accused denied the charge, and main--1 tamed that they bought the lead from s a man in the street prior to midday on t February 4. Mr. McLiver, who api peared for both accused, submitted that a it was an impossibility for accused to 1 have taken the lend between 4 and 5 1 p.m., and to have disposed of it just ■ prior'to 5 o'clock. f The Mastfstrate said that the case wag j a peculiar one. and he intimated that 1 Professor Worley would be called as a - Court w : ttiess. and would be asked to it e v .im ; "e the axe used to cut the lead, i» ar H old fi-e i\- e marks in the lead. c When the ea*e was called this morn- . w ■Prr.'pssnr TVorVv <=i-"d that after c px!tm : r> ; n r * the it would not be posr »iWe for h : m to say with certainty that i- the axe handed to him was the one .1 which had made the marks in the lead. However, the Mie'strate thought that r the evidence was sufficiently strong for t a jury to convict. Johnston had s been before the Court before, and had not taken advantage of the Court's leniency. Ho would be sentenced to 14 r days' imprisonment. As fnr Bond, he had never been in trouble 'before. He I would be admHted to probation for one . ' year and ordered to pay the costs of the V prn=erntion. (l Mr TV>--ntrm refused the application P: of Mr McLiver. who that fines of ' £5 1/ should iNo be inflicted to enaole y accused to appeal. ' f i COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. d ' \ vontll whose name was ordered to n' h e suppressed, pleaded guilty _to five " of breaking and entering the j Farmers' Union Trading Company and 1 stealing money totalling £20. and an- ," other of breakine ard entering the : same premises with intent to commit a ' crime.' He also pleaded guilty to hays inir converted a motor car to his own f use. f ; Acting Detective McWhirter said that when interviewed, made a •* statement to the eftV-t that an em5 . ployee of the Farmers' Union Trading ;; Company had admitted him to the preI raises on Sundays and holidays. t The accused, for whom Mr. Hall - Skelton appeared, was committed for i sentence at the Supreme Court. ! FOR TRIAL AT SUPREME COURT. ? Harry Gerrand (32) (Mr. Singer) i pleaded" not guilty to two charges of carnal knowledge of a girl 15 years and : 10 months. : In a statement made to the arresting ; detective, accused ?aid that he under- : stood that the girl was 17. r Accused reserved his defence, and j was committed for trial. j£