POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 13, 16 January 1926, Page 11

POLICE COURT.

» (Before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.) "HOBARTOWN" AGAIN. Three times this -week, John Gallagher, or "Hobartown Jack," as he is called, has let the polic<£know that he's in town. Ho appeared again this morning, charged with drunkenness, and was fined 40/, in default seven days. OLD OFFENDERS. Sarah Mack (6-2), alias Kinnard, was j found drunk in Victoria St. yesterday. It J was her third offence within six months. ! She was fined £1 or three days. Mar- , garet Creech (39) stepped into the box after her. She was' a "thirder," too, and had been on remand for a week for treatment. She- was ordered to pay costs, in default seven days. Martin McCarthy was fined 10/ or 48 hours for his second breach. PROFESSIONAL PICKPOCKETS. "This man, and another named Philip Smith, who was up before the Court yesterday, are two professional pickpockets from Australia. They came over here during the past few weeks to get some of New Zealand's money," said Chief Detective Cummings, when Harry Smith (39), was charged with being an idle and disorderly person in that he consorted with reputed thieves. He was also charged with trespassing on the Takapuna racecourse, he being a person excluded. The Chief stated that both accused and the other man had served long sentences for various offences in Australia. Smith was remanded until January 22 for sentence. A MAINTENANCE MATTER. Frederick Sinclair (34) was charged with failing to comply with a maintenance order in respect of a child in the Auckland Receiving Home. He was £9 in arrears. Mr. Selwyn Clark stated that Sinclair was now in regular employment, and was able to pay off the arrears. The magistrate sentenced accused to one month's imprisonment, warrant to be suspended so long as he pays £1 7/6. A SAILOR'S LAPSE. Herbert Hubbard (38), of the Veronica, was charged with an offence against two boys at Devonport. yesterday. Mr. J. J. Sullivan appeared for Hubbard, and said that his client was very drunk at the time and did not remember the incident. An officer from the Veronica stated that acused had a very good record on the ship. If punished in the court he would probably be penalised further by the naval authorities. Mr. Hunt agreed to counsel's request that the charge be reduced to one of common assault. "I can't pass it over," said the magistrate. Accused is fined £5. in default one month on the first charge, and is convicted and discharged on the second." An application for the suppression of accuseds name was refused. STOLE PIGS OF LEAD. The case commenced last week, in which Herbert Thomas Porteous (38) pleaded not guilty, and Thomas Lanning Marshbanks (36) pleaded guilty to the theft of 22 pigs of lead, valued at £27, the property of Samuel Parker, was reopened to-day, when Mr. Matthews represented Porteous. It was shown that Marshbanks got Porteous to drive a motor van round to the Strand, Parnell, where lead was picked up from near the gateway of a warehouse yard, and stacked in the van, in broad daylight. They then drove to a bottle exchange in Freeman's Bay, where Marshbanks sold the lead for £16 odd. Porteous denied having taken any part in the affair other than that of a carrier, saying that Marshbanks had paid him a nominal sum for the work performed. The magistrate decided to give Porteous the benefit of the doubt, and he was discharged. Marshbanks remained in the dock, to receive sentence. "Does he keep bad company?" asked the magistrate. , "Yes, with the man who just got off, and others," replied'the Chief Detective, handing up two lists. "Porteous has an even worse record than Marshbanks, sir." Marshbanks was sentenced to twelve months' reformative detention.