POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 205, 30 August 1926, Page 9

POLICE COURT.

(Before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M.) INTOXICATED MOTORIST. "A man might easily overestimate his carrying capacity, or underestimate the strength of the liquor he drinks," said Mr. Poynton in fining a young man of 28 years £5 and costs for being in a state of intoxication while in charge of a motor car in College Hill early yesterday morning. The police stated that accused was driving home from a dance about 12.30 a.m. yesterday, when his car struck an obstacle. Accused was found sitting in the ear. He was in a state of intoxication Mr. Matthews, who appeared for accused, said that he had cut things a little too fine, one of the front wheels running into a street excavation. The magistrate said it was not a serious case, and, on counsel's application, agreed to order suppression of accuseds name. A DISORDERLY WOMAN. Seen by a constable to be waving her arms about in Durham Street on Saturday in the centre of a crowd of 200 people. May Hendry (401 was arrested on a charge of being disorderly while drunk. ■May was fined £2, or seven days in Mount Eden. HIS LAST CHANCE. On Saturday afternoon a constable observed a young man pushing people and making a general nuisance of himself at a house of entertainment. While the constable was looking on, a scuffle ensued, and accused was arrested. The young man was Leslie John Walding (17), and he pleaded guilty to being disorderly while drunk, and also with having failed to comply with the terms and conditions of his release on probation. The probation officer f"- W. J. Campbell) said that Walding was placed on three years' probation on November 30 last for using obscene language, one of the conditions being that he must abstain from intoxicating liquor. Since being on probation, accused had not been entirely satisfactory, although he reported regularly. Mr. J. J. Sullivan, who appeared for Walding, said that some years ago accused has undergone a serious- operation to his head. If given another chance his mother would look after him more earefullv in the future. Although he thought that accused should be given a term in the Borstal Institution, if only for his mother's sake, the magistrate agreed to give accused another chance. "I will adjourn the case, sine die, and if you get into trouble again you will be sent to the Borstal for three years," Mr. Poynton told Walding. HAD TO BE GAGGED. William Strongman (38) was called upon to answer four charges —being drunk in Alexandra Street on Saturday, resisting Constable Fell, using obscene language. „and committing mischief by ; wilfully damaging a side curtain of a motor car to the extent of 17/0. Constable Fell said that, at 3.40 p.m. on Saturday he saw accused, who wa* drunk and ' was making a nuisance of himself by questioning women in the street. Accused repeatedly made use of obscene language as he was being taken down Queen Street, so much so that witness had to hold his '— A ove-. Strongman's mouth. On being placed in the taxi for conveyance to the lock-ni. accused struggled and kicked violently and damaged the side curtain. Senior Sergeant Edwards said that accused had three previous convictions, all for drunkenness. Strongman was sent to gaol for six weeks for use of the filthy language, given one month for resisting, and ordered to pay for the damage done. AFTER HE HAD FED. After he had enjoyed a dish of fried schnapper and chipped potatoes in a Customs Street restaurant on Saturday afternoon. William Anderson (30), alias Duktig, did not pay for the meal, and so a constable was called in. As a result of this, Anderson was charged with incurring a debt by fraud by obtaining the meal, using obscene language," and aiso with having assalted Constable Rattray.

Constable Rattray said tbat he gave accused a chance to pay for the meal, but he did not do so. When being taken to the taxi, Anderson struck witness two blows on the face. He also made use of some filthy language to the proprietress of the restaurant. Anderson had sufficient money on him to pay for the meal. Accused, who said he did not remember anything about the matter, and who had quite a lengthy list of convictions, was sentenced to two months' imprisonment for obscene language, and to 14 days for assaulting the constable. CONSTANT SINCE 1892. "She has 58 previous convictions, and has been constant ever since the year 1892," said the senior sergeant about Mary Smith (52), who appeared for sentence on a charge of being found unlawfully on premises. After scanning her. list, Mr. Poynton prescribed one month's imprisonment for accused. BELIEVED IN BEING COMFORTABLE While in Wellesley Street on Saturday afternoon, Detective White had a man under observation. That man was Frederick Herbert Cantel] (10), and he was drunk. Walking across Civic Square to where motor cars are parked, Cantell was seen to take a cushion from a motor car. His arrest soon followed. When taken into custody, Cantell told the detective that he was going to the footl.all, and wanted something to sit on while he watched the match. That was the reason he took the cushion. For stealing the cushion, the value of which was assessed at l/(i, Cantell was fined £2. ANOTHER LAZY MAN. "I can't get work, your Worship. 1 go to the employment bureau twice every day, but there is never anything doing. There are men coming back fiom the country looking for work every day," was what James Graves (45), had to say when he was charged with being an idle and disorderly person, with insufficient means of support. Acting Detective Packman said that he had known accused for the past five weeks, and during that time had never known him to do any work. He had no means or money. Chief Detective Cummings described Graves as a lazy man, who preferred to live on cheritable aid. He had 27 previous convictions, and only in April last was sentenced to three months' imprisonment on a vagrancy charge. The magistrate consigned accused up above for another three month--. REMANDED. James Duff fringlc (29) was remandcl until September 0 on a charge of breaking and entering the warehouse of George and Doughty and stealing eight pairs of gum boots, valued at £10.

WARRANT FOR ARREST ISSUED. When the name of Richard John Phelan was called, he failed to appear. Phelan was charged with stealing a variety of kitchen utensils and other goods of a total value of £10, the property of Kathleen Alice Garrick. Constable O'Connor, of Granity, on the West Coast (South Island), gave evidence to as having served a summons upon accused to appear to-day at the Court. On the application of the chief detective, a warrant for accused's arrest, was issued by the magistrate. EXCITEMENT TOO GREAT. On behalf of Maurice Joseph Corkery, a young man who pleaded guilty to a charge of having failed to comply with the terms and conditions of his release on probation, Mr. J. J. Sullivan appeared. Mr. Campbell, probation officer, stated that accused had been admitted to probation on April 24 last for theft. After reporting twice Corkery cleared out and was arrested at Hastings. Mr. Sullivan said that tiie only mistake accused made was in not reporting himself to the probation officer. Corkery was a married man with one child, and had been working hard at Hastings. Counsel asked that he should be given a chance to return to his wife and resume work again. He was able to pay a tine. '•It was the excitement of doing well in business that was too great. I forgot all about police and probation," said accused. A fine of £3 and costs was imposed.