MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11749, 25 November 1903, Page 4

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Mr W. R, Hiwelden, S.M., presided at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. THE FACTORIES ACT. A number of case* were brought against shopkeepers by the Inspector of Factories (Mr J. Lomos). A. Hunt, for keeping open his tobacconist sliop on the evening of Thursday, October 12th, was fined 20s and cost*. - Annie D. Hynes (Mr, Donnelly) was alto fined 20s for keeping a store open on, the same evening for the purpose of selling milk. . Miss N. Goodey (Mr Russell), for allowing a. number of girl employee* to work* excessive hour* during the week preceding Carnival week waj* fined 20* end costs, and also for working the wne girls eouffo*ously for more than 4$ hour* wa* fined 5* and cost*. . • ~.J ~ AN UNFORTUNATE CASE. An unhappy story was told by Mr Fle»her, who appeared for the defendant, in a case in which an old man was charged with attempting to commit suicide on November 3rd at Fendoltob. Mr Fteoher istated that for twenty-five yeans the deiendant was on inspector of rolling stoc_ on the railwaya Six years ago, owing to overwork and nervous exhaustion, he left the service, and three year* ago his wife died. The defendant had also engaged in a speculation which proved unfortunate, and latterly he hod developed a state of melancholia, in consequence of which be wa*'] hardly responsible for his actions. On tie date .named in the charge lie wounded himself with a revolver, eiid had been in the Christchurch Hospital since. He was now quite recovered, and had consented to go to live with friends, who were willing to take care of him. The defenrhmt was ordered to enter tow ft recognhfiuice of £100 that he would be of good behaviour during the next twelve month*. . ~: >

prohibited p£_uto-<v Datid Duncan, a prohibited jDtrSeo, charged with being found /in the Welling.; ton Hotel, did not appear, and a warrant was ifsaed for his arrest." JooM A.PetlV sin, found in .'the Zetland Hotel during the currency of a prohibition order, was fined £5, which he was allowed to pay at the rate of £1 a week. INSPECTION OP MACHINERY ACT: Dearsley aad Taylor pleaded guilty to an accusation preferred by the Inspector of Machinery, stating that at their sawmill in St. Asaph street, the* placed weights on the safety valve of a, toiler to increass the pressure. It was urged in, extenuation that the offence was committed by'a subordinate, without the knowledge and against the practice of the defendants. The accused were fined 40s and costs. A NEGLECTED CHILD. ' Leonard Letunan Hankins, a bright little boy eight years of agfe, was charged with having no means of subsistence. Sub-In-: spector Dwyer stated that ths boy was ths i illegitimate child of Mrs Hankins, who, to- j gether with Her husband,, was sentence- : at the Supreme Court to three months' imprisonment lor neglecting him. Up to this time the boy had been in ths Samaritan Home, and now it was requested that he should be committed to an industrial school. His Worship committed tho child to the Christchurch Receiving Home. THEFT.Matthew Kelly, for stealing a watch and chain from a sleeping man in the Bother* fleld. Hotel, was sent to prison for sit months. >• TRESPASSING ON A RACECOURSE^ In a. case in which James Henderson was charged with trespassing on the Christchurch Racecourse, Mr Hoban, appearing for the defendant, submitted that his client was not doing anything reprehensible, but was merely acting at a book, maker's clerk for that occasion only. Het was said to be in indigent circn__vta_o«*. Mr turn, fop ths prosecution, pointed out, however, that the same young man was convicted Tor treapassing on the rioeooiirse last August, sod was discharged «1W promising Sot to offend again. The* Magistrate was disposed to treat the case rwy lenieutiy, bat on learning of the pwrtous conviction he fined the accused 10s, with costs -and solicitor's fee. '. MADJTBNANCE. George S. Brown was ordered to pay 2s a week toward* the inalntenancs of hit mother.