MAGISTRATES' COURT.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14349, 8 May 1912, Page 5

MAGISTRATES' COURT.

(Before Mi';H. W/Bishop, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. A first offender was fined os, in defniilt 21 hours, and another, ior drunkenness ou the railway station, was fined 10s, or 43 hours' imprisonment. DISMISSED. Frank Goscomb, on remand from the previous day, appeared on n charge of having stolen a bicycle valued at £5. Ma , Donnelly, appeared ior accused. The. evidence of accused's wife-, who was called-.by 31 r Donnelly, was objected to, on the grounds that slio was intoxicated. Charles Maguire gave evidence to the effect that accused'iia<i received the bicycle in payment of board from v man named Dunwiddie. Mr Bishop xaid that there was apparently a doubt in the matter, and no* cused would therefore be discharged. PRINTING WITHOUT A LICENSE. James Cusack and John Robert Merliman. trading under the title of Cu-sack and Merriman, were charged with failure to register a printing press, and with having printed race-cards without showing to a Justice of the Peace a copy of a paper containing the names of their employer. Mr Cnssidy pleaded guilty on the fwst charge, and not guilty on the '.second. He ot first contended that Inspector Kioly had niacin a technical breach of tho Aft in asking for the manuscript, instead of for the copy. The Inspectoj, on being recalled, however, stated that he had asked for the copy. Thereupon Mr Cassidy changed his plea to guilty, with extenuating circumstances. Defendants were fined £10 on the first breach, and £3 on the second. MAINTENANCE. Norman Browne was charged with failing to maintain his mother. Mr J ,, . Wilding appeared for the defendant, and Mr Gresson for complainant. After healing evidence the Magistrate made an order for os weekly. Elizabeth Johnson was charged with failing to maintain a child, an inmato en an industrial school. She was ordered to pay '2a weekly towards its support. An application by Isabella PengoUy for the cancellation of a maintenance order was granted. Norman Browne was charged with disobedience of a maintenance order requiring him to contribute towards the support of his two children. He was convicted, and ordered to be ittfprisoned for three months, the m>utence to be suspended upon his paying 4s per week. Norman Browne was similarly charged with respect to three children. He wns convicted, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment, the sentence to be suspended upon the payment of 2e <3d weekly. Richard James Sullivan, charged with disobedience of a maintenance order in two cases, was ordered to continue paying iis per week in respect <f each order until further notice. AFTER HOURS. George lies, licensee of the Provincial Hotel, was charged with—(l) Soiling liquor after hours to one David Barry; ('_») with selling and exposing liquor for sain; and (3) with allowing; the consumption of liquor after hour-;. Defendant, for whom Mr Harper appeared, pleaded guilty, but explained that a man named Barry/ who had booked a room for the night, nud therefore bad the status of a lodger, brought two other mm in with him. and the barman .served then in ignorance. Sergeant Clarkson's ev.denee was to the effect that the license. , stated that all three men wero lodger?. Defendant was fined £10 ami costs <m the last charge, while the other two were dismissed. Alexander Palmer.. licensee of Warners Hotel, was churned with allowing lio.uor to be consumed on licenced premises after hours. Mr Cassidy appeared for defendant, and pleaded guilty. Mr Bishop said in

such cases it vras not his practice to deal severely with the licensee. He had never done so when tho licensee had inado no' attcmnt to mislead the Court. He would lino him on one information in the sum of £-5 and costs, and on the other would merely record a convictionILLEGALLY OX PREMISES. Reginald J agger -was charged with being on licensed premises 'after hours. Mr Hunt appeared for defendant and pleaded that ho had erred in ignorance. Defendant was convicted and discharged. STREET BETTING. Frederick Umvin was chared with being illegally in tho street for the purpose of hotting. Mr ]>onnelly appeared for afou.st.Hl. and stated the accuficd had a;hitherto clean record. He was apprehensive.that in addition to the penalty imposed by the Magistrate? he would lose hi.; employment in tho Railway Department, und. probably the greater ..'part of his superannuation inonejv.i He had promised to leave betting strictly alone in. future. Mr Hishop said that he d;d not attach the slightest import.M)ce to such promises. He-' would, however, impose the minimum penalty of £'20.