THE COURTS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15774, 15 December 1916, Page 2

THE COURTS.

MAGISTERIAL. (Before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. A first' offender —according to the statute—was charged with drunkenness. A prohibition order had expired, and a daughter begged the Bench to let him off. His Worship ordered the prohibition order to he ienewed, and fined him 20s, or 48 hours' imprisonment. A ferna-le first offender was convicted and discharged. Another ''statutory" female first offender, with no less than 129 previous convictions against her, was convicted and discharged. » "It is a farce," said Mr Bishop, "calling theee first offenders. It is only a matter of time when the accused will como hero again." To the accused: "Do not think because I am discharging you, that it is on account of leniency. You will only come back again, and I shall have oncirgh to f*o on to enable me to deal adequately with vou." PROCURING LIQUOR. Charles Weston was . charged on remand with having procured liquor during the currency of a prohibition order, ; and Tvas convicted and discharged. ALLEGED THEFT. Margaret Sarah Grainger. .Bina Chisholm, and Maud "Doris Guthrie, were f charged with having iJolen a hand-bag, • a pair of gloves, p handkerchief, a purse, and 13« Gd in cash, from one Mary Muir. Mr Alpers appeared for : the accused, who pleaded guilty, and elected to be tried summarily. Chief-Detective Herbert stated that the theft, was a peculiarly audacious one. The romplainant was at s restaurant, and had left the, goods mentioned j in the charge on the tea-table for a j moment or so. The three defendants then left the room, taking the goods j off the table. The real owner followed and protested, but was treated with abuse. Nothing was known acainst the two first offenders, hut Guthrie had bc.cn before the Court on a previous occasion, and had been convicted and to come «fr> for sentence when ''filled upon. Two of the women, j Graiicrer and Chisholm. were r^'irried. the former heiu.rc a w'dnw. Gutlirie at. be;- home, with her mother. His "WT'-hin state'! !'•-> not cou The Chief-Detective ctntH that the theft was not cvrrp't+H for money A+. the timo nf the theft. hfd ;6o or £ft in her possession. The <rir)s ewlputV the w , rrn f<v drink. H"'= nnd dis^bsi'-fr-ed Chishilr.i and Grain per. «~rdori' , ' r that rc+ituH'ni b" made of £*> worth of goods not yet returned, each p?yinp r f: 1. .He sentenced Gu+hrio to 1 t d'.xtf' imprisonment. Gnthri.-< in the box, and Lad to be carried eut. .ALLEGED IXDECEXT ASSAULT. "\v alter TJnvey was ob.ifirod on two recounts with hav>ng indecently asnnnlted a r '\rl under the age "of 11. Tho accused, on the apnlic-tion of the nolir-e. vras ivurinTuled to Dai-field, on Thursday, December 21st. CIVIL CASES. The following cases went by defmilt.: Munro and Higginbottom v. <T. Pad"•et. £5! 10s; R. J. A. Johnston v. David G. "Whitmoro, -".S 15s; A'toheson. and Co., Ltd. a-. Frederick Hampton Flower, £21 5s sd. A UNION CLAIM. Th<-> Canterbury Malsters and Brewerv. Emplovees' Industrial Union nf Workers (Mr Twynr>ham) claimed fron .George Evans (Mr Johnston), £1 17s Gd for union fees. Evidence was rciven l>v Joseph Chisholm, secretary of +h«? union, as to the amount due. "Witness stated he had no personal idea if what the payments were in :1900. as he took up the position in the: union last, year. The defendant, stated lie -had resigned in 3909, and had been in New South Wales. C. H. Hewlett, manager of the Canterbury S<x>d Com-, pany, gave evidence as to "the move- / ments of defondant. who was employed by his company. Judgment was given for the defendant.

AKAROA. (Before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M.) In N. Mitchell v. S. V. Pearson, claim £•2 9s 9d, judgment"Ava s given for plaintiff with costs. H. J. Bell, charged with allowing a horse, to ho at largo,-was" convicted and discharged. M. Cassidy, charged with a similar offence, was ordered to pay costs, 6s 6d. t : A. Shore, charged with "shouting" liquor in a public bar, was fined 40s and costs. B. Fanning and J. Savage, charged with receiving and consuming the liquor so purchased, were each fined 20s and costs. W. Robinson, licensee of the Bruce Hotel, was charged with selling tho liquor referred to in the preceding eases. The case was dismissed. Ilobt. Bailey, Ditvauchellc, "wad charged with a breach of the School Attendance Act, in that ho faiied to send his child to school regularly. Mr Blank, Truant Officer, appeared in sup]>ort of the charge. A fine of '2s, with costs fis fid. was imposed. Vi". Pifigeon (Mr Hunt) was charged with maliciously wounding a horse, the property of T. "Ware, bv firing.at it with a shot-gun. After hearing lengthy evidence, the Magistrate dismissed the case.