THE COURTS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18368, 29 April 1925, Page 6

THE COURTS.

MAGISTERIAL.

TUESDAY. (Before Mr W. Meldrnm, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. For the second" time within six months Josiah 'Vniite, aged 40 years, pleaded guilty to a- charge- of drunkenness, • and -was con-, victed and fined 10s, in default 24 hours •in gaol. , A first offender was convicted and fined ss, in default 24 hours in gaol. SEAMEN CONVICTED. Two Bcamen, named Michael Stevens, aged 26, acd David George Arbnckle, aged 25, were charged with having been found drunk in a carriage of the express train travelling from Invercargill to Lyttelton on Monday, and also with having damaged two windows in the carriage to the estimated extent of £1 10b. Arbuckle was described as a fireman on the Maheno and Stevens a3 a fireman on the Marama. Senior-Sergeant F. Lewin underßtood that a number of seamen were paid off from their ships in the south on Monday, and that about 50 men had travelled up to Christchurch. During the journey a fight had commenced, and as a result ttra windows had been smashed. On the charge of drunkenness each ascused was convicted and fined ss, and on the charge of smashing the windows tiey were each convicted and fined 10s, and each ordered to pay half the amount of the damage to the panes. _ ... Drunkenness in a carriage in the same express train was admitted by Joseph Cowan, aged 36, and David Kmg, aged 27, both of whom were convicted and fined os, in default 24 hours in gaol.

TWO CHARGES On a charge of having used ofcsoene language in Swann'3 road, Richmond, on Monday, Donald McKay, a middle-aged man, was convicted and fined £2 and costs, and on a further charge of having been found drunk in the same rood he was convicted and fined ss. McKay admitted both offences. MAINTENANCE.

Joseph Arthur Murphy applied for the cancellation of a, maintenance order and remission of the arrears. An order was made cancelling the order and remitting all arrears under it. Austin Frank A'Court, for disobedience of a maintenance order, was convicted and sentenced to four months' imprisonment with bard labour in Paparua Prison, the warrant to be withheld so long as defendant pays the sum of £1 ios per week (5i in reduction of arrears). Bernard Louis Arrowsmith, for disobedience of a maintenance order, was ordered to pay £lB 10a and costs £2 -2s forthwith, in default 28 days' imprisonment in the Mount Edon gaol, with hard labour. John .Barber was charged with disobedience of a maintenance order. After hearing evidence, the Magistrate adjourned the case on the application of the Maintenance Officer (Mr P. J. Jones), who stated, that he wished to make enquiries into the case.

IfEBSTON. (Befora Mmbtb T. A. Stephens and H. Ncave, J.P.'s.) John Thomas Hntchison (for whom Mr 0 S. Thomna appeared), a motor-lorry driver employed by the Tai Tapu. Dairy Company, w»a charged 'by the police "with driving* his lorry on the wrong side o£ the road when approaching the intertection of the LeeatonSonthbiidge and Lhinsandel-Killinchy roads. The prosecution was tier B«quel to a collision that occurred between the 1 lorry wjd a motor-car driven by Mr M. Twiss. After hearing tho endonce, "the Justices visited the seen® of the accident, s*nd« on returning, decided that there was not sufficient evidence to warrant a conviction. ' The caso /was acoordinglv dismissed.

IN OTHER PLACES. A PRISONER'S APPEAL. frBMM AWOTTtTTOM 111 IKMIM ) ' "WBLIiIN-GTONy April SB. Th* Court of Appeal/heard, the appeal in the «*e Bex y. Hayden,' a prisoner ,wfco, not wpreßentea by counsel, •was found guilty of criminal assault a boy and .indecent., aflsa,ult bn' : &/,m*h; : by' Mr -Justice'•lMie&reTgor riolQ ' years' rimprisori'-' ment on the first charge, and five years on the second, the tenna to be cumulative. As tie assault was on a grown man, and Hayden was under the influence of liquor at the time, the Court held! that this sentence should- be reduced- to; one tyear, \to ■ be. eerved concurrently .with the ten year period.