SUPREME COURT.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20828, 11 April 1933, Page 16

SUPREME COURT.

MONDAY. (Before Mr Justice Kennedy.) PETITION DISMISSED. Reserved judgment <vas given yesday in the case in which Ernest Edward Edmonds, of Christchurch, taxidriver (Mr R. L. Saunders, with him Mr J. T. Watts), petitioned for a decree of divorce from Ethel Maud Edmonds (Mr W. J. Hunter) on the grounds of separation. The petition was dismissed, with costs to the respondent. MAGISTRATE'S COURT MONDAY. (Before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M.) BICYCLE THEFT. Herbert Henry Pearce, aged 30 years, a carpenter (Mr J. D. Hutchison), pleaded guilty to a charge of the theft, on April 7, of a bicycle valued at £l9 10s and a bag of pollard valued at 3s, the property of Frederick Allen. He was sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour, to be followed by one year's reformative detention, on the first charge, and convicted and discharged on the second.The Magistrate said that the accused had a very bad list, including two convictions within the last eight months for theft of bicycles or bicycle parts. Outlining the facts, Senior-Sergeant J. Fox said that the bicycle had been stolen from a passage in the New Zealander Hotel. The accused had been seen in the hotel with a dog shortly before the theft. The dog was still in the hotel after the theft had been discovered, and the licensee put the dog in a shed. After the police had been informed the dog was let loose and was followed by a constable on a bicycle. Finally it went to the accused's house. The accused, when interviewed, denied any knowledge of the theft, and the bicycle was found in the street near the accused's house. An electric lamp and generator were missing and were found in the accused's possession. TRAFFIC BREACHES. For breaches of the traffic regulations offenders were dealt with as follows: Cycling without light—John Nicholson (voluntary appearance), 15s and costs; Lorna Bickerton, 15s and costs; William Gordon Glanville, 15s and costs; John Litten, 15s and costs. Cycling on footpath—John Dunn, 5s and costs; William Waddell, 5s and costs. No driver's license—Claude Andrews, 20s and costs; Samuel Craddock, 10s and costs. Failure to comply with automatic traffic signal—Albert Edwin Messervy (voluntary appearance), costs only. Failure to comply with traffic inspector's signal—John Sinclair Jennings, 10s and costs; John Fred Nick-

laus, 10s and costs; Jack Edmund Shine, 10s and costs; Francis E. Greenfield, convicted and discharged. No footrests on motor-cycle—Victor Jesson, 10s and costs. Parking over time limit—Frank R. Munro, 10s and costs. Unlicensed heavy traffic vehicle— Kenneth Lange, £2 and costs; Walter Butler, 20s and costs; Samuel James McPherson Stewart, 20s and costs and 10s and costs for displaying an expired indicator disc. No certificate of fitness—Thomas Henry Radcliffe, 20s and costs. For going off the route while driving a service car he was ordered to pay costs. Overloading motor omnibus—Patrick Cannon, 20s and costs; for carrying on a passenger service otherwise than in conformity with his license, he was ordered to pay costs. Leaving taxi unattended—Josiah McClintock, 5s without costs. A charge of failing to give way to traffic against Thomas Yuille Wardrop was dismissed. A charge against Richmond S. Thompson of driving at a dangerous speed, arising out of the same circumstances, was also dismissed. (Before Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M.) MAINTENANCE BUSINESS. Francis George Summerfield was ordered to pay 15s a week towards the maintenance of a destitute near relative. Charles Henry Clarke was ordered to pay 8s 3d a week towards the support of a destitute near relative. Robert Swinton was ordered to pay 25s a week in support of his wife. An affiliation order was made in each of two cases against Arthur William Chandler, and he was ordered to pay maintenance at the rate of 15s a week on each charge.