MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21990, 14 January 1937, Page 14

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

WEDNESDAY (Before Mr E. C. Levvey, S-M.)' JOCKEY CONVICTED On a charge of assault, George Harold Murfltt, a jockey, aged 22, oi Waimiari road (Mr J. K. Moloney), was convicted and fined £5 and costs. He pleaded guilty. The assault was on Lawrence George Plaisted, at a race meeting at Hurunui on December 26, Plaisted being a steward at that meeting. No evidence was offered by the police on an indictable charge against Murfitt of having assaulted Plaisted so as to cause actual bodily Injury. , „ , ' ~ Senior-Sergeant D. L. Calwell. said that the horse Murfitt had been riding had won its race, but after a protest had been given second place. It was alleged that Plaisted. who as a steward had considered the protest, had spoken insultingly to some of Murfitt’s relatives. Murfitt later invited Plaisted to have a drink with him. Plaisted accepted the invitation and went with Murfitt and was then assaulted. There was evidence of some provocation by words passed to the accused’s relatives. Plaisted had suffered a fractured jaw. For the accused, Mr Moloney said the meeting was a “free and easy” one, and a fair amount of drinking was going on. Accused’s story was that Plaisted had made some derogatory references to Murfitt’s parents, and a scuffle ensued. The matter was very serious to the accused, for a conviction would mean the loss of his license. “In view of the fact that there appears to have been some provocation, I propose to impose a fine only," commented the magistrate. Murfitt was fined £5 and costs, in default six weeks’ imprisonment. Costs, it was said, would amount to about £7. KAIAPOI (Before Mr H. A. Young, S.M.) BREACHES OF BY-LAWS James Galbraith, charged with driving a motor-car in the borough at a speed exceeding 30 miles an hour, was fined 30s and ordered to pay costs, 10s. On charges of cycling at night without lights, W. Green was fined 6s and ordered to pay costs, 3s; C. H. Robb was fined 7s 6d and ordered to pay Costs 10s; T. Karaitiana was fined 10s and ordered to pay costs 3s; and W. Ball was convicted and ordered to pay costs Ss. K. O. Todd for riding a bicycle at night without a light, and riding on the footpath, was fined 10s and ordered to pay costs, 3s on each charge. JUDGMENT SUMMONS G. Hirst claimed £6 4s 6d from J. Tregerthan, jun. Defendant was ordered to pay the amount due forthwith in default seven days’ imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended so long as defendant pays 10s a fortnight.