MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23797, 17 November 1942, Page 6

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

TWO ARMY CASUALTIES.—LEFT: Gunner M. J, Morrison, son of Superintendent A. Morrison, of the Christchurch Fire Brigade, reported killed in action. RIGHT: Private Lens G. Price, son of Mr and Mrs N, C. Price, 76 Palmers road, North Beach, previously reported missing, now reported not missing, but in hospital, wounded.

MONDAY (Before Mr'F. F. Reid, S.M.) REMANDED Svea Olive Booth, a domestic, was remanded to November 23 on a charge of the theft of a wristlet match, ring, and 15s in money, of a total value of £23 os, the property of Wilhelmina Mary Neeley. Harold John Carr a labourer, was also remanded to November 23 on a charge of breaking and entering by day the dwelling of Jessie Musson and committing theft. INTOXICATED DRIVER Edward Charles Claydon. an aircraftsman, aged 27 years (Mr C. G. Penlington), pleaded guilty to being intoxicated in charge of a motor-car in Ferry road on Sunday night. Senior-Sergeant J. Bickerdlke said Claydon’s car crashed into the back of a motor-car which had stopped to pick up passengers. Mr Penllngton said the accused had had a few beers in the afternoon but none in the evening. He was of an excitable nature and a bad knock on the head, combined with the effect of the liquor he had had earlier, might have made his condition appear, to the police doctor, worse than it was. Claydon was fined £lO, with costs, his licence was cancelled and endorsed, and he was prohibited from driving before January, 1944. THEFT OF TOOLS Two men, whose names were ordered to be suppressed, pleaded guilty to the theft of a blacksmith’s hammer and two rasps, the property of Arthur Beggs. For the accused, Mr C. S. Thomas said they were thoroughly drunk. They were railway servants, decent men who had good records. “I am prepared to believe it was more a stupid drunken escapade than a crime,” said the Magistrate. The accused were convicted and discharged. THEFT OF ARMY PETROL "Unless there are very exceptional circumstances. I will not suppress the names of persons who steal petrol from Army cars,” said the Magistrate when Mr G. G. Lockwood, appearing for David Montrose Milne, a soldier, aged 21, made this request. The Magistrate said petrol stealing was a bad enough offence at any time, but the danger of immobilising Army cars in an emergency made the theft from such vehicles specially serious, Milne was charged with the theft of four gallons of petrol from a vehicle at a camp near Christchurch. Senior-Detec-tive H. Nuttall said the accused visited the camp, where he had previously served, while on leave from the North Island, and after a conversation with some of the soldiers, went to the vehicle and removed the petrol Mr Lockwood said the accused took the petrol because he had used up his father's supply while on leave, and his father, an invalid, was dependent on it for transport. "He got the tip where he could get petrol and he took it,” said counsel. Milne was fined £2. with costs, and ordered to make restitution of 11s 2d. MAINTENANCE CASES (Before Mr W. C. Harley, S.M.) For disobedience of maintenance orders the following were dealt with:—Hilton Roy Adams, one month’s imprisonment; Raymond Austin, 14 days’ imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended so long as 2s Gd a week is paid off arrears, in addition to current maintenance: Ernest James Nixon, 21 days’ Imprisonment, warrant to be suspended provided arrears are paid at the rate of 25s a week in addition to current maintenance. t , A maintenance order in respect of his child was made against Dick Newick Richards. .

(Before Mr F. F. Reid, S.M.) An affiliation order was made against John Boko Hemera and maintenance was fixed at 12s 6d a week.