MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23803, 24 November 1942, Page 6

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

—• — MONDAY (Before Mr F. F. Reid, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS Leslie John Morrison, for drunkenness, was fined 20s with costs, in default 48 hours’ imprisonment. For a breach of nis prohibition order he was fined 20s with costs. MILITARY DEFAULTER Royce Cecil Johnstone, a shop assistant, who pleaded guilty to failing to report for military service when required to do so, was sentenced to two months imprisonment with hard labour, to be followed by defaulter’s detention. REMANDED On the application of defending counsel (Mr C. H. Holmes), Ronald Joseph Noble, charged with the theft of whisky and ale valued at £lO 18s 6d, the property of the Midland Club, was remanded to Thursday. Bail was renewed. SOLDIERS’ THEFT OF PETROL Trevor Cecil Joughln and Roydon 01llver Cock, soldiers, aged 29 and 27 respectively (Mr J. K. Moloney) pleaded guilty to the theft of eight gallons of petrol, the property of the Army Department. . . Senior-Detective H. Nuttall said Joughin had the handling of a fair amount of petrol. He and Cock arranged, before the latter went on leave, to have eight gallons left in a shingle pit for Cock to pick up. They were detected by an officer. "Mature men should have more sense of responsibility,” commented the Magistrate in imposing a fine of £3 with costs in each case. OIL FUEL OFFENCE Norman William Robinson, a mercer (Mr R. Twyneham) pleaded guilty to a charge that on October 22 he acted with intent to commit an offence against the Oil Fuel Emergency Regulations, the unauthorised purchase of oil fuel. Senior-Detective Nuttall said the defendant called at the Ritz Hall, which was being used for the issue of ration books. He asked a woman postal official to stamp a number of petrol coupons he had in his possession. Mr Twyneham said Robinson had no car himself and as the coupons were a series of consecutive numbers that had come into his possession the most that he could get out of his. act was a gallon or a gallon and a half. Counsel thought the proposal was the outcome of a distorted sense of humour. Robinson was fined £5 with cost*. BOOKMAKING Arthur Biggs, a blacksmith, aged 62. pleaded guilty to a charge of carrying on the business of a bookmaker on November 21. Detective-Sergeant J. McClung said Biggs hpd been a blacksmith in Rlccarton for more‘than 30 years. He had been taking a few bets to oblige residents and had passed his bets on. He had been fined for a similar offence in 1934. Biggs was fined £25 with costs, and was allowed a month to pay the fine. YOUNG WOMAN’S THEFTS Two years’ reformative detention was the sentence imposed on Svea Olive Booth, aged 22, who pleaded guilty to six charges of the theft of clothing and jewellery of a total value of £197 10s. and to a charge of failing to comply with a probation order. Senior-Detective Nuttall said the accused was married and her husband was overseas. The thefts were made from a nursing home where Booth was employed, from a private house which she visited, and from hotels where she stayed. She had been before the Court seven times and was only recently released on probation. COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE Harold John Carr, a plasterer, aged 35, appeared on six charges of breaking, entering and theft from dwellings, one charge of breaking and entering with intent to commit theft, and one charge of obtaining 30s by false pretences. He pleaded guilty to all charges. On the breaking and entering charges ha was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. The false pretences charge was adjourned sine die. MAINTENANCE CASES (Before Mr W. C. Harley. S.M.) A maintenance order for 5s a week In respect of his child was made against Ernest Russell Fell. For disobedience of maintenance orders the following were convicted:—George Joseph Dobbs, five days’ imprisonment, warrant to be suspended so long as he pays 15 a week off the arrears, in addition .to current maintenance; Victor Trevor Wilkinson, three months’ imprisonment, warrant to be suspended on payment of £1 a week off the arrears, in addition (o current maintenance.