MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23917, 8 April 1943, Page 6

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

WEDNESDAY (Before Mr F. F. Reid, S.M.) STORING DANGEROUS GOODS

The Christchurch City Council (Mr p. W. Clarke) charged Henry Cooper Smith (Mr A. C. Perry) with storing dangerous goods—44 gallons of petrol—contrary to the regulations of the Dangerous Goods Act.

Mr Clarke said defendant had been convicted in August for a similar offence. Mr Perry admitted that defendant had been convicted previously; but, he said, originally three drums of petrol had been stored on Smith's property and when the inspection was made only two drums had been discovered, and defendant had been dealt with. The other drum was there all the time. It belonged to defendant’s son, who was overseas. Mr Clarke asked for the confiscation of the petrol, but this was opposed by Mr Perry, who said the petrol should be sold under the direction of the Oil Fuel Controller. The Magistrate said he could not treat the charge lightly. Defendant had been convicted last August,', anti there was a suggestion that he was deliberately flouting the law. .He imposed a! fine of £5. DRAINAGE REGULATIONS John Charles Haworth was charged by the Christchurch Drainage Board with laying a drain without first having renewed his drainlayer’s licence. Mr M. W. Simes, who appeared for Haworth, said the offence was a technical one. Haworth had held a drainlayer's licence for 12 years, and there was no question as to his qualifications. It was merely a question of falling to renew a licence that would only cost ss. Haworth was convicted and ordered to pay costs. For failing to notify the Christchurch Drainage Board of his intention to open up a drain, Harold Percy Squires was ordered to pay costs. WANDERING STOCK A round-up of wandering stock in the Ladbrooks district resulted in a number of charges being laid against residents of the district. Offenders were dealt with as follows: Francis Joseph Hanlon, Emmeline Jacob. Justin Charles McCarthy, and William Charles Scott, ordered to pay costs; Owen McDrury, fined 20s. Charges against Henry James Chesmar and George Chesmar were dismissed. the Magistrate .saying there was a doubt in both cases, and that the defendants were entitled to be given the benefit of the doubt. PRICE TRIBUNAL CHARGES

Olive Ethel Davison (Mr J. K. Moloney), of North New Brighton, was charged with selling goods above the prices allowed by the Price Tribunal, and with not having displayed the necessary price orders for goods that she was selling.

Mr A. W. Brown, for the Price Tribunal, said investigations had been made because of complaints received. When inspectors had purchased a bar of chocolate the price charged was Is 2d, whereas the price order fixation was Is Id. The defendant had said that she did not know of the existence of a price order. The order had been gazetted in January, 1942, and defendant should have known all about it.

Mr Moloney said there was no question that a breach had been committed, but it had been committed in sheer ignorance and the difference in the prices was only one penny, A daughter of the defendant had usually attended to the sale of the commodity in question. It was an isolated case. The Magistrate asked the reason of the suggestion that this was an isolated case. Did it not rather suggest that the price was the usual one charged. * Davison was convicted and ordered to pay costs on both charges. REMANDED James William Irving, oil a charge of Indecent exposure, was remanded till Monday, pending a report from the probation officer.