LYTTELTON NEWS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23946, 13 May 1943, Page 3

LYTTELTON NEWS

MAGISTRATE’S COURT | For failing to register as a militar [ reservist, Walter Whittaker, marriec , with two children, was sentenced t ; two months’ imprisonment with han labour at the Lyttelton Magistrate’ ’ Court yesterday. Senior-Sergeant E ; Wilson said that Whittaker shouli 1 have registered in 1940, and had beei 1 evading registration. For attempting to travel in a pas ’ senger ship without first having paii his fare, and with the intention o 1 evading such payment, Albert Met calfe, a casual waterside worker (M Bradley) was convicted and fined 20 and ordered to pay costs. On a fur ther charge of entering a ship withou a permit, as required under the De fence Regulations, he was convictec and ordered to pay costs only. Ronald William Wanstall, for board ing a moving train, was convicted ant fined 20s and ordered to pay costs. Robert Malden, hotel licensee (Mi F. D. Sargent) pleaded guilty to serv ing liquor after hours. For the police Senior-Sergeant Wilson said that twe constables had found Malden servinj liquor at 6.40 a.m. to waterside worker; who had just come off night shift, fi fine of £lO was imposed, with costs John Driscoll, a barman-porter pleaded guilty to selling liquor aftei hours, and was fined £lO with costs Henry George Scott, hotel licensee (Mr F. D. Sargent) pleaded not guilty to a charge of selling liquor aftei hours. Police evidence was given thal at 6.50 a.m. two constables had founc four men in the bar consuming liquoi served by Driscoll, who was employed by Scott. The defence was thal Scotl was away from Lyttelton at the time and that no authority had been given to Driscoll to serve liquor excepi during legal hours. Driscoll had been cleaning out the bar in the early mqrning when the four men. who had just finished night shift, had entered and Driscoll had consented to serve them with just one drink each. The Magistrate said the case had come within the orbit of recenl Supreme Court judgments. He was satisfied that there had been no attempt to mislead the police or the Court. The information would be dismissed. For consuming liquor on licensed premises after hours, each of the following defendants was convicted and fined £2. being also ordered to pay costs: —Thomas Arthur Suddens. Henry Lawrence, Albert Cameron, William Paterson, James Fjnerty, William Love, William McArthur, and Ernest Hamill. Visit of Minister A visit was made to Lyttelton by the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, to inspect the new class rooms at the Lyttelton Main School. The Minister was accompanied by the Director of Education, Dr. C. E. Beeby, and the chairman of the Education Board, Mr Stanley Smith. The former site of the Colonists’ Hall was also inspected, and both the Minister and Dr. Beeby expressed the opinion that the site would be used at some time in the future for a manual training school. Inquest A verdict that Mutton had committed suicide while in a state of acute mental depression was returned by the Coroner, Mr F. F. Reid, in the adjourned inquest held at Lyttelton yesterday into the death of Albert Roy Mutton, a Lyttelton businessman, who was found shot on April 19. Dr. B. H. Gilmour, in evidence, said that he had been called to the premises of the Lyttelton Carrying Company at 3.15 a.m. on April 19. He described the injuries to the head, which, he said, would be consistent with Mutton having shot himself with a .303 rifle found alongside. Evidence was given that Mutton had for some time been in financial difficulties. and that he had been worried and depressed.