MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24074, 9 October 1943, Page 6

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

FRIDAY (Before Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M.) THEFTS AT AERODROME

“These types of thefts are getting rather prevalent in the camps, and we are spending more time in and camps than we should. saidJSenioi Detective H. Nultall, when Trevor Thomas Marquet, an aircraftman aged 20, pleaded guilty to four charges of theft of sums; totalling £6 10s on October .2. Mr Nut-, tall said that on the morning of the thefts Marquet was on fatigue duty in, the cookhouse with four other men .who were the complainants. Marquet asked for permission to*go to' the post office,' but instead went to the men’s -huts and went through their clothes. Accused had no criminal record, but he had been absent without leave six or seven times. Accused was remanded in custody for a report by the Probation Officer.

DESERTION FROM SHIP ' A sentence of 30 days' imprisonment was imposed on Stephen Henry Porter, a seaman, aged 27. who pleaded guilty to deserting from S ship- at Lyttglton. Sub-Inspector J. F. H. Macnamara said that Porter had been on a ship which had now left New Zealand waters. Last month he had gone ashore although there was a notice on the ships gang.way stopping all leave. Porter gave himself up to the police on Thursday evenIng. Mr J. K. Moloney, who appeared for Porter, said that he had been in a torpedoed ship twice, and had been in a ship captured by the Japanese in Malaya, but had managed to escape. The number of men who appeared before the Court on similar charges seemed to indicate that there was something wrong with their conditions. He had oeentnformed that living conditions on Porter’s ship were atrocious. TRAFFIC OFFENCES

For cycling at night without a light. Mary Ann Ball. Sydney Adolphus Hill, and Bernard Joseph Harrington were each fined 10s and ordered tp pay costs. David Courtenay Forsythe was ordered to pay costs on a similar charge. For -falling to give way to traffic on the right, Irene Maud Harris was fined 10s and ordered to pay costs. She was ordered to pay costs for driving without a licence. Thomas Greaves, who attempted to cross a railway line, was ordered to pay costs only. CONVICTED AND DISCHARGED A seaman, Gordon Harold Anderson, aged 21. was convicted and discharged on a charge of assaulting Reuben John Robinson, a taxi-driver. Tire Magistrate had previously adjourned the case for a week to give Anderson time to leave the country; JUVENILE COURT (Before Mr F. F. Reid. S.M., Mrs T. Green, J.P., and Mr W. C. Colee, J.P.) THEFTS FROM GARAGE A boy aged 11 years was charged with stealing a metronome valued, at. 30s. It was stated by tire police that* the boy had entered a garage at New Brighton in which a quantity of household goods was stored. He had removed the metronome, and had left it in a vacant section where it could not now be located. The boy was admonished and discharged, an order being made for restitution of 30s. Two other boys were charged with stealing a quantity of household goods valued at £5 16s 3d from the same garage at New Brighton. Senior-Detective H. Nuttall said the, articles had been removed to an old shed, where they had been recovered by the police. Each boy was placed under the supervision of the Child Welfare Officer for a period of 12 months. CHARGE DISMISSED A charge of attempting to steal £1 10s in money, preferred against a 10-year-old bov, was dismissed. Senior-Detective Nuttall said the boy had been living with his mother in a flat. Complaints about the loss of money had been laid by the occupant of the adjoining flat. A watch was kept, and on August 7 the complainant saw the boy enter his flat. Mr K. G. Archer, who appeared for the bov. asked that the charge be dismissed, ‘‘The Court is satisfied that there is not sufficient evidence to sustain a charge of attempting to steal a specific sum of money," said,the Magistrate. He added a yarning that the boy should be careful as to his future actions, which, though t! ken innocently, might possibly be Wrongly interpreted. INSULATORS DAMAGED ’ A youth aged 13 years was admonished find discharged on a charge of destroying five telegraph Insulators at Lakeside. Restitution of 10s 5d was ordered. TRAFFIC OFFENCES

A youth was fined 5s for operating a motor-cycle without a warrant of fitness .

For carelessly riding a bicycle in Cathedral square on August ’22. a boy aged 14 years, was fined 10s, "You’re evidently one of these youths who thjnk they can career round as they like on bicycles,” said, the Magistrate.

A boy aged 15 years was fined 2s fid for riding a bicycle without a light. Another boy, aged 14. was admonished and discharged, for a similar, offence.'