MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24599, 22 June 1945, Page 7

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

THURSDAY 4 ‘ (Before Mr Raymond Ferner. SJa.) THEFT OF. CYCLES Ada Simpson (Mr J. K. Moloney), aged 51 years, pleaded guilty to six charges of stealing bicycles of a total value of £47 10s. Senior-Sergeant J. Abel said the first offence was committed on March 27, 1944, and the other five between' November 8 and November 20. Accused had taken the bicycles from different places in the city, and had sold or .had tried to sell them to bicycle dealers. In several cases she had received sums of money for the bicycles, but in others, after taking the bicycles to dealers, she had not returned to complete the transaction and receivq the money as arranged. All the bicycles had been recovered, and restitution'of the sum of £9 was asked. ' Mr Moloney said accused had been subject to severe nervous trouble. She had done unaccountable things during that period. The whole background ox the offendes was not normal. On the first 'charge, accused was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment. On the remaining charges she -was admitted to probation for two years, and ordered to make restitution of the sum of £9. CONVERSION OF CYCLES Vincent Michael Gardener, David Joseph Murphy, Clarence Benjamin O’Neill, and Albert James McCarthy pleaded guilty to charges of converting to their own use bicycles on May 26. Senior-Sergeant Abel said the four, defendants had gone to a dance at Llnwood avenue. They were refused admission, and each had taken a bicycle that had been left at the side of the hall and had gone to another dance 200 yards sway. For the accused, Mr Moloney said all the charges arose out of a foolish escapade. The men Had no intention of keeping the bicycles.. The Magistrate said each accused had been charged with an offence for which a term of imprisonment could be imposed. He preferred to regard the whole matter as an irresponsible and foolish prank. Each accused would be fined £S. WARRANT FOR ARREST Crosble Frank Cook did not appear when • his name was called to answer a charge of converting to his own use a cycle, and a warrant for his arrest was issued FINES IMPOSED For casting offensive matter in a public place, Alister Burgess and Walter Gibson West were each fined £2. LIQUOR NEAR DANCE HALL John Bailey was fined £2 for being in possession of liquor near a dance hall. ON LICENSED PREMISES James Arhibald Millar was fined 20s for being on the licensed premises Of the White Hart Hotel after hours. HOTEL LICENSEE FINED Charles Watkins Stafford was charged with opening the premises of the Woolston Hotel lor the sale of liquor on April 29 at a time when the premises should have been closed.. Kenneth Edward Clark was charged with supplying liquor and Gordon Allot Graham with removing liquor after hours. Mr F. D. Sargent appeared for the three defendants. Gordon Allot Graham, In evidence, said he had purchased a quantity of liquor earlier in the day, and had left it at the hotel until he called lor It at night. He had not purchased any liquor after hours. Kenneth Edward Clark, a barman, denied having served any liquor after hours. He worked at night to oblige the proprietor, whose daughter bad beta married that day and thej celebrations took up all his (Stafford’s) time. There were people on the premises. He was In charge at the time, but had no power to eject anyone from the hotel. He had had instructions from the proprietor not to sell any liquor. John Carlyle, who was charged with being on the licensed premises of the Woolston Hotel after hours, said he had tone to the hotel at the Invitation, of Mr (afford, who had promised to take him to the wedding celebrations, which were being held In the city. No drink was sold. Stafford was fined £lO for opening his premises for sale, Clark was fined £lO for supplying liquor after hours, and Gordon Allot Graham was fined. £2 for removing liquor from the premises after hours. For being on the licensed premises of the Woolston Hotel after hours, Leonard Albert Graham was fined 20s. A similar charge against John Carlyle was dismissed. COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE Walter Alfred Campion (Mr E. -C. Gough) was charged with negligently driving a motor-car on the Main south road on March 14 and causing bodily tor jury to Louisa Florence May Green. The police evidence was that on the night of March 14 a woman, whose name was given as Campion, was admitted, to the Christchurch Public Hospital, but later it was revealed that her name was Green. She had been Injured In an accident, when a motor-car driven by accused had struck an electric power pole at Islington. Accused pleaded guilty to the charge, and was committed to the Supreme Court lor sentence.