MAGISTRATES COURT

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24982, 17 September 1946, Page 3

MAGISTRATES COURT

MONDAY “ (Before Mr H. P. Lawry, S3f.) ’

IMPRISONMENT FOR THEFT Charles Paul Anderson, aged 21, a- labourer, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing, at Balclutha, on April 10, a letter and contents valued at £4 12s, the property of Thomas Russell. Senior-Detective F. J. Brady said that . r accused had been employed as a milkman at Balclutha. He had been given a . letter to deliver and had taken £4 10s in notes and a postal order for 2s from the envelope. He disappeared and was later interviewed by the police in Christchurch. where he admitted committing, the theft. Anderson was at present serving a sentence of nine months' imprisonment on various charges. A sentence of three months’ imprisonment was imposed, to be cumulative with the present sentence. Mary Adelaide Wilton, a domestic, aged 27, was sentenced to imprisonment for six months on a charge of stealing £1 10s, the property of Elsie Hayward. The accused had taken the money from a friend’s room at a private hotel, said Senior-Detective Brady. Wilton had a list of convictions for similar offences, he said. Wilton, who pleaded guilty, said that she was out of work and that no one would employ her. CHARGE OF ASSAULT John Warburton Scott, aged 36. a turner. was convicted and discharged on a charge of assaulting Albert Edward Blackler. a . For the accused, Mr T. A. Gresson said that Scott had been on a drinking bout and had no recollection of the incident. He did not know Blackler. Scott realised the seriousness of the offence and was extremely sorry about it. REMANDED Peter Lawrence Harkess. a labourer, aged 18, was remanded to appear on September 23 on a charge of converting a motor-cycle, valued at £5O. the property of William Parke Richardson Ball was allowed at £5O. the accused to report twice daily to the police. , _ . On a charge of obscene exposure; John Albert Arthur, a labourer, aged 26, was remanded to appear on Thursday. Ball was allowed at £lOO in self, with one surety of £lOO. FINE FOR BOOKMAKING For using his premises at 23 Prosser s road as a common gaming house, yer- ■ non Blakely, a warehouseman, was fined £5O. Senior-Detective Brady said that detectives had visited the accused’s home on Saturday and had found betting material and bets to tolling £BB ss. Blakely had been frank when interviewed, and had said he was acting as an agent. He would not name his principal. Mr W. R. Lascelles, who appeared for the accused, said that Blakely had decided to supplement his earnings by book- ■ making. However, he had learned m« lesson and was giving up bookmaking. INTOXICATED MOTORIST George Whitaker Coombes. a gardener, aged 50, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving a motor-car while in a state « intoxication. Sub-Inspector G. J. Paine said that accused had been noticed driving his car in and out of a line of traffic between Ashburton and Chertsey after meeting at Ashburton on Saturday. He pulled up at the Chertsey HoteL and in doing so collided with another vehicle. He was brought to Christchurch, and one and a half hours later was certified unit was an unfortunate incident, said Mr C. S. Thomas, who appeared for Coombes. The accused had never been in trouble before. For the last two years he had been suffering from nervous disorders. On Saturday he had been to the races and had drunk some beer, which would “probably not have affected him otherwise. The day was a hot one. Mr Thomas said. Coombes was fined £l5, and his .driving licence was cancelled for 12 months.