MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25245, 25 July 1947, Page 3

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

THURSDAY (Before Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M.) LICENSING OFFENCES “When a sergeant and a constable visited the hotel at 9 p.m., the licensee was just opening the door to let out some customers. He made no bones about it. The visit was rather a surprise to the licensee, as we were not expected there,” said Senior-Sergeant G. H. L. Holt when Hugh Campbell Steel, licensee of the Star and Garter Hotel, pleaded guilty to having his premises open for the sale of liquor after hours, and to selling liquor after hours. The defendant conducted a good hotel and had not been before the Court since 1943, when he was fined £l5, added Senior-Sergeant Holt. “Any suggestion that the police came at the wrong time ought to be considered a mitigating circumstance when fixing the penalty," said Mr J. K. Moloney, who appeared for Steel. Defendant was one of the best young hotelkeepers in the city and had been before the Court only once previously. Steel was fined £l5 on the charge of selling liquor after hours and he was fined £1 tor having his premises open for the sale of liquor after hours. George O’Connor, barman, who was also represented by Mr Moloney, was fined £1 for supplying liquor to persons not entitled to be supplied with liauor. The following were each fined 20s for being on licensed premises after hours:—

William Stewart Barber, Raymond Edward Blazey, Francis John Desmond Burleigh, Rodger Joseph Fahey, Alan Rodger Ivory, John Morris Lamond, William Leonard James Newell, William , John Prendergast, Walter Robert Reid, Donald Jones Robertson, Jack Smith, Ross Digby Vincent, Edmund Waller, Maurice Edmond Watson, and Douglas Wildbore. REMANDED “This is an unfortunate case. The accused was five years in the Army and was seriously wounded,”, said Senior-Ser-geant Holt when a man pleaded guilty to using obscene language in a public place. “The accused is still undergoing treatment. This day he was late for his appointment and he used the language complained of.” The accused said he did not know what had come over him. He had been ill for a long time. He did not realise how loudly he was speaking. The Magistrate remanded the man for a week and asked the probation officer to furnish a report. Interim suppression of the name was ordered. Thomas Arthur James Gibson, aged 26, a labourer, and Allan Aubrey Kennington, aged 24, a presser, were charged with the unlawful conversion of a car. They were remanded to August 4. Kennington was granted bail in one surety of £lOO or two sureties of £5O each. LIQUOR NEAR DANCE HALL Eric Ronald Lewis was fined £3 for having liquor in his possession near the Prebbleton Hall while a dance was in progress there. (Before Mr A. A. McLachlan, S.M.) SUSPENDED SENTENCE Ronald George Dempsey (Mr D. W. Russell) was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called unon within 18 months, provided he abstains from alcohol and seeks the assistance of a trained psychiatrist, when he appeared for sentence on five charges of theft. He was ordered to make restitution of £4 17s 6d. The Magistrate said that the Probation Officer did not recommend probation because of the nature of the thefts, and the fact that the mitigating circumstances were alcohol. “Having regard to your good report something akin to probation should be done,” said the Magistrate. CIVIL CASES (Before Mr A A. McLachlan, S.M.) JUDGMENT FOR PLAINTIFFS Judgment for the plaintiffs by default was given in the following claims:—N.Z. Farmers’ Co-op. Assn., of Canterbury, Ltd., v. P. Collings, £4 IPs 6d; the Commissioner of Taxes v. Sai Chuen Lowe, £2l 18s 6d; the Trade Auxiliary Company, of New Zealand, Ltd., v. K. J. McKegney, £6 10s; same v. D. Davidson, £5 0s 9d; same v. R. L. Gaskin, £2 4s 3d; same v. C. M. Copestake, £1 16s 7d; same v. J. A. Johnson, £l9 Is 9d; same v W. H. Palmer. £1 2s 2d; Mason. Struthers and Company, Ltd., v. T. Pickering. £6 17s 4d; Rogers Bros., v. L. H. England. £1 8s; Smiths City Market Ltd., v. D. Dow, 7s 6d JUDGMENT SUMMONS On a judgment summons. Thomas I. F!sh was ordered to pay Bing, Harris, and Company. Ltd.. £4B Ils lOd forthwith, in default 48 days’ imprisonment, j ® w ? rran t to be suspended as long as defenoant pays £2 a week.