MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25308, 7 October 1947, Page 3

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

MONDAY (Before Mr F. F. Reid, S.M.) REMANDED • Leo John Martin, «aged 26, a watersider and painter, was remanded to appear on October 13 on charges of assaulting Elmo Nola Smith and of being deemed a rogue and a vagabond in that he was found by night without lawful excuse on the enclosed premises of Rolleston House, Canterbury College. On a charge of being found without lawful excuse on enclosed premises, Clifford Boyd Ogilvie was remanded to appear on October 10. Bail was allowed at £2O, with one surety of £2O. Walter Haremia’ Momo, aged 20, a labourer, was remanded to appear on October 9 on charges of assaulting Frederick Leonard Saunders and of presenting without lawful excuse at Saunders and Rob-, ert Hunter Dickson a .32 calibre revolver.

On a charge of breaking and entering the dwelling-house of William McQueen at Lake Lyndon on September 28, Harold Hamilton, aged 41, a gardener, was remanded to appear on October 9. REMANDED FOR SENTENCE Leslie Robert Thomson, aged 19, an airman, was remanded to appear for sentence on October 13 on a charge of stealing, at Weedons, on or about April 1, two navigation wristlet watches valued at £24, the property of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Thomson pleaded guilty. The accused had taken the watches from a safe while cleaning out the commanding officer’s office, said Detective-f Sergeant A. A. Herron. Later he sold one. An Air Force officer said that Thomson’s conduct during his service with the Air Force had been good. The Magistrate directed that the probation officer (Mr W. H. Darby) make a report on Thomson, and ordered accused to be remanded in the custody of the Air Force authorities. IMPRISONMENT William George Lapham, aged 23, was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment with hard labour on a charge of receiving a navigation wristlet watch from Leslie Robert Thomson, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained. An Air Force officer said Lapham had joined the Air Force from the Army in 1942, and later served for 12 months in the Solomon Islands. He joined the interim air force and was due for his discharge at the end of this month. Lapham had given good service, he said. In sentencing accused, the Magistrate remarked that Lapham did not appear to have taken to heart a previous fine fot theft. It was an offence the Court could not treat lightly, he said. SUSPENDED SENTENCE Reginald Clewer, aged 22, a fitter, was ordered to appear for sentence within 18 months if called on on a charge of stealing, at Lyttelton on October 2, £35 in money, the property of John Earl Miller. Clewer pleaded guilty. For the police, Detective-Sergeant Herron said Clewer had come from Welling-* ton by the steamer express on October 2, sharing a cabin. During the temporary absence of the complainant, accused removed £35 from Miller’s wallet. When interviewed by a detective, he admitted the offence and showed where he had hidden the money. Mr R. A. Young, who appeared for Clewer. said it was a stupid and almost inexplicable offence. During the afternoon of October 2, Clewer drank liquor with some friends. “Drunkenness is never an excuse for crime,” said the Magistrate, ordering Clewer to appear for sentence if called on. “I will extend the leniency of the Court and treat the episode as a drunken escapade. .Let this ba a lesson to you, and if you can’t carry liquor leave it alone.” An application for the suppression of Clewer’s name was refused. , FINED FOR BOOKMAKING Detective-Sergeant J. J. Halcrow and Detective C. Rundle visited premises at 16 Union street, New Brighton, on October4, and found accused had taken £B2 12s 6d in bets, said Detective-Sergeant Herron, when John Francis Madden, a clerk, aged 41, pleaded guilty to a charge of carrying bn the business of a bookmaker. Accused had previously been convicted of the same offence in May, 1945, and was, fined £75, said Detective-Sergeant Herron. Madden, was fined £5O. COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. Patrick John Holmes, aged 24, a labourer (Mr D. J. Hewitt) was committed to the' Supreme Court for sentence when he pleaded guilty to four charges involving the theft of money and property valued at £43 5s 3d, and one charge of unlawful conversion of a car valued at £425. Accused also pleaded guilty to two charges of theft of money aqd property involving a total amount of £2 7s, and charges of travelling by the Railway Road Service bus from Dunedin to Timaru, and by train from Dunedin to Christchurch without paying his fare. On these charges he was remanded to appear at the Magistrate’s Court on October 10. DISORDERLY BEHAVI'oUR Raymond George Blackmore, aged 25, a driver, and Stanley Arthur Blackmore, aged 23, a labourer, were each fined £5 on charges of behaving in a disorderly manner in a public place, and each £lO on charges of assaulting policemen while in the executiqn of their duty. The charges relating to disorderly behaviour arose from incidents alleged to have occurred at the Caledonian Hall. Mr D. J. Hewitt appeared for the accused, who pleaded hot guilty, and Sehior-Sergeant G H. L. Holt prosecuted. After hearing the evidence the Magistrate remarked: "I hhve no hesitation in convicting both men. It is trying to stretch my credibility beyond all limits to ask me to believe their evidence. Doorkeepers and policemen do not descend on anybody all of a sudden. Both parties suffered injuries in the struggle, but 1 am satisfied the police showed commendable restraint. If either of the two occused had been convicted for a similar type of offence before I would have had no hesitation in imposing a sharp term of imprisonment.” Stanley Blackmore then asked for time in which to pay the firies, the Magistrate replying that he was allowed 14 days under the law.