MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25366, 13 December 1947, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

FRIDAY (Before Mr F. F. Reid, S.M.) IMPRISONMENT FOR THFET William Henry Smith, aged 25, a seaman, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 1,4 days’ imprisonment on a charge of stealing 500 cigarettes valued at £1 17s 6d, the property of the Shaw Savill and Albion Company, Ltd. Detective-Sergeant A. A. Herron said accused had been employed on the Mahana on December 2. Detectives had found in Smith's cabin 10 packets, each containing 50 cigarettes, and in a general search of the ship 60,000 f stolen cigarettes had been recovered.

IDLE AND DISORDERLY Constance Maude Phipps, aged 24, a nurse (Mr D. W. Russell), pleaded guilty ,to a charge of being an idle and disorderly person in that she had no lawful visible means of support. Accused was sentenced to two months' imprisonment with hard labour.

TRAFFIC BREACHES Offenders against the traffic regulations were dealt with as follows: —

Unlighted cycles: Raymond Alec Blance, 20s; Robert George Flaws and Brian Power, 10s.

Failing to give way; Sally Courthope Courage, £3; Roy Vincent Commons and Colin Warne, £2. 1

No driver’s licence: John Stewart Taylor, 20s.

Driving without due care and attention William Thomson, 30s.

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL Four files, a pair of leather gloves, and a padlock and chain with a filed link, «were produced as evidence by the police when Francis Cornelius O’Brien, aged 40 (Mr E. B. E. Taylor) and William Robert Connor, aged 39 (Mr W. R. Lascelles), were committed to the Supreme Court for trial on charges of breaking and entering the offices of the Waimairi County Council on November 25 with intent to commit a crime. Both accused pleaded not guilty. He was cycling along the main North road at 10.10 p.m. when he heard two men talking at the Waimairi County Council premises, said Angus Brown. When he heard a rasping sound like that of a hacksaw or file on steel or iron he immediately went to a telephone box and telephoned the central police station. He was unable to identify the men, although he saw them standing on the steps.

Sergeant ,J. F. Mahon said he accompanied Sergeant O. D. Wilkes and Constable V F. P. Townshend to the Waimairi County Council offices on the night of November 25. Connor was standing inside the gate, and O’Brien was on the top of the steps leading into the building. He had on a pair of leather gloves. When- asked what he was doing there he made no comment. Connor said: “I am doing no harm. I only came here to have a drink.” The accused were arested and three butcher’s knives were found in Connor’s possession. O’Brien possessed a file. Two files were later found in a car where O’Brien had been sitting and another bent one by the gate of the council buildings. Filings were also found by the gate, and a padlock and chain with one of the links cut through was discovered nearby. Both accused were under the influence of liquor when arrested.

Bail was allowed each accused in the sum of £lOO and one surety of £lOO.