MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26855, 7 October 1952, Page 9

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

MONDAY (Before Mr F. F. Reid, S.M.) INTOXICATED MOTORISTS Arthur Ernest Meecham, aged 33, a storeman (Mr E. S. Bowie), pleaded guilty to a charge that, dn October 4, while in a state of intoxication he was in charge of a motor-cer in High street. He was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment with hard labour; his driving licence was cancelled, and he was disqualified from obtaining another for 12 months. Senior-Sergeant J. C. Fletcher said that Meecham was seen by constables leaving a hotel in what they considered a drunken condition, and going to a car. The constables hurried to stop him, but he was behind the wheel with the engine running when they got there. He was taken to the police station and examined by Dr. F. L. Scott, who certified him as being unfit to be in charge of a motor vehicle. Mr Bowie said that Meecham was not driving, and that he had not been at. the hotel for the purpose pf drinking. He had taken two guests there and .booked them in. He had been master of ceremonies at a party and had had several sherries. In addition he had a bad cough and had been taking a medicine which contained morphine. This probably accentuated the effect of the sherry. Further, it could be said iti his favour that there had been no accident. The Magistrate said that Meecham must have driven the car to the hotel when he was very much under the influence of liquor, if, as counsel had said, he was not there long and had no drink While he was there. Albert Thomas Green, aged 48 a labourer (Mr A. C. Perry), pleaded guilty to a charge that on September 27, while in a state of intoxication, he was in charge of a motor-car ,ih Cashel street. He was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment with hard labour, his driving licence was cancelled.' and he was disqualified from obtaining another for 12 months. Senior-Sergeant J. C. Fletcher said that the police received a call to Cashel street, where a motorist had reversed his car into a bus. Constable Smith found Green to be under the influence of liquor. Green was examined by Dr. F. L. Scott and certified as unfit to drive. “If he had driven away, we would have known nothing about it, but when he backed into a bus the alarm was raised,’’ said SeniorSergeant Fletcher. •MOTOR-CYCLIST FINED Kenneth Charles Wilson, aged 21, a printer (Mr E. B. E. Taylor), pleaded guilty to a charge that on October 4, while in a state of intoxication, he was in charge of a motor-cycle in Worcester street. He was fined £l5. his driver’s licence was cancelled, and he was disqualified from obtaining another for two years. Senior-Sergeant J. C. Fletcher said that at 2 a.m.. Constable Jenkins noticed a motor-cycle slow up. When the pillion rider jumped off, the motor-cycle nearly fell on top of Wilson. The constable took Wilson to the police station, where he was examined by Dr. F. L. Scott and certified as unfit to be in charge of a motor vehicle. Mr Taylor said that Wilson had been t© a reunion of a group of youths who had been through an engineers’ course at Burnham. They had had some beer there, but not enough to affect Wilson's driving. He had difficulty with the stand of his motor-cycle when he stopped, and that called the attention of the police to him. Because of Wilson’s age the Court might impose a fine instead of sending him to prison. The Magistrate said he did not want to send a young man to gaol who had just completed his military training, and was starting again in civilian life, but he was going to see that he was off the road foxsome time. SHIP DESERTERS John Andrew McGuinness, aged 30, a fireman, pleaded guilty to a charge of deserting from the British ship Trevanion at Auckland on April 17, 1951. He was ordered to be detained, for one month. Mr J. R. Woodward appeared for the shipping company. Daniel McAulay, aged 27, a seaman, pleaded guilty to a charge of deserting from the British ship Thistledale at Auckland on March 4, 1952. He was ordered to be detained for one month. Mr R. W. Edgley appeared for the shipping company. ILLEGAL LOTTERY TICKETS Stephen Ernest Andrews, aged 44, a soldier, pleaded not guilty to a charge of being found drunk in High street on October 4 and guilty to a charge of being found in possession of tickets designed to be used m an. illegal lottery. He was convicted and fined £1 on each charge. REMANDED Noel William Blair, aged 45, a laundryman, pleaded not guilty to a charge of being found drunk in St. Asaph street on September ,20. He elected trial by jury on a charge that he carried on the business of a bookmaker on September 19. He was remanded to October 15 on renewed bail, a fixture Being made for that date. George Donaldson, aged 43, a cook, was remanded to October 13 on a charge that on September 20, at Greymouth, he obtained £lO from Cedric Walker Batty by falsely representing that a cheque for that amount was a good and valid one. Murray David Eaglesome, aged 27, a labourer (Mr B. J. Drake), pleaded guilty to a charge that on September 20 he stole a cash box valued at 10s and £l7 13s Id in cash, the property of P. Feron and Son. Ltd. He was remanded to October 13 for sentence, and allowed bail in his own recognisance of £lOO and one surety of £lOO, on condition that he reports daily to the police. Detective-Sergeant G. W. Alty said that accused had been employed by the firm for the last two months. He was relieving In the office on September 19 and put the cash box and silver away. Later the cash box was missing. The accused was interviewed, and he said that he went back on the Saturday morning, took the cash box, and on his way home took the money out of it and threw the cash box over a fence. He said he had spent the money at the New Brighton races and on general living expenses. He was not previously known to the police. Mr Drake said that as the accused was a first offender, the Magistrate might want a report from the probation officer. The Magistrate said he would follow thl« course.