MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27407, 21 July 1954, Page 14

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

TUESDAY (Before Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M.) WOMEN FINED FOR THEFT Lorna Gertrude Groome, aged 40, a dressmaker, who was represented by Mr D. W. Russell, appeared for sentence on a charge that on July 9 she stole a frock, valued at £l3 13s, the property of Hay’s, Ltd. She was convicted and fined £lO., Mary Brown Comrie, aged 63, who appeared for sentence on two charges of theft from shops and who was represented by Mr W. G. P. Cuningham, was convicted and fined a total of £5.. (Before Mr Rex C. Abernethy, S.M.) THEFTS OF VEHICLE WHEELS Lewis Robinson, aged 36, and John Leonard Moody, aged 40, pleaded guilty to charges that on June 14 at Wetheral they stole a try re, rim and tube, valued at £24 15s, the property of William Arthur Martyn, and that on July 14 at Kaiapoi they stole a tyre, tube and rim, valued at £22, the property of Owen Meredith Williams. -- They were remanded in custody to July 27 for a Probation Officer’s report and sentence. UNLAWFULLY CONVERTED CAR Graham Fleming, aged 21, a mechanic in the R.N.Z.A.F. at Wigram, pleaded guilty to a charge that on July 8 he unlawfully converted to bis own use a motor-car, valued at £3OO, the property of Donald Ernest Sear ward.

He was remanded in the custody of the Air Force to July 27 for a Probation Officer’s report and sentence. Detective-Sergeant G. W. Alty said that Seaward reported to the police that his car had been taken from outside a garage at Sockburn. He then went in a friend's car to try* to trace his own car and found it at Yaldhurst. It was thought that three airmen had beeir concerned in taking the car and the accused was interviewed. He had a car parked near the same garage where Seaward had parked his car. He said he was going to take two friends to Yaldhurst on the night of July 8 but his car would not start. He saw the other one nearby, went to it, found the ignition key in place, and drove it along to pick up his friends. Fleming drove the car to Yaldhurst without telling his two friends that he had converted the car, said De-tective-Sergeant Alty. When the three airmen were about to return to Wigram later that night, they saw a man standing beside the car. Fleming led them away and then told them he had stolen the car. The three airmen walked along the road until they got a ride back to Christchurch. There was no suggestion that the 'dther two airmen knew when they set out that the car had been converted.

Detective-Sergeant Alty said that Fleming at present was on two years’ probation on charges of false pretences. LICENCE SUSPENDED Geoffrey Morton Bodger, a mechanic, of Leeston, was fined £6 for driving his motor-cycle on Papanui road on April 19 at a speed which might have been dangerous to other users of the road. His driver’s licence was suspended for' three’ months. Traffic Officer H. J. Hammett, of the traffic department of the Christchurch City Council, said a motorcycle, ridden by Bodger and carrying a pillion passenger, passed him at a high speed on Papanui road at 6.55 p.m on April 18. He gave chase and checked Bodger’s speed at 55 miles an hour from Knowles street to Innes road. Bodger had to slow down because a tram was stopped. When he got past the tram he accelerated quickly and from Webb street to Clare road his speed was 65 miles an hour. Traffic was heavy that evening, Easter Monday, and Bodger overtook several cars, said Traffic Officer Hammett. TRAFFIC OFFENCES The following persons were prosecuted by the Transport Department for breaches of »the traffic regulations and penalties were imposed as stated:— Insufficient lights on vehicles: Ronald Anderson, £2 10s; Michael Leonard Corner, £'2 (failing to dip lights, 30s; no .warrant of fitness, 10s).

No warrant of fitness: Derek William Brunt, 10s; Alexander William Vallance, 10s. Riding unlighted bicycle at night: James Edward Wilkie, £l. No certificate of fitness for heavy vehicle: Horace Mervyn Roberston, £2. Exceeding the speed limit: Robert Edward Mounsey, £3 (no warrant of fitness, 10s); Peter Denis Shea, £3.

Wrong class of driver’s licence: Barry Edmund Handisides, £1 (overtaking on wrong side, £1). Failing to stop at stop sign: Frederick Arthur Haywood Penfold, £2; Dorothy May Robinson, £2 (no driver’s licence, 10s); George Richard Robinson, £2; John Sweeney, £2. Failed to give way: Edward George Bishop, £2.

The following prosecutions were brought I by the traffic department of the Christ-1 church City Council:— Parked in prohibited area: Mabel Rosa. Adamson, £1; Don Ashby, £1; Francis! Bertram Barnes, 30s; Hugh Henry Cut--tance, 355; Maurice Fredrick Fleming, 10s; Harley’ Robert Manson, £1; Una Tripp Pinkney, £1; George Powell, 30s; John' Somerville Scott, £1; Kathleen Dorothy . Swallow, £1; Eunoe Stamers-Smith/ £2;! James Francis Walls, £l.

Parked over time limit: Horace Wil-1 liam Alston, £2 10s; Arthur John Boucher, £5; Martin Brinkers, costs only; Frank William Matthews, £1; Neale Edward | Mills, £1; Patricia Madeline McEvedy, 30s: j James Henry McGavock, Frank Me-, Nae, costs only; James Stephen Neylon.i 30s; James Westley Overton, £1; John' Cochrane Priest, £1; William ATS®. Franklin, £2. Failing to stop at a compulsory stop' sign: Agnes Bradshaw, 30s. i Cycling at night without rear red light:! Hugh Driver, 10s; Maurice Bennett Cook,! 10s; Paul Roger Sheen, costs only. I Parked too close to corner: Eric Ward' Sharp, £l. Stopped within six feet of a fire-plug:; James McLeod, 10s. Insufficient lights on vehicle: Ronald Graham Pitcaithly, £2. No warrant of fitness: John Sydney Edward English, '10s; Douglas Kitchener Lumb, £2; Francis Joseph McGrath, 10s (no driver’s licence, 10s; insufficient lights, Failing to give way to the right: James Angus Hutchison, £2. Failing to produce driver’s licence: Kenneth McCarthy, 10s (failing to produce] warrant of fitness, 10s). CIVIL CASE (Before Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M.) CLAIM AND COUNTER-CLAIM Bruce Dunlop, an infant, suing by Douglas Dunlop, a joiner (Mr K. J. MeMenamin), claimed £530 damages from .F. B. Knipe, an engineer (Mr H. W. Hunter), for injuries received in a motor collision at New Brighton on February 3, 1952. Douglas Dunlop claimed £ll5 from Knipe for damage done to his car. Knipe counter-claimed for £47 from Douglas Dunlop. Judgment was given for Knipe on both claims and he was also given judgment for £32 on his copnter-claim, with costs.