MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27408, 22 July 1954, Page 4

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

WEDNESDAY (Before Mr Rex C. Abernethy, S.M.) MAN FINED FOR DRUNKENNESS Andrew McLeod Kelman, aged 50, a dealer (Mr M. G. L. Loughnan) pleaded not guilty to a charge that he was found drunk in Gloucester street on July 3 and guilty to a charge of being in • possession of illegal lottery tickets. He was convicted on both charges and fined £1 on the first and £4 on the second. Senior-Sergeant A. B. Collinge prosecuted. Constable W. Colville said he saw Kelman staggering along the footpath in Gloucester street at 11 p.m. on July 3. By the time he reached Kelman the latter was standing in the gutter with his head down and was leaning against a lamppost. Constable Colville said he considered Kelman was drunk, so he arrested him and took him to the Central Police Station in a taxi. Constable W. Bracks said he was on duty in the watchhouse when Kelman was taken there. Kelman "played up” when searched. He was abusive and offensive and when he was put in a cell he behaved in such a way that the other prisoners complained of his conduct. He was definitely drunks said witness.

Sergeant B. A. Alty gave supporting evidence. Mr Loughnan submitted that, though Kelman might have been intoxicated, he was not drunk as defined in the Police Offences Act, for he had control of his mental faculties.

Kelman, in evidence, said that he had asked for a doctor and a lawyer while in a taxi on the way to the police station and again at the police station. He said thatl he had been struck by at least one of the constables there, and was carried shoulder ’ high out to the cells.

“Kelman, I don’t believe your story with regard to the police at all,” said the Magistrate. UNREGISTERED FACTORY

Robert George Beattie was fined £2 on a charge that he occupied an unregistered factory at Darfield on May 6. Wray Mealings, an inspector for the Labour Department, said that Beattie occupied a small sawmill which was registered in March, 1953. The registration expired in January, 1954, and was not renewed though the sawmill was still in use. Beattie reregistered the sawmill on June 6. DUMPED RUBBISH ON ROAD Victor Eric Hessel was fined £2 on a charge of placing rubbish on Winters road on April 21. Mr W. K. L. Dougall, for the Waimairi County Council, said that the council took a serious view of this offence. The amount of rubbish dumped in this way on roads was considerable even the council maintained pits for the dumping of rubbish at an annual cost of £l6OO. The Magistrate said that the Court took a similar view and the offence merited a sharp fine. If the practice continued, the fines would have to be increased. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL Brian William Bulmaji, aged 27, a presser (Mr B. McClelland) pleaded not guilty to a charge that on October 30, 1953, he obtained goods and money, of a total value of £9 10s, from Violet Frances Lepper by falsely representing that a cheque for that amount was a good and valid one. He was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. He was allowed bail in his own recognisance of £2O and one surety of £5O on condition that he reports daily to the police. Mrs Violet Frances Lepper said she had a grocery shop in Sumner, and Bulman was a customer from August last year. On October 30, 1953, he called at her shop to pay an account for 14s and gave her a jcheque for £9 10s. She gave him £8 16r in change. She .banked the. cheque and it was returned, to her .with a note saying that further- signature on the cheque was necessary. Later the accused gnd-his partner in the dry cleaning .business came to her shop. They told her that they were going to sell the business- and ,she would be able to get her .money a firm of solicitors;. She called at the solicitors’ office about three times, but was not able to get payment. She would not have accepted the cheque if she had known .another signature was required on it. Detective J. S. Ashby said he interviewed Bulman on March 25 and sijlman said he knew at the time he gave Mrs Lepper the cheque it should also have been signed by his partner. (Before Mr L. N. Ritchie, S.M.) SUICIDE ATTEMPTED

A man, whose name was ordered not to be published, pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to commit suicide.

He was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within two years if called upon.