MAGISTRATE’S COURT Rodent Droppings In Batter Round Fried Fish

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31837, 15 November 1968, Page 7

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Rodent Droppings In Batter Round Fried Fish

Fish and chips bought from a city shop had almost all been eaten before a rodent dropping was noticed inside the batter on the remaining piece of fish, Mr W. F. Brown, S.M., was told in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. A complaint was made to the Health Department and a charge of selling food containing offensive matter was later laid against Ronald Basil Leen, the manager of the Fish Bar, 143 b Colombo Street.

He pleaded guilty to the charge.

Appearing for the Health Department, Mr R. B. Leele said that the complaint was made shortly after noon on August 21 and an inspection of the defendant’s shop was made the same day. It was found to be in very poor condition, and rodent droppings were found on shelves near where chips and pieces of fish were stored. During the inspection the defendant was asked how often the shelves were cleaned and replied about once a week. However, the Health Department inspector (Mr R. S. Parr) expressed doubt as to the efficiency of the cleaning methods used, said Mr Leete.

At the time the defendant showed surprise that one of his products should contain droppings, but admitted that he had had trouble with rats and had laid poison bait around the shop. The defendant told the court that he had since closed the shop after running it for five years and was looking for other work.

“I could not go on after this,” he said.

Fining the defendant $2O and ordering him to pay solicitors fees of $6.30 and court costs $5. the Magistrate said the Court took a serious view of this type of offence

and the penalty might have been greater except that the defendant was no longer in business.

He said it was disgusting that rodent droppings should be found in food. FIVE CHARGES

Appearing, on five charges of failing to account to the Inland Revenue Department for P.A.Y.E. deductions from his employees’ wages, Richard John Connell, a manufacturer, pleaded guilty and was fined a total of $2B. The court was told that the amounts concerned totalled $298 over a period of several months late last year and early this year. The defendant had paid some of the amount in instalments and the remainder had recently been paid, including an overdue penalty. The Magistrate told the defendant that although there had perhaps been some muddle in the running of his business there was no excuse for not paying the deductions to the department over such a long period. MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES In miscellaneous charges brought by Government departments and local bodies, convictions were entered and fines imposed as follows, with costs $5 on all charges. Failed to furnish income tax return: lan McLeod Hamilton, $6; Kenneth John Blair, $6: Harewood Holdings, Ltd, $4: George Byron Harris, $6; Ronald Robert George Lee. $6: Eugene Walter Renner. $10; Peter Ward, $10; J. lan Wilkinson, Ltd, $4. Failed to furnish a reconciliation statement. Attic Investments, Ltd, $5: John Ernest Matthews. $5. Failed to clear noxious weeds: William Walter Mathams. $4. (Before Mr P. L. Molineaux, S.M.) PEEPING TOM John Tamatea Thompson, aged 36. a workman, charged with being found without lawful excuse peering into a window of a house in Gloucester Street on November 1, was convicted and remanded in custody to November 21 for sentence. He pleaded guilty. At 12.15 a m. a night security officer saw Thompson enter a property at 237 Gloucester Street and peer into a window, said Sergeant J. D. Shields. He then took off his shoes, went to the front door and knocked on it. then ran back to the window and looked in. He repeated this once. He told the police he had gone on to the property to relieve himself. He had seen nothing in the room. The Magistrate said Thompson had been placed on probation and fined $lOO in October on two similar charges. He had been convicted of three similar charges in 1966 as well as three charges of assaulting females and other vagrancy charges. OBSCENE LANGUAGE When being questioned about a motor accident the defendant used obscene language and said “the law stinks,” said Sergeant Shields when Kevin William Cples, aged 20. an assistant engineer, pleaded guilty to a charge of using obscene language in Beach Road on November 14. He was convicted and fined $25. Coles was being questioned at 1.10 a.m. after an accident, said Sergeant Shields. He used the language complained of in the presence of two traffic officers, two female passengers in his car. and a breakdown truck driver. STOLE $l9 Brenda Anne Ellmers, aged 18, a factory hand (Mr D. E. Ames), charged with theft of $l9 from Susan Harris, was convicted and placed on probation for one year. She pleaded guilty. Suppression of name was refused. The defendant admitted stealing money from Miss Harris, her flat mate, on three separate occasions, said Sergeant Shields. INDECENT. ASSAULT Patrick George Harris, aged 44, a decorator, was remanded in custody to November 21 for sentence on a charge of indecent assault on a girl, aged eight. He pleaded guilty. REMANDED On a charge of unlawfully taking a Vauxhall Ventora car worth $3480 belonging to Carthy Motors, Ltd, on November 9. David John Smart, aged 19. a painter, was remanded on bail to November 21 at the request of his counsel, Mr D. H. Stringer. No plea was taken.

REMANDED Harry Martin, aged 43, an unemployed driver, was remanded on bail to November 21 on charges of burglary of the Woolston Workingmen's Club, and that with intent to facilitate the crime of burglary he rendered John Forsyth Allison incapable of resistance by violent means. Mr D. M. Palmer appeared for the accused. Bail was set at $3OO with one surety of $3OO and Martin was ordered to report to the police twice daily. The application for bail was opposed by the police. MISCELLANEOUS CASES In liquor and traffic charges brought by the police, convictions were entered and fines imposed as follows, with costs $5 in each case: Careless use: Charles Larrv Saunders. $2O: Michael John Hall, $2O and licence cancelled for one month: Morris Church. $l5; Stewart Neil Durrv, $l5 (failed to stop, $25 and disqualified for three months); David George Williams, $l5 and licence cancelled for three months. Failed to stop at stop sign: Esme Mary Scrimshaw, $lO. Failed to give way to the rierht: Hugh William McDermott. $l5 and licence cancelled for three months: Malcolm Stanton, $l5 and licence cancelled for three months.

No warrant of fitness: David Charles Newton, $4.

Overtook on no-passing lines: Nepia Charles Osborne. 525 and licence cancelled for three months.

Had liquor in vicinity of dance: Noel William Robinson, $10: John Raymond Willetts, $lO. Minor in bar: Wayne David Smith, $6 (gave faLse age to police, $10). Barman supplied liquor to a

t minor: John David Martin, $l4. Manager supplied liquor to a minor: Martin Leo Coffey, $7. Minor found in bar gave false information to police: Stewart William Hulme, $lO. (Before Mr H. J. Evans, S.M.) PROBATION AND FINE lan Richard Johnstone, aged 19, a gardener, was fined $75 and was admitted to probation for two years when he appeared for sentence on a charge of harbouring a girl who had escaped from a Child Welfare Re ceiving Home. Johnstone was ordered to live and work where directed, not to associate with persons not approved by the probation officer, and to take psychiatric treatment. Mr K. N. Hampton, for the accused, said Johnstone was a lonely young man who had been living in Christchurch for about six months when the offence was committed. He had first been introduced to the girl in a coffee bar and later she ar rived at his flat and stayed there. When he saw the police com Ing he had locked the girl in a wardrobe and the key broke. While the police were searching the flat he became so agitated that he fainted. He had to break the wardrobe door to get the girl out. Johnstone had asked a neighbour to telephone the Child Welfare authorities and the police. The girl ran off and he went after her on a bicycle. He persuaded Her to get on the bar of the bicycle and when she learned what he had done she put her foot in the wheel of the cycle, catapulting them both off, said Mr Hampton.

The Magistrate said that unless Johnstone faced up to his problem he could expect nothing but trouble. It was his be lief that Johnstone could make good. THEFT ADMITTED

Paul Edward Tranter, aged, 17, unemployed, was remanded in custory to November 19 for sentence on a charge of theft of tools valued at $9O. the property of J. L. Foley. He pleaded guilty. Tranter was to have been sentenced on a series of burglary and other charges, when he admitted an additional charge of theft. Sergeant J. D. Farrow said the tools and tool box were taken from the boot of Mr Foley’s car while it was parked on Bridle Path Road. Tranter was apprehended by a security officer in Cuthberts Road in the early hours of the morning and some of the topis were found in his possession! Tranter told the police that he had only kept the tools which he thought would not be identifiable and thrown the box and other tools into the Heathcote River. These had not been recovered and re stitution of $65 was requested. FINED $lOO Terence Andrew’ Harper, aged 22. a tussock grubber, was fined $lOO and was ordered to make restitution of $68.50 when he appeared for sentence on a charge of unlawfully taking a car valued at $llOO, the property of E. P. Dickson. Harper’s driver’s licence was also cancelled for a year. Mr R. F. B. Perry, for the accused. said Harper had a iong list of convictions but there had been positive signs of improvement in his conduct. Harper had been on a drinking spree before committing the offence. Drink was a problem with him and he wanted to take out a prohibition order. He had been in custody for 14 days. FINED $3O

A fine of $3O was imposed on Joyce Louisa Denton (Mr M. J. Glue), on a charge of exceeding 30 m.p.h. on Main Road, Redcllffs, on August 29. She had pleaded not guilty to an original charge of driving at a speed that might have been dangerous. FAILED TO STOP On a charge of failing to stop for a school patrol on September 3, Clifford Cox. (Mr M. J. Glue), was convicted and fined $l5. The defendant pleaded not guilty. (Before Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, S.M.) CHARGES DISMISSED Charges against Russell Paul Richardson, aged 21, a fisherman, of stealing two crayfish valued at $1.20, the property of John David Roberts, and of stealing one crayfish valued at 63c, the property of William Henry Arthur Roberts, on September 28 at Little Akaloa were dismissed. Richardson, who pleaded not guilty to both charges, was represented by Mr L. G. Holder. There was a great deal of suspicion but the charges had not been proved beyond reasonable doubt, the Magistrate said.