Man fined total of $405 on cannabis charges

Press, 20 December 1978, Page 7

Man fined total of $405 on cannabis charges

_The courts

A man aged 20. was convicted and fined a total of 8405 when he appeared before Mr B. A. Palmer, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday on four charges relating to cannabis. He is Terence Patrick Merrick, a cabinetmaker, who pleaded guilty to a charge of cultivating cannabis. a charge of possessing a pipe for use in connection with the smoking of cannabis, a charge of possessing cannabis leaf, and one of possessing cannabis seeds.

Sergeant R. Prouting said! that a search was made of the defendant's address at 7.20 a.m. yesterday. Twelve cannabis plants were found behind a shed and three others were found on various parts of the property. Ten of the plants were about 12in high, and five were about Bin high. The defendant admitted growing the plants but said they were for his own use. Sergeant Prouting said

■I that two “reefers’’ were fl found in the defendant’s; -ihouse, as well as a glass; ,'pipe and a container with: ti36B cannabis seeds in it. ’ BURGLARY CHARGE t j Two men charged with j breaking and entering the JI North New Brighton Post .: Office on December 18 were , remanded in custody. J Robert Reece Kohu, aged J 33. unemployed, was rejimanded to today on the burf'glary charge. David Huia Ranganui, j Imaged 39, a sickness benIjeficiary, was additionally ; charged with wilfully dam- ; aging a pane of glass, val-

i ued at $5O the property of si Arthur John Boucher, and' J with stealing 82 worth of i:petrol. The alleged offences, iwere committed on Decern-i iber 16. , STOLE NEWSPAPER ■ Helen Amanda Maxwell,! : aged 24. a pantry worker,; > was convicted and fined ss| for stealing a copy of “The: [ Press,” from an honesty box.; ■ No pleas were entered by! ■ either defendant and bail! [was opposed for each by! ~Sergeant C. J. Shannahan. I Maxwell, who pleaded: \guilty, was seen to take the! ■ | newspaper from an honesty I -'box at the corner of Armagh!

and Colombo Streets, said Sergeant Shannahan. In explanation, the defendant told the police that she had run out of money and : would not be paid until next I week. Counsel (Mr E. Bedo) said I his client was ashamed of I what she had done and ,regretted her action. Maxwell did not know ! why she had stolen the newspaper as there was i nothing in it she especially ! wanted to read. i The Magistrate said that I honesty boxes would not I work unless honesty was scrupulously observed by [the public.'