MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 49, 21 November 1907, Page 5

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M.) The cases sot down for hearing at tho Magistrate's Court yesterday totalled fortynine. A 8 001 ' mnny these were decided, and the'balance v.'ero allowed to stand over for various reasons. LETTER CARRIER IN TROUBLE. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. Edward James Leydon, an employee of tho Wellington Post Office, remanded from last week, was brought forward on a charge of tlieft on October 12 of a postal packet containing a ring and brooch valued at £3. Chief Detective M'Grath prosccuted, and Mr. P. Jackson appeared for the defence. D. M. Douglas, jeweller and watchmaker, stated that in October' last ho received a stone from Miss Chatfield, a resident of Island Bay, out of which,ho was to make a ring. Ho also received a brooch at, the samo timo. Witness repaired the brooch, and made the ring, and had tho parcel posted by his son on October 11 to the owner in Island Bay. The parcel was not registered. Donald Douglas, son of the previous witness, gave evidence that ,he had' posted tho parcel addressed to Miss Chatfield at. a box near Rouse and Hurrell's works in Courtenay Place.

Robert Moffatt, letter messenger at the General Post Oliico, stated that on tho night of October 11 he cleared the letter box near llouso and Hurrell's. The mail was taken to the Post Oliico and emptied out on tho table in the mail room. To Mr. Jackson —It would be impossible for a small parcel to miss going into tho bag. Witness had never lost letters or parcels ,in conveying them from tho boxes to tho Post Oliico. John Johnson, clerk in charge of the letter carriers at the Post Office, deposed that accused was' employed' as a letter carrier in October last 011 tho " Island Bay walk." If a Houghton Bay • parcel was given to tho mail on the Island Bay walk, it should liavo been returned as a missort, and given to tho man on the Houghton Bay walk 1 . The check card from the. box opposite Rouse and Hurrell's was' handed in and showed that the box'was cleared 011 tho night in question. Cross-examined by Mr. Jackson, • witness said it was possible.for a parcel to bo dropped in tho office, but he had never had any complaints. Peter Hornratty, letter carrier, stated that he was 011 tho Houghton Bay walk 011 October 12. This walk was next to Island Bay. Ho know Mr. Chatfield's place, and called there with a letter 011 October 12. Ho received no packet'addressed to Miss Chatfield either that day or shortly after. :

Olive Chatfield gave evidence that she had given Mr. Douglas a' stone in October to make a ring. Witness also gave Douglas a brooch the same day. She had received neither article since. Daniel Wheeler, labourer, residing in Courtenay Place, deposed that in October last he rented a room in Taranaki Street. Accused rented a room in the same houso, and came to witness's room on November 12 and gave him a ring which he asked him to pawn. Accused said the ring was his own, and said it was not to bo pawned in his name. Witness got 3s. for the ring, pawning it in the name of. Mooro. When asked why he pawned tho ring accused said it was 110 use to him. Witness purchased the pawn ticket from accused for 35., and about three weeks after wont to redeem tho ring; but did not get it. On Thursday last he saw accused and told him that tho. pawnbroker had said 110 had found tho owner of tho ring and had returned it. Joseph Metz, pawnbroker, 'deposed that the previous witness Wheeler called at his shop 011 October 12 with a ring on which lie wanted a loan. Tho name of T. Moore was given, and witness took tho ring (produced) and gave tho man 3s. Detective Lewis deposed that lie recovered tho ring 011' October. 25 .from Mr. Motz's shop. On Novomber 15 he interviewed witness Wheeler, who made a statement in consequence of which Leydon was arrested the same day. Before charging Loydon witness read the statement made by Wheeler. On being shown the ring, accused said lie had never seen it before in his life. To Chief Detectivo M'Grath—Tho brooch had not been found.

Accusccl pleadod not guilty, and reserved his defence. Ho was committed to tho Supreme Court for trial. Bail was allowed in the sum of £50, and two surotics of £25 each. BY-LAW CASES. A large number of by-law eases were brought by tho Wellington City Corporation, represented by Mr. O'Shea. For allowing horses and cnttlo to wander fines wero inflicted as follow:— William Hedges, 3s. and costs 75.; Joseph Angus, Honry Antrobus, John Campbell,

Alexander Harrington. Thomas Hill, William P. Jackson, Albert Mildenhall, and John M'Aleer, 55., and costs 7s. Richard Benge, Dougal Cameron, Georgo Smith, and John J. Wilkinson. 10s., and costs 75.; Joseph Bradcock, John Feeley, James Hart, Hugh Murray, William Rice, and Alfred Wilton, 155., and costs 75.; John R. Welsby,' 205., and costs 7s.

For offences against the sanitary by-laws Benjamin Fuller was ordered to pay costs £1 Bs., and Timothy • Hayes was fined 3s. and costs 7s. Thomas Johnson was fined os. and costs 7s. for allowing a chimney on his premises in Taranaki Street to catch fire. John R. Welsby was convicted and ordered to pay costs £1 Bs. for driving an unlicensed vehicle, and was also fined 10s., and costs 75., for leaving two cabs in a public place without horses attached to them. A rehearing of the case, Karori Borough Council v. Robert Thomas Pell, a charge of having driven an express without sufficient lights after sunset on the main road, Karori, on August 9, was taken before Dr. A. M'Arthur, S.M. When the case was originally heard defendant was convicted and fined £2 and costs. After going into the facts again His AYorship inflicted the same? penalty as before—namely£2,. and costs £3 2s. 6d. Mr. Johnston appeared for the Council, and Mr. Blair for defendant.

DAIRYING PROSECUTIONS. (Before Dr. M'Arthur, S.M.) Tlio Dairy Department laid several informations against dairymen for alleged breaches of the reguations. Alexander Martin was convicted and ordered to pay costs, £1 18s. 6d., for failing to keep his milking yard drained, cleaned,, and in sanitary condition to the satisfaction of the Inspector. Charges against Alfred Scholes of failing to register a dairy and of permitting swine to remain within fifty yards of a milk-house wero dismissed, with costs £2 2s. against the defendant.

Two other charges laid against farmers were dismissed without costs, and one was withdrawn. Mr. Stout appeared for, the Department, and Mr. Wilford defonded. MISCELLANEOUS. Ellen Weston was convicted and discharged by Mr. Riddell, S.M., on a charge of having wilfully broken three panes of glass value! at 10s., the property (if Wang Sing. Defendant pleaded that she had broKen the window as she had no other means of affecting an, entrance. % An ex-employee of the New Zealand Shipping Company, named George Green, was charged' with having stowed away on tho steamer Opawa at Auckland. Defendant pleaded guilty, but stated that he did mr. know he was on board. Sub-Inspector O'Donovan stated that defendant was carried from Auckland to Wellington last week. His Worship warned defendant that lie was liable to a penalty not exceeding £50, or to one month's imprisonment with hard labour. Ho would bo convicted and fined 405., in default seven days' imprisonment. John Moflatt and Charles Mack, alias John Osborne, appeared on a charge of theft of goods value £7, the property of Henry ttlartindale, a hoarder at Barrett's Hotel. On the application of Chief-Detective M'Grath, a remand was granted until Wednesday next. Bail was allowed in sums of £50 in each case, and two sureties of £25 each. 'Moflatt- was remanded last week on an, idle and disorderly charge. On tho application cf the police, this charge was withdrawn, in view of the more serious charge preferred. For insobriety Stephen Cairns was convicted and fined 10s., in default' forty-eight hours' imprisonment. One first-offending inebriate was convicted and fined 55., in default twenty-four hours' imprisonment, and another was convicted and discharged. Mr: T. Bland, J.P., sentenced a man named Chas. Peterson to ono month's imprisonment for drunkenness yesterday at Mount Cook Police Station.