MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 80, 28 December 1907, Page 8

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

, ' POLICE CASES. Of seventeen cases set down for hearing at tho Magistrates' Court yesterday morning twelve were charges of drunkenness.. _ Tho presiding Justices wore Messrs. Edwin Arnold, William Watson, and H. Sanson • William Ballantyne, charged with habitual drunkennoss, was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, and David M'Donald, a previous offender, was convicted and discharged. Ten first offenders were also convicted and discharged. James Gilmour was convicted and fined 405., in default 14 days' imprisonment, for having committed a grossly indccent act in Lambton Quay, and a similar penalty was imposed on John Wilson for a like offence in Grey Street. John James Hagerty appearod on a chargo of wilfully breaking a pano of glass,' valued at £7, the property of Gallate Brothers. Defendant admitted that he broko tho window but contended'that he fell "against it and broke it accidentally. A remand was granted until Wednesday next, bail being allowed in a sum of £20 and one surety of £20. ! , A young man named John Chalker, arrested in Wellington on Thursday night on a chargo -of having escaped from • custody at Palmorston North on December 14 while on remand on a chargo of assault and robbery,, was remanded to appear at l'almerston this morning. A plea of guilty was' entered by a young man named William Willis, charged with having stolen. a case of whisky, valued at £3, tho property of Julius A. Lutz'.-' ChictDotective M'Grath informed the Court that defendant was employed as a carter, and-had been commissioned to tako ten cases of whisky: from Turnbull's bond to tho Park Hotel. Only nine cases wcro delivered, defendant having sol<J one of thorn., at half .its cost,Vexplaining to that.the whisky had been given to him as a Christmas. box. \yhen arrested by Detective Williams accused denied' having sold tho whisky but subsequently admitted his guilt.. Mr. Cook,' who appeared- for accused, asked for lonieiicy, and pointed out that defendant's employer was prepared to tako him back into his service. The Bench was not prepared to extend leniency, and entered a conviction and fine of £5, in default six weeks' imprisonment! ' ; At the Mount Cook Police Station yesterday, beforo Mr. W. Hildreth, J.P., Tnomas Byrne was convicted and finjd 205., in default seven days'-' imprisonment on a-chargo of being drunk and disorderly. John ,'B. Hogg and Frank' Taylor wero each, .fined 10s. on a similar charge to tho above. Three first offenders' wero convicted 'and fined' 10s. each, and four were convictcd and ■ discharged. ■ ■