MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 213, 2 June 1908, Page 4

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

L POLICE- CASES , ■ ■ ' A SERVANT GIRL'S' LAPSE;,, , ' (Before Dr. A. M'Arthur,'S.M.)' ' A young woman," Mary Isabella Vercoe, appeared in answer to four different charges: —(1) On or about March 24, stealing a ladies'- silver watch valued at £3, thd property of Marion Maud Birch : (2) on or about March 24, stealing a malteso'lace tie valued at £2, the'property of Kato-Harris; (3) on April 8j , stealing a ladies' dress and a blouse of a total value of £5 10s:, the property of' Elizabeth Hako; and (4) on April 8, stealing two ladies' , blouses valued at £3, the property of Emily Hall. , Mr. Weston appeared for accused, who pleaded guilty "to , eaoh of the charges. Coun■sol urged that no good eould como 'of sending the girl,- wbo ; ,was .only 17 years of age, to gaol. Such a::course would practically rnean the last stop to' a downward career. ..' Chief Detective M'Grath stated that defondant had been; omployed as a waitress inj various 'restaurants; and tho. articles mentioned rin tho charges' 1 had been 1 taken froni lodgers in tho houses. ' Tho' first two offoncos wero committed at the • same timo-'and placo, and tho second two had also boon- committed togethor. Accused /left town:' immediately ] after committing the "offences, and. was arrested at Palmorston Nortli a few days ago, when liio'sf of tho .goods wore found in her possossion. She had,.worn themj and somo of thom were now of little, yalue. The girl sce'mod to steal wherever she' went, and al-! though' shq had ,a i father, living, no ono appeared to take any'interest'in her. A sentonco of ono', month's. imprisonment Tras,nn^ed u a recom'Sendation . should W made to the Governor .that; the be ooinmitted to a Borne, and; .in tho' nieantimo, bo kept apart from other' prisoners; ■ ALLEGED FRAUD. Sydney Robert Leane, alias Robert Hackett, was charged that on May 30, at Hastings, ho obtained a suit of clothes valued at £5 ss. from Wm. George Jordan, such suit being obtained on credit, by means of fraud. Accused* was remanded to appear at' Hastings on' Thursday, bail in tho sum of £10 and one surety of £10 being allowed on the application of Mr. O'Leary. A BREACH OF THE PEACE. ; A well-built man, Henry Holland, was cliargod (1) with behaving in such a manner it) Courtenay Placo as to occasion a breach of tho peace, and (2) with being doomed to be an idle and disorderly person within tho meaning of tho Polico Offences Act; 1884, : and its amendments', in that lie habitually consorted with roputcd thioves. Defendant pleaded guilty to tho first charge and : not guilty, to,.the second. ... . Dotcctivo Cassells deposed that accused had been knocking about tho town for several months' past, generally in tho company of thieves and burglars. In witness's opinion, Holland did vory littlo work, and lived mostly by "robbing drunks.". • Detectives Lewis, Broberg, and Kemp also gave ovidence as to having seon accused in the company of reputed thieves. According to Dotectivo Broberg, accused was generally seen in tho daytimo, boing too cunning to bo soon at night, at which'timo he got out of tho road. ' ■ ; 'Dofondant informed the Court that he had been trying to lead an honost life. "Tliere seems to bo no doubt about you, Holland," remarked His ' Worship. "'You will bo; convicted and fined '405., in default soven , ; days' imprisonment, on tho first charge; and convicted and; sentenced to three ' months' imprisonment with hard labour pn the jecoruL"- •

THE JESSIE BURNS AFFAIR. A seafaring man named Joseph Zimmerman, belonging to tho steamer Jessio Burns, was charged with wounding a fellow seaman namod Athol Ziuii on May 30, with intent to do grievous bodily harm. Sub-Inspector O'Donovan explainod that tho charge arose out of a row on board tho steamer' on Saturday night. Tho vessel was expected'to lenvo Wellington on Friday, and lie would ask for a remand until Thursday. Tho remand was granted. INSUFFICIENT MEANS. Clara Algar came forward in answer to a chargo that sho was deemed to bo a roguo and vagabond, within tho meaning of tho l'olico Oft'onces Act, 1881, in that sho has insuflicient lawful means of support. Accused pleaded volubly for a chance, and asked to oo allowed to go • into a Home. Subsequently sho askod for a remand, to enable her to provo that sho had been earning 15s. per day. His Worship informed accused . that sho had had tho leniency of the Court for a long time past, and remarked that all tho efforts of her friends had been of no avail. ■ Sub-Inspector O'Donovan detailed a lengthy list of previous convictions against accused. A sentence of 12 months' imprisonment was imposed. ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES. (Before Mr. W. ,G. Riddcll, S.M.) Michael M'Grath, , alias Sharkey, alias O'Connor, was charged (1) that on Slay 26, at Wellington, by means of cortain false pretences, to wit, a valueless cheque, he did obtain from Arthur Robort Vcn Loddcr tho sum of £4, with intent to defraud; (2) that, on May 25, at Wellington, ho forged tho namo of Michael M'Grath to a chcquo for £25, drawn on the National Bank of New Zealand, Wellington, and uttered the samo to Arthur Robert Vcn Lodder; and (3) that, on May 25, at Wellington, by means of certain false pretences, to wit, a valueless choquo,'he obtained from Wm. Brown tho sum of £10, with intent to defraud. Mr. Kirkcaldio appeared for accused, and asked for a further remand until Friday. Bail was allowed in the 6um of £100 and two sureties of £50 each. ; MAINTENANCE. For disobeying an ordpr of tho Court to pay 10s. per week towards the maintenance of his two children, Arthur Hardy was.-con-victed and sontencod to 14' days' imprisonment, and ordered to pay costs (215.), tho warrant to bo suspended if os, per week is paid oft' tho arrears (£l2). Wm. H. Barron was convicted and sentenced to seven days' imprisonment for disobeying an order to pay 15s. per week towards the maintenance of his wifo. A direction was given that the'-warrant should bo suspended so long as -is. a fortnight is paid off tho arrears (£37 10s.). Augustus W. Bennetts was convicted and sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment for disobedienco of an order to pay £1 10s. per month towards .tho support, of: his father. Issue of the warrant was ordered to be suspended until Juno 8. t A chargo against Richard Mitcalf. of failing to provido his wife, Jane Mitcalf, with adequate means of was dismissed. A chargo against Annio: Mitcalf of failing to support her mother, Jano Mitcalf, J'was also dismissed. Evidence showed that complainant, an old-age pensioner, was 83 ; years of age, whilst her husband was'7l. Tho husband was. being kept by his daughter (tho other defendant). MISCELLANEOUS. . For riding a bicycle without a-light,in Customhouse Quay on May 20, Eugoni Rubsol Dromgool was convicted and fined ss. arid costs (75.), in default 24 hours' imprisonment. / • Augusta Mary H. Lynch (Mr. Blair) applied for an order for summary separation land maintenance from-.Tlios. Josopli Lynch. After hearing the oviderico, his Worship dißjmissed tho application;

i . Didi-ic Wohlert, stated to be a seaman on 'tlie'.splibqrior Clyde, pleaded guilty to' a charge Jof'iridocenoy'in- Chews' Lano, and was con-' yi'ct'od and fined 205., in default'4B hours' imprisonment. ■■ ■ Arthur Nankivell appeared on'remand in answer to a charge of having, oil May 15,' at tlid Lower Hutt, committed an offence against a girl aged 14i years. On the application of tho police, a further roniand was granted 'until "Jurio 10,' on 'account of tho absence of an important 1 witness. Bail was allowed as bqforo. • 1 Frodorick Beetham wris convicted and fined £2 "and costs (£1 18s. 6d.) for failing to furnish to tho Government a return of his land and'mortgages. 'A middle-aged man named Patrick R.yan was' •' charged with indecently assaulting a woman at Wollington on May 30. On the application'of Mr. O'Leary, accused was remanded until June 10, bail being allowed in the'suni of £50 and two sureties of £50 each. Lizzie Griggs and Wm. Maher were each oonvictod and discharged on charges of insobriety. Ono first offender, who failed to appoar, was convicted and fined 10s.; in dofault 48 hours' imprisonment, and two other first offenders were convicted and discharged.