MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 216, 5 June 1908, Page 2

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

POLICE CASES (Before Mr. W;- G. Riddell,. S.M.) A BREACH OF THE PEACE. : A middle-aged man, named James Williams pleaded guilty to.a cliargo of behaving in! /uch a manner in Vivian Street as to oc- ~ a '. t>reacli- of the peaco. Sub-Inspector--0 Donovan informed ,the Court that defend- - aut was walking along Vivian-Street with a man whom 4ie. had since stated was his ~ brother. Defendant turned round suddenly and struck the other man violently in tho face. On thp appearance of the • police the other man ran away. , v Accused stated that "it was just a bit of a squabble — a family affair." A conviction and fine of 20s M in default soven days' imprisonment, was imposed; " ALLEGED THEFT FROM A. STEAMER. William Gunn M'Kay, wharf labourer, was I charged with having, on Juno 2, stolen from a vessel in port two bottles:of brandy, valued | at 18s., tho property of the Wanganui Steam Packet Company, ■ On. the application of Chief Detective M Grath a remand was granted until -June 10, bail being allowed in tho sum of £5 and : one surety of £5. ■ • . THEFT OF CARPENTERS' TOOLS. 1 . A. middle-aged man named . Alexander Swansoii was charged with the theft.>t. Kilbirnie on May 3 of various carpenters' tools valued at £6 35., . the .property , of Ernest Townsencl aiid. others; aiso, on a separate information with .the. theft on. May 8 ; at Kilbirnie of carpenters' tools, valued' at £5 ss. 3d., the property of Daniel Richardson and another. Tho same defendant 'was fur-, tiler charged that on May 6 at Wellington'he received a trowel and a level, valued at. Bs. 9d., knowing the same to liavo been dishonestly obtained. Defendant pleaded not guilty to each of tho charges. . Chief Detective rath stated • tliat' lib would have to ask for a remand in all three cases. Defendant had informed tho police that he intended pleading guilty, and consequently nonb of tho witnesses for the prosecution wore in attendance.' \ .'Accused:- Under, the circumstances I will plead guilty, I certainly pawned the goods, but I, did not steal them.. His Worship: You must either plead guilty or not guilty. '

' Accused: Oil, I plead guilty. " . The Chief Detective stated that accusod had just completed a sentence of seven days' imprisonment for a similar offence. - iho tools had been taken, from houses in course of construction, and pawned for a few shillings by accused. The police did not ask tho Court to make an order for tho. return of tho money to the pawnbrokers in the first two cases, as they wero not satisfied that tho pawnbroker had been careful enough. Accused informed the Court that'lie'had pawned the goods,' bnt.'did not steal them.: lie was drawn into'the affair unconsciously • when muddled with drink, lie had been 26 years in the building trade, and had never stolen anything. Every assistance' had been. : given the police in trying to trace tho man ', who had given him- (accused) the tools, but the man could not be discovered. Ho i had been "up on tho hill" for seven days,, and wanted to get away to tho country. His Worship pointed out that the offences' bad been committed on different dates. Howover much ho wished to deal leniently with accused a penalty must be'- imposed as a warning' to others. .On tho 'first charge a conviction and sentence of one month's -imprisonment was imposed. A similar penalty was entered on the second charge, and on the third a conviction and sontonce of seven days' imprisonment, was imposed, to bo concurrent with the above. . ♦ MISCELLANEOUS. : Twolve offenders for, .drunkenness wero brought forward. : James Condon was convicted and fined 205., in default seven days' imprisonment. Gcorgo Stono was convicted and fined 10s., in default 48 hours' imprisou- ' ment, on a similar charge, arid Anuie John-, stone and Mary Wakoham wero each convicted and fined 55., in default 24 hours' imprisonment. ' Eight first offenders were - . dealt with, six being convicted arid fined I 55., in default 24 hours' imprisonment, and - two being convicted and discharged.

CIVIL BUSINESS. (Before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M.) UNDEFENDED CASES. Judgment by default was entered for the plaintiff in the following undefended cases: —Baldwin and Rayward v. Frederick. Chas. Griffiths, £27 los. 7d., costs .£2 145.; Laory and Co., Ltd. v. Walter Grantham, £8 18s; 9d., costs 18s. Gd; Commercial Agency, Ltd. v. Mcyrick and Lawrence, £19 10s. 9d., costs £1 10s. Gd.; A. N. Jones v. James E. Read, 17s. 6d., costs Bs.; Commercial Agency, Ltd. and E. W. Mills and Co., Ltd. v. William Thomas Croflin, £2 6s. 6d., costs 10s.; same v. Alfred J. Parker, £4 12s. 9d., costs 10s.; Wellington and Wairarapa Motor Co., Ltd. v. Antonio Dallabarca, £11 4s. 9d., costs £1 18s. Gd. REPAIRS TO A BICYCLE. . E. Reynolds and Co., Ltd., sued R. Yarrow for £1 14s. for repairs to a bicycle. After a partial hearing His Worship nonsuited plaintiff. Mr. Neilson appeared for the defence. .