MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 223, 13 June 1908, Page 13

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

POLICE CASES. (Beforo Mr. W. G. RiddoU, S.M.) UNUSUAL ASSAULT IN A TRAMCAB. . An elderly man, Henry Thomas Liversage, was charged (1) .with (2) with unlawfully assaulting a young girl. Evidenco showed that defendant, who pleaded not guilty to, tho second charge, was riding .along Lambton.Quay in a tramcar at about 6.20 o'clock on Thursday evening in tho same compartment as complainant, a girl 10 years of age, and another little girl 13 years of age. Accused spoke to complainant and asked her what was on his ticket, as he could not read it. 'She answored him threo times, but did not know whether, he hoard her. After a while accused put his hand on complainant's neck and shook her, making her feel ill. The other .girl went and told tho guard, and accused said not to make a fuss. ' Constablo Shaw deposed that he saw complainant when she got off tho tram. Defendant on being approached admitted giving tho child a shaking. Mr. Wilford, for the defence, described defendant as being as harmless as a dove— a man who was very fond of children, and who had borne -. an excellent charactor throughout his life. Accused informed - tho Court that he had been drinking, but was not drunk. His 'Worship remarked that no doubt everything that could bo ■ said in favour of accused had been said, but children travelling in a tram car must ho protected. Defendant had borne a good character previously, and for that reason tho Court proposed to , deal more leniently with him than it would have done otherwise. A conviction, however, must bo recorded. On the first charge dofondant would be convicted and discharged, and on the second a conviction and fine of 2Gs., in default i4B hours' imprisonment, would be imposed.

THEFT FROM A CHINAMAN'S SHOP! j A young man named Henry .Herbert Andrews pleaded guilty to a charge of having, on May 30, at Wellington, committed theft of two pounds of pears valued at Is., the property of Gee Wing,._ Sub-Inspector O'Donovan informed the Court that accused wont into' Wing's fruiterer's 'shop and ordered the pears. When •they wore being weighed the Chinaman turned his back to pick- out another pear and defendant took up the bag and left tho shop without paying for the fruit. Defendant wasVone of the gang of young men known' to tho Court as tho "Kilbirnie tigers." A conviction and fine of 205., in dofault. seven days' imprisonment,was imposed. MAINTENANCE. Frederick Wm. Bonis was charged (1) with disobeying an order to pay his wifo £1 per week (arrears, £114); (2) disobeying an order to pay 7s. 6d. per week towards tho support of his child (arrears, £45 7s. 6d.). and a third charge was preferred similarly- in . regard to anothor of his children, tho arrears in this also being'- £45 7s. Gd. Defendant, who failed tp appear, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment in Auckland gaol on each charge.

1 A TEIO. OP CHARGES. A middle-aged woman, Mary Buckley, alias Joyce, was charged (1) with importuning, (2) with being aii idle and disorderly person, within the meaning of tho Police Offences Act, 1834, in that-she had insufficient lawful means of support, and (3) with wilfully damaging, a cab window, valued at £2, proporty of Benjamin Wiricot. Evidfcnca was girftn by Sergeant ptowart . that he. had known accused for. nineteen years. Fot s«a« time past she had had no fixed . place sf abode; and witness'had seen her about the streots at all hours of. the night. After witness arrested accused ho put her in a cab. On tho way down to tho station accused was kicking and biting,' and scratched witness's face."' When. witness was trying to keep accused quiet the window of the cab was broken. Constable M'Gregor also gave evidence. / His-Worship said there was not sufficient evidence to convict upon tho first charge, and the information must be dismissed. On the second charge defondant would bo convioted, and sentenced to threo months' imprisonment,* and on tho third charge a conviction and sentenco of seven days' imprison-' ment was imposed/ , , " IDLE AND DISORDERLY. Robert M'Nab was charged (l) 'with being an' idle arid disorderly • person within tho meaning of the Police' Offences Act, 1884, in that he has insufficient lawful means of support, and (2) with being an idle and disorderly person within tho meaning of the Police Offences - Act, '1884," and its amendments, in that he habitually consorts with reputed thioves. Defondant pleaded : guilty to both charges. Sub-Inspector, O'Donovan informed tho Court- that'- accused ' had a long list of previous bonvictions against .his name, and the police reported him to W ono of the worst men of this typo to bo found in the city. _Ho was recently • discharged from pris6n,' after sorvirig a sentenco, and deserved.no grace. . • A sentence of three months' imprisonment on each charge was imposed, tho torms to bo cumulative. , ■ ,

A CHARGE OF ASSAULT. Richard Duignan appeared in answer to a charge of having on March 9, at Nghauranga, unlawfully assaulted Thomas Morgan. Defendant, for whom Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared, guilty. 1 Counsel stated that defendant was employed as a carter on the Hutt Railway Works,'complainant being his superior on the works; A discussion between, the two men as to a cortain load carried by defendant ended in a fight. After a struggle complainant ran away, and' defendant throw threo- lumps of rock at the retreating man and hit him with ono of them. '• His Worship entered a conviction and fine N of 405., in default seveu>. days' imprisonment. ' . ■ REMANDS. A middle-aged maij, named Wm. Edmund Mackie, was charged that-on or about May. 7, at Wellington, ho stole from . tho person. of Samuel Juloffe a gold watch, valued at £40. On tho application of Chief Detectivo M'Grath, a remand until Juno 17 was granted. Mr. Toogood, for the defendant, applied for bail, which was granted in the sum of £100, and one suroty of -£100. Michael' M'Grath, alias Sharkey, alias O'Connor, was remanded until Monday on a charge of having, oil' May 25, at Wellington, obtained tho sum of £10 from Win. Brown, by moans of false pretences, to wit, a valueless cheque. MISCELLANEOUS. Alfred Cranea was convicted and ordered to jyiy costs. 75., for driving a vehicle in Willis Street without' a light. Wm, John Patterson was convicted and fined 20s.j in default seven days'- imprisonment, fotr. insobriety, and Charles Sullivan ■and -Andrew Dempscy were each convicted and fined 10s., in default 48 hours' imprison, mont, for a similar offence. Ono first offender who did not appear was convicted and fined 10s,, in , default 24 hours' imprisonment,: and two others u'evo convicted and fined 55., in default 24 hours' imprisonment. Lottie lAn.derson remanded from Jhurs-

day for sentence on a charge of disorderly conduct, whilst drunk, was convicted and fined 205., in default seven days' imprisonment. Ou a separate charge of insobriety, the same defendant was convicted and discharged. Minnie Hargreaves and Cbarlos Tanner were both charged with indecency in Victoria Park on Juno 10. After hearing evidence at length His Worship entered a conviction, and sentence of one month's imprisonment against Tanner. Defendant Hargreaves,who stated her willingness to go into the Salvation Army Homo, was convicted and ordered to come up for sentenco when called upon, on condition that she goes into tho Home, and romains there for three months. Patrick Ryan, a seaman, appeared on remand on a charge of, on May 30, at Wellington, indecently assaulting a certain female. After hearing evidence at length both for tho prosecution and defence, tho case was adjourned until this morning. Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared for tho defence.