MAGISTRATE'S. COURT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 2631, 5 August 1908, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S. COURT.

POLICE CASES. (Before Dr. A. M'Arthur; ■S.MO.'r: ;'r SHOP LIFTING.".JA WARNING TO THE CRAFT. ' A well-dressed, heavily-veiled woman ofabout middle age, named Mqria Hogg, : w®® charged (1) witli having on July;3o. ; at Wellington stolen' a' blouse, valift-3s'. ll : d.T-tw6: pairs gloves, value os. lid"]' o'iib' 'skirt',''.value 355. 6d.; and'a'muffler, value".4srlld.,' the' property of ICirkcaldie and Stains; arid--(2): with having on August 3 at.Wellington stolena piece of blouse flannel, value Ss., the property of Kirkcaldie and .Stains.. •' Mr. Herdman, who app£ared';;for, Messi's, Kjrkcaldio and Stains, stated that defendant, joined in the general advance ma.de. by tho. women on tho firm's bargain salej and on Monday was .caught.in the' JacC'of' 'i-akirig soino goods which were subsequently fpuiVd; in her possession. When .'a detcctive visited her homo other articles. were discovered..' The' thefts, said counsel, had apparently been systematic. On a former, o&casion .about'ti, .year ago, when' a case of t 3)i_lfp.ring.'wa's' bq.-' fore tho Court, Mr. Kirkcaldie; hiiiiself;ppe r sonaily asked that a not bo imposed. That, however; had" ii'ot' been a 'sufficient warning, this 1 Sort'of tiling' being rampant and going on. day after-day. He would suggest that defendant should be punished severely, and made ail! example" of.

Mr. Wilford, who appeared'for defendant, characterised the,.case as a-said' one.'" v De-' fondant had >been in desperate straits. Her husband was ono of the bakers w.li'o "went out on strike. Defendant had" been' prac-' tically penniless, and Jiad ' probably taken those things with the idea of being able to : keep going somehow. ' There was no doubt about it that the woman li'ad' stolen 'the goods, but up to this she had- been a respectable momber of the community; Counsel contended that the fact, that-the woman- had been found out and brought before the Court : was a sufficiently severe penalty for & woman in her position. There was.no greater penalty against such a woman than-that-she should walk out of the -Court convicted, of, theft. Women would neyer forget''that;' mo.ro '.ea-' pecially tho so-cailed friends. The number of one's real friends could--be'- counted on the'finjzors of-the hands. His AYorsliip: '"On oiie hand." ' { " : " Continuing, Mr. Wilford said a fine would mean imprisonment; as defendant had-no means. The effect of the publicity of ; the' case would teach defendant a life-long lesson.. '■ . V-C:

His Worship said the circumstanced 'in this caso wore, lamentable.' : Defendant' had given way to one lapse, and' probably'the success of this one' tempted, her ■to more. If this woman was sent to gaol things would become worse and worse for her,' and no. good end could .be served. .; Defendant'would 'bp convicted, and ordered to come up for sentence when callcd 'upon. An order was made that the.' goods "should, be returned .to'the owner; . ' , ' OBSCENE LANGUAGE... ! A middle-aged man named John Desmond* was' convicted and.sentenced'to'two' .days': imprisonment on'a charge of indecency. i/Th'e' same defendant was also charged with! having used obsceno language. Sub-Inspector Pliair informed the Court i"that/lie hiinself had heard some of the languqge-'complained of, which was abominable,; and the - worst ho had over heard used imia' police station. "You will be sentenced tactlirefi."m'onths!;.im-; prisonment with hard labour," said His Worship, addressing accusod :-"lt's -no-use giving you! fellows the option- of a fine/'-

DISORDERLY CONDUCT/; A young man named Joseph ,M,'Coy,.;was convicted and fined 205.,..in • default- seven, days' imprisonment, on /dis- ; orderly conduct in Cuba Street" whilst .drunk. The same defendant was convicted",and .fined 405., in default 14 days'; ■imprisonment,.ipn. a charge. of resisting Cpiistalilp .".Maboney whilst in the execution of his .duty." , ' ,

CHARGE AGAINST A WAREHOUSEMAN. Herbert Wm. M'Kay, appeared in' answer to eleveii 'different charges of having, between Juno and July 27, stolen guns of a total valuo' ? of"£7B, the property of E. W. Mills and Co Mr. Wilford, who appea'tß!l for "defendant, asked for a remand until August 10, as accused had only been -arrested by; Detectives' Williams and Kemp the previous day. Bail was allowed in ' the sum of ~j£so and two sureties of £50.7 ' -'v \\V MISCELLANEOUS.' Lizzie O'Flynn was month's imprisonment for fendant was giveii the' ojrtion''of,-going; into thp Salvation Army prepared to go there. . One'first'offender'.was; convicted and fined 55., iii'}"default l 'twtlity: four hours' imprisonriiont, ; ,ahcL another..'Tfafc. convicted. and I,'., 1 ' , , Edwin Hands, cabdriver,'was charged that,, on or about February,- ]So6',"'in' tile State ofNew South Wales, 'he did;_'urilawfull.^,desert'' his child. Chief DetectiW. AM'Grath.\pskedfor a remand until Friday,; a AutnesVfrom, Australia was now on his"•way 'to - Wellington. Mr. Levvey, tfor the'''defcncp, ';asKed that a light .'bail, should be'iixe)l,' .as';atteiiipts had been made to settle on;sov- r eral occasions and defendant'''was'"not', a' defaulter in tho ordinary S'bnSfc"ofVthq''word: ! Bail was fixed in the' suft'*oi;'£2s"andHwo; sureties of £25 . "