MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 312, 26 September 1908, Page 11

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

POLICE CASES, (Before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M.) OBSCENE LANGUAGE. James llobcrtson and. Richard James Tay-: lor were charged'with having used obsceno language. They both pleaded guilty, and were convicted and lined £4 each, in default 14 days' imprisonment, with costs ss. against Taylor. THEFT FROM A DWELLING. James Ben Vallance was charged on re? mand-that on September 12 ho stole a waterproof oilskin, the property of Mrs. Whittaker, clothier, and on September 15 • stole a dressing-caso from the Dominion boardmghouse, Manners. Street. 1 ' • Chief-Detective M'Grath stated' that accused took the oilskin on the date mentioned, and sold it for 3s. to a secondhand dealer. The dressing-case was taken on September 15 and sold to Mr. Costello, another secondhand dealer, for 2s. 6d. Accused had admitted the offences, and the prosecution would be satisfied if a prohibition order were issued against him, as it was believed that he suffered from the cffects of drink. Mr. Dix asked that leniency be extended to accused, who was a dipsomaniac and not responsible for his actions when affected by drink. The.testimony of two doctors went to prove that accused was also suffering from alcoholic poisoning. . . ; Accused pleaded . guilty to both charges, and was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon,; on condition that ss. 6d., the amount obtained from tho secondhand dealers, was refunded.' " IDLE AND DISORDERLY. : Henry Dyer appeared to answer a charge of: being an idle and disorderly person within the meaning of tho Police Offences Act, and with habitually consorting with ■ reputed thieves. Accused stated in mitigation of tho offence that his habits were .the result of. his:craving for drink." 'He was convicted and sentenced to three- months' imprison-' ment. A FOOLISH OFFENCE:. : Bertio Middleton was charged with -transferring a ticket, issued to him' on the Government railways for use .between Wellington and Lower Hutt, to 15. Alexander. At thci same time E.- Alexander, was charged with attempting to defraud the.Government railways by travelling with, a ticket issued to the defendant Middleton.— The facts of tho ease, -as stated by SubInspector Phair, were that on September 9 Alexander was, travelling from Lower Hutt to Wellington, and had 'some- difficulty in producing his ticket, .but eventually' handed it to the ticket clerk, Tho latter' became suspicious, and found on . investigation that the ticket shown by; Alexander had been issued to'Middleton.' Mr. Ayson appeared for the defendants, who were both young men] He stated that Alexander had a monthly ticket, but oii tho morning in question had left it at home. To save the' trouble of paying the fare and getting a refund from the Department, he showed Middleton's ticket as his own, ' Both defendants pFeaded guilty, and were convicted and lined 10s. each and Conrt costs Us., in default <18 hours' imprisonment, his Worship characterising their action as a very foolish one. - ' UNSTAMPED WEIGHTS. ■' A number of persons were brought forward an charges of having, unstamped weights in their possession. " '

James Robinson, who pleaded guilty to possessing sis unstamped weights, was convicted and' fined 10s.' and costs 75., in default .48 hours' -imprisonment;'" Two days were allowed in which to pay the fine. ■Pritchard and .Mitchell pleaded guilty. to possessing a ,loz. unstamped weight; but stated that, they had obtained it in a hurry and had neglected to havo it, stamped. The weight could 'have been- purchased ready stamped at one place in the city, but fclio boy. who had been sent for it had-gone to tho shop that was nearest. Defendants were convicted and ordered to pay Court costs 7s. ' :Wong She on a similar charge made no Constablo' Green gave evidenco as_ to finding the unstamped weights in defendant's sliop, and a conviction and fine of 10s. and costs 7s. were iniposed, with the alternative of 48 hours' 'imprisonment; ". ALLEGED CRUELTY TO A DOG. ' John Robinson, farmer, of Makara, was charged with cruelly / ill-treating a dog hy allowing it to wander ■ about with a broken leg. instead of either bandaging tho limb or putting tho animal out of its misery. Sub-Inspector Phair ' conducted the cast, for tho prosecution, and. called evidence to substantiate tho facts of .the charge. Mr. H. F. O'Lcary defended, an J, after calling evidence to show that the dog wa* not kept in pain for an unnecessary time, cited cases and authorities in support of legaj points which ; he raised. His Worship reserved his decision.- ,- ■'-- ALLEGED ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. : Joseph Daly was charged with attempting at; Masterton, on September 13, to commit suicide. A further information charged accused with being a roguo and vagabond in that he obtained money by i'also pretences •from Dr. J. A. Cowie, of Masterton. '; Accused pleaded not guilty, and was remanded to appear at Masterton on September 29, bail being fixed in £3U and two sureties ■of £25 each. / RECEIVING STOLEN GOODS. Two charges were preferred against James Rowland, one of absenting himself without permission from the ship Avon', and a second of receiving goods to the, value of £5, know, ing them to have been dishonestly obtained. ■.The charge of deserting -from the ship was withdrawn. Mr. P. W. Jackson, who appeared for accused on tho second-charge stated that .goods -wero obtained from members of the crow of tho ship from which accused absented himself. Accused did not know that 'the goods wero actually stolen, but he admitted -that he did not make any searching inquiries as to the source from which they; came. Counsel further stated that it was through' accused'that the goods ;were found. . His Worship convicted and-fined accused 405., in default seven--days' imprisonment, twenty-four hours being allowed in which to ;pay tho fine. CHARGE OF ASSAULT. , Alexander James was charged with assaulting Robert Corkill, bailiff, while in the. execution of his duty: ;: Plaintiff, who was represented by Mr. F.' Smith, stated that ho went to the defendant's houso in Pirie Street as bailiff for Mr. Twist, in order to execute'a distress Warrant for'rent due. When shown tho warrant defendant became very abusive, and eventually threw plaintiff out of the house. Defendant, in giving evidence, stated that he did not think rent was duo to Mr. Twist, but thought a Mr. Jackscon • was the landlord. Ho denied throwing plaintiff out of the house, alleging that he merely shut tho door in his face after 1 asking him quietly to leave. Mr. Hindmarsh, for defendant, contended that Mr. Twist was not the real owner of the houso, and could not have a distress warrant issued for rent. His Worship, in giving judgment, said there was no doubt about the assault, though the position of Mr. Twist as owner, of the houso was not quite so clear. Defendant would bo convicted and ordered to pay costs 7s. DRUNKENNESS. Two first offenders for drunkenness were convicted and fined 55., in default twenty, four hours' imprisonment.