MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 397, 5 January 1909, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

CASES. <Before Messrs. W.' M'Lean, P. M'Ardlo, and P. Mackenzie, J.P.'s.* ' k \ PURGING THE CITY. , GENERAL. : RAID ■ ON VAGRANTS.The übiquitous vagrant is being given very little peace by the police just now, but is being harried from pillar to post in a aairhor that should, if it is persisted in, soon rid the city of a most undesirable claß9 •f individual.. At practically every sitting <if the Court recently charges of vagrancv have been-dealt with, and otheis will probably appear on the "idle and disorderly charge withm the next few days. 'A man named Jas. Troy, alias Nathan, a little past middle age, pleaded 'guilty yesterday to a, charge of being a rogue and-, vagabond within the meaning' of tho Police Offences Act, 1908, in that ho was found by night without lawful excuso in an enclosed yard iri Thorndon; Quay," the property of "tho" Wellington City Council. •Mr. Meredith * appeared for accused and made an appGal for; leniendy on behalf of his client. ;Cbief Defective M'Grath informed the Bench that accused had been found sleeping in a tramway waiting shed at Thornuon. He had 23 previous, conviotions against his name, and was, in tho opinion of tho Chief Detective, "a waster," who would not do any work. Accused "was tho Bi?>th man of his:, class who had been brought in'during ,the past fex days. The procedure of this class of person was to ask people for a match and then for a shilling. ■ This alarmed people going home late at flight, and it was desirable to rid; the city of this class ■ of tmdesirable." Accused's previous sentences included four yWrs for robbery, two years for- 1 housebreaking, and sentences' ranging from 7 days "to 3 months for. vagrancy, being illegally on premises, obscone language, and insobriety.. » A sentence of three months' imprisonment pas imposed. ) James .M'Kevor, on elderly person of unkempt appearance, ploaded guilty to - a charge of being an .Incorrigible rogue within the meaning of the Police Offences Act. 1908, in 'that ho has insufficient lawful means of'support and that ho hadibeen once previously convicted as a rogue and vagabond. - Chief Detective M'Grath stated that accused was found sleeping in an enclosed yar\i at Thorndon. He belonged to a class of'man not wanted in the city, and was what was termed ''a waster." He had 16 previous against him. ,A sentience of three mouths' imprisonment' jvas imposed by the Bench. '-' -"' OBSCENE LANGUAGE. A labourer named Wm. Spindle, a young man, pleaded guilty to a charge of having used obscene language in Manners Street. Defendant' urged that ho was ..under the influence of drink at the time he used tho language, and did not remember anything ftbout it,, ' ' ' The f Bench remarked that ' obscene language' was too common, and must be put down/but, the Court would be aB lenient as possible on this occasion. r Accused would be convicted and fined 405., in default one month's imprisonment. John -1 Farrell- pleaded not guilty to a charge of having used obscene language. Evidence of the arresting constable snowed that Farrell had been in company with Spindle, and had had an ""argument with him, during which the language complained of,was used. A conviction and fine of 40s. in' default one month's imprisonment was entered in' spite of accused's declaration of ins innocence of the charge. A BROKEN WINDOW,;; isi itA ' . Hugh Mullins was charged (1) .with insobriety and (2) with having wilfully'broken a" pane of glass,, value los., the property of Michael Conway.' 'The police statedthnt accused went;into'Conways boardinghouse and refusedfto.'loave. J-He *was'-put l o'ut?at length;" and then deliberately threw a'bottle through the window: 'Accused, who'said he had been •viorking'in Blenheim, pleaded'for a chance to go' back. - •- * • - The Bench remarked that it could not treat the offences' lightly.' Accusnd had a long list , of convictions, and had given "the polico a good deal of trouble. On tho first charge he w.ould bo sentenced to ono month's imprisonment;, and on the second would be convicted and discharged on condition that he made .good tho damage to the window. DOWN ON-HIS LUCK. - A. married man named Wm. Yarlctt ploaded fiiilty to>a charge of stealing a quantity of' a'rness, valued at £3, the property of Walter Kollow. Mr. Meredith, who appeared for accused, stated that the man had been out of employment for some time past," and feeling the pmch of hard times, r took the harness, which was old gear, thinking it belonged to no> one. He was now in employment, and lis emplover N was piepared to keep him on and give him a chance. There was nothing known against acoused previously. Accused was remanded until this morning' for sentence. Bail «as allowed in tho sum of £5 and one surety of £5. , REMANDS,' James Aloxander M'Culloch appeared on a charge that on or,about November 20, at Rotorua, having received tho sum of £3 on terms requiring him to account for the same io one Frcdk. Hayes, he did fraudulently omit tJ account for the same. On tho application of Chief Detective M'Grath, accused was remanded to appear at Rotorua on January 8, "'A further remand to January 6xwas" granted in the case of Norman Frazcr, alias Brazier, charged with having on January 1 committed theft of two bottles of beer, valued at 25., the property of Wm. Connell. Chief Detective M'Grath stated that a more serious charge, one of assault and robbery, would be preferred against accused. ' A young man named John Keogh was rejnanoed to appear at Ekotahuna.on January 11', on a charge of having on December 8 committed of a horse, saddle, and bridle, the property of George M'L'ennan, of Eketahu'na. ~ < t 'A middlo-agod woman named ,Ada Lester, alias O'Hagan, appeared in tho dock ana emiled an expansivo smile on tho Court when she was-charged with having done wilful damage to ten glasses, valued at 3s. 4d., the property of Geo. Gnlhot. On the application ef Station-Sergeant Darby- a remand for a week was granted. A young man named Frederick Arnold was remanded to January 8 on a charge ot having on January 2, at Newtown Park, .criminally assaulted a girl under the age of 12 years. It was stated by _ the polico that the little grrl was playing with another girl and a boy, but the police, had not yet' been able to locate the children, as they ran away before the police could interrogate them, , OTHER CASES. James >Williamson, charged with insobriety, Was 6onvicted and discharged. Thice first offenders who failed to appear were fined 10s., and two other first offenders weie convicted and discharged.