MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 752, 26 February 1910, Page 15

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

DO TRAM OFFICIALS.DO THEIR '■■'.'' ;. y duty?: '■-"':■■■ -: ESEBEIENCE. OF;/A : PASSENGER: :■ V ; '(Before Mr..:W. G.-Riddoll,-Sit.) -:■ Interference with!' the. trolley-pole of a city v tram-car was the'. I>asis. : p'£..a" ch'n'rge laid hgairistr William Rigdon teppcr, who v;as'-defended :'by.;Mr.: A. Blair. .; V Mr. J: Q'SheaV'city 'solicitor;' that.on: January 28 accused was, a':passenger. o'i;an'-'lsli»na.Biw' , towards the , 'doveriymsat station. The car piillcd'up'at Charlotte Street—a compulsory 'four or; five 'ladies alighted.: It had just commenced to move along past the Hotel ,1 Cecil, when accused came 'down the wanting to get off. ''Hβ;'rang the bell, but, as the car did not stop, he leaned' out at the. back of/.thef.'c'ar'' , and . piilled the trolleypole.' dff.the .overhead wire,' thereby dutting'oS the'powcf,.arid bringing the.'car I to a-sta'hdstill;',- This'meant .that thereon-; l.trol'.of !the cav. was , diminished .to a eerious; extent, and, continued Jliv.Q'Shea,' the motqrmaii.'was deprived of. tho use of -the magnetic''brake. Moreover, ho was' unabloto reverse thq power/which means were; usually -adopted to: pull. up a car ', that.-'was':-travelling at; ar rate less than four miles :an ; hour. :Tho;motorman,: in this, instance, .was- left -the. use -of .the I hand bralce only, 'and as .tho. car was proceeding' at'the. Tato. of .'tea miles-an'; hour wheu'i. the"' pole , was;'. displaced -thero was ■ some I'dnngor. There ■ was , :also 'a. serious irisk. of some.damage,being done4o tho pole, .which .sprang.' up. among the;.over-, head gear-as the cur ,wcnfc.on % •:.-■'"V.- . The boiiduotor.'iThomas Honry-Calling-ham;'. stated in-evidence that a reasonably lons,stop was' made—about a. minute; and a ■ half—and,- there was, ample time.: for passengers'to alight. ..Four O r five ..ladies left the car,-and he looked' about to' see. that'■:no'othe'r. passengers-wished to.get off -before' he .signalled to,'tho : motorman to' no : 6n."U-'--;'-:v : ■■'[■'"' .'':.•■-• .'•''■•■ '■■■.•■:•' :--'- { --' ; ■ :. : Bvidenc6 was also given''by the motorman, Eobert' Dquglas,; and "by 'Ralph Diehlj'iwho -was then a : tramway clerk;' but noiv of. Jlessrs. C.'aiid.A.'Odlin , .': I '-;-'

:.Mr. Blair urged that. a' car must; stop sufficiently ..long to .aljow,:any.i'number. 01, passengers 1 to alight in .safety. , The, cused;.ivas in,a. hurry, ohf.that day.' ;He" had ' a "workman' engaged.'.at ; Hill -, Street •on,.a. somewhat dangerous undertaking; he'had -gone ■'■ away 'to get mor.e Suitable tools, 1 and'-was returning'in'all'haste;.As,the car", left .the', police • station:; stop 1 he-' ousod 'left his seat and ~wont down the stairs;,,. Some ladies;came,out:as.,thp.car stopped''" at}'".Charlotte!-. '.Street,, , .-. and ; . he stood'on the; platform;'.to' lofthem : pass.' The'comluctb'rTranff'the ;bell; almost beforo tho ,last'.'lady Vlind "the.'ground, and -~ accu'se.d remonstrated' .'with;-, him : 'anu ■ palled, tbeV.boU..' The' motorman;.looked -round,"ttnil'.'tho 'oonductof waTcU' tovhim to;'go on. .'.Accused;:was in';a dilemniaj .he, had : either to .jump 'off, i or;, stop I the >.car ;-l)y'j,pulling!down thev.trolley;.pole,' .and ho ■w6uld:haye broken "tho, by-laws either wayv' , :'.'.'.'■.:'.' •■■.■!'• : ;'!•■■■■";'■;' V: ■';.!;'"."',:'- '

; stated:that' the/c'ar" moyed-for-' ward ; while the- last' lady'-Svas /still "in the '.air"—sho'had' ..'hardly.;, left..the.' stop. Ho remohstratEjil.i'with.' the conductor, before,: his: hand off the bell-ropq,'.;but;theconductor replied; ",Oh, I.:haven't-got, time.": ;'■ ...; v; ... , ■;. .The evidence. ; of accused '.was, supported by., the'..statement., of; another passenger, .Joan. J Heuderspii..- '■■■;. master plumber. .'..V ; i;: ; .•■"■'.' .■■.■■.■'■.■■■.■■ '.■\"' : .;*v',,;" , ■ ';. ; The : magistrate: remarked., on the . danger.,likelyl .to "be iiicurred if-passengers .were allowed -to ,interfere•:in. 'any'-,way : with ? -tho : working- of ''the. carsr'.The'byt;lajr said, that ho person ..must: interfere twith^any..'.electrical■(ippliahee-o'ir th' 6 cars. J Apparently/ there, hatf been an ; error of /judgment',:on the'parfLofV.bbth thp.con"(luptor, and the accused, and-the 'latter "'would... be ■ orderod '< merely.' to pay court (C05t5,,(135.).. .". - : ;-:■■■..';■;!:;:;;; -.i/'s.':-. v'

s; v|?EkDiNG 'of Appeal;/^ :. .Charged with -having used .his promises ' at: 4B Haining.'Street as! a 'corhinon gani-' anE-bouse,VWong. tee :appeared'-on remand'.'- ~( Mr.^Jackson,,for-.the 'accused,, pointed' •out that;..an 'appeal-, .taken' in' :another;,case; .was'desirable'that ■the.present; case' should-not bo proceeded •,with.until the appeal, , was'decided. , 'i .; ■ Ine i magistrate;, ordered'-: a .further • re-,'.fa^.4..:;^-IV-4^l,':.V:;a?d';:llpj?..-'aiioyea

An elderly "man, who v had , 'dycr five .pounds- in'- HisVpossession ',when■ arrested ■ was fined,ss.. (or 24 hour's) for'drunken-