MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2016, 25 March 1914, Page 5

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

TAXI-CAB FARE; DRIVER & FARE DISACREE. A case of some interest to flie general public was heard before Mr. D. G. A. Cooper at tho Magistrate's Court yesterday morning. The caso was one in which Frederick Georgo. Butler, taxidriver, of Wellington, propeeded against Robert Burns Grange, consulting engineer, for the sum of 10s., hire of a motor-car. Mr. E: J. Fitzgibbon appeared for defendant. Plaintiff, con? ducted his own case. Mr. Fitzgibbon stated that some time ago defendant hired plaintiff's taxicab from the stand at Featherston Street. It was* agreed that plaintiff was to take defendant down to Thorndon station.to meet the Napier express, aiffl then to take him and his daughter to Rawhiti Terrace. The arrangement had been carried put, .but, on arrival at defendant's residence in Rawhiti Terrace, a faro of 7s. 6d. had been demanded. Defendant had arranged for a fare of 4s. only, and' consequently refused to pay. more. -; Misunderstood, Frederick Butler, plaintiff in thoxase, then gave evidence. He stated that defendant, Grange, had come to the stand and asked what it would cost to take himself and his sister from Thorndon station to "Raeti," The Terrace. Witnessunderstood that Wellington Terracoi was to.be the destination, and accordingly replied that tho fare, would; be 4s. When they had certain ,part of tho distance on the journey to the hqusa' the car had been stopped, but witness was told to proceed again. On reaching Rawhiti (Terrace, witness had told Grange that 4s. was not enough. Witness proceeded to state that, on inquiry from i tho • City. Council, the ■ fare, was worked'out at 11s. 3d. He was nearly 40 minutes on. tho job. To Mr. Fitzgibbon: From the stand' to the station at Is. par mile- was 2s;', and from, thence, to Rawhiti' Terrace at.-,6s'. ••-."- "■■■.■■■': •""

Mr. Fitzgibbon: What is tho distance from tho Featherston Street stand to tho' Thorndo'ii'station? Is it not a little over' a miloP

Wituess: ;It is considerably over a mils!'-' ?I, would jnot liko to have to walk 5p _miles likeXit;,-,, You would be coriBiderably,.tired at\tho end of the journey.

'V/At'^ffie.i.'coiicltisiqii^i-'pf : 'his;', evidencs [Biitle'r .'iiiq^iifedvffroiiv ,: the' Bench, if ho ■ eould;put"MrV''l''it2;gibb6u iii- tjip box. / v His • Worship: !1 'cannot, 1 compel: him. "Wliy : do -you 'waiit''him."to/ go into the box? ' ■ • ;\\;:;-' ■-i ■' ' Plaintiff: He has been saying things to mo in the box, aud it is only fair I should say things back to him. His Worship: 1 see. You want to get one back on him ? Plaintiff:' Yes, as long as I ain in the box. he can say things personal to Mr. Fitzgibbqni (laughing): I am sure. I haVo said nothing personal to Mr. Butler. I know Mr. Butler well, and can give him a vory good charactera. Plaintiff 'remarked that he could also givo Mr. , Fitzgibbon a good character. Further evidence, was heard, including that-of Louis.: Smith Drake, motor inspector to tho City 'Council. The inspector stated .that the distance from the Fcatherstpn .Street stand to the gates of Thorndon ■• Station was one mile. ... Tho Bench gave judgment for defendant. There was sufficient evidence to show, said the Magistrate, that there had been:- a contract for a faro of 4s.', ahd..it had.'been perfectly proved that there.'had;bcen-a misunderstanding. '■->; ■■:■'. \ The case •of ,■ theft against William Brown,.alias Anderson and Mary Brown, -alias.;jM.ar;"Jane>Barry,.'had.to bo adjourned for a quarter of.' ah hour, peiidjng rthe ,former's., 'arrival;' from gaol. Brown's-.;bow to.tho'publiQon this occar s'iou •was', a brief oik, ■. and, after, a .period ,of :'s'ome>tw'enty •■ minutes,- ho' went back to -gaol; this-tinib accompanied , by his .associate,, Maty. Brown:..■''.. ':'■'' I' .'The charge, against'theni .was theft of a,'sily'ef-watch;, valued at £3".105., from Thomas Power. ■ The pair, had taken a room in a lodgiugnotise, land, .when a convenient opportunity" had presented itself, they had appropriated. , 'the watch from a fellow lodger's, room. They had then hied . away to. :a second-hand dealer's emporium, and realised on the stolen timepiece.. .. .. The male member of-the duo asked for permission to address the Court. He informed the Magistrate that he had not appeared m Court' on a theft charge for eighteen months. "To show you," continued accused irrelevantly, "I wont back to the boardin'ghouso tho next evening, and tried: to get into the house, but the proprietor tried to push me out, and I was arrested -' for assault. That will tell you." ■

The sentences imposed by the Court were three months' imprisonment' in each case. "' '. ■• ■ ■■ ; . , OLD MAN IN'TItOUBLE. - '.;..An'old man.of 68.years', named William Hickcy, hobbled 'into tho dock to answer a charge of having committed an offence on a girl of six years! In asking for a remand till to-day, ChiefDetectivo Broberg- stated that accused was an inmate of tho Oliiro Homo. INSOBRIETY. ' Fov insobriety Henry' Greenfield and John Wm. Lucas were each fined £1, in default three days' imprisonment. A prohibition order was .ordered."to be issued against the latter-for a period of 12 months. . Six first offenders were similarly .'charged., Two failed to appear,; and ■were."fined ,£1 and 10s. respectively! Another was fined ss. and two were.convicted and discharged.

CIVIL BUSINESS. DEFAULT'DEBTORS' LIST. • Judgment 'was-given for plaintiff by default in- tho following undefended civil cases:—Dresden Piano Co. v. William George Irashleigh, £10 Us., costs £2 os. 6d.; Dresden Piano Co. v. Charles Koromiko, £!) Gs. Gd., costs £1 Bs. 6d.; Miramar Borough Council v. Frank H. ■'Hooch, £5 2s. 10d., costs £1 3s. 6d.; T. N. Holmden v. C. H. Hopping, £7 145., costs £1 3s. 6d.; Public

Trust Office v. J. James, £5 145., costs £1 ss. 6d.; same v. Theresa Maria Williainson, £} 55., costs 10s.; Dresden Piano Co. v. Charles Ferris, £23 35., costs £2 3s. Gd.: City' Corporation v. David O'Hnra, £16 is. 6(1., costs 155.; F. T. Bowcrbank v. G. Oliver, £2 25., costs 10s.; G. Hartlt and Co. v. Turner and Co., £16 Us. Id., costs £1 10s. Gd.; H. Hannah and Co., Ltd., v. Rose Alien, £1 18s. 5(1. ,■ costs 13s. : Alexander M'Millan, Ltd., v. Silver I'iue Co., Ltd., £6 65., costs £1 12s. 6d.; C. Smith, Ltd., v. Henry Archibald Callaghan, £18 Is. 9d., costs £1 10s. Gd.; J. E. Gear y. Georgo Gordon, £6 Bs. 5(1., costs £1 3s. Gd.; 'Bertio Smith v. Jolm Wilson, £1 9s. ad., costs os.; Edward N. Sutherland v. Robert Phillips, £3 Is. Bd., «osts 10s.; J. E. Gear v. Thomas Roaciv, £1 10s. 6d., costs os.; same v. Georgo Cootes, £3' 3s. 4d., costs 10s.; same- v. 'William Roach, £4 12s. 7d., costs 10s.; Win. Hall v. Mary llcwson, £2 lL's. 9d., costs 10s. JUDGMENT SUMMONSES. B. E. Laivrenco was ordered to pay Otto Englundh £6 ss. by weekly instalments of os.; John Caleb Trickett to pay Sarali Agata Jacobsen £3 los. by April 7.