MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2641, 11 December 1915, Page 13

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

ALLEGED DISLOYALTY CASE FURTHER ADJOURNED. Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., presided at yesterday's, sittings of the Magistrate's Court. The first case called was that in which a Civil Servant, Francis Peter Hagen, was charged with publishing disloyal statements. The defendant is a young married man, and has been in tho employ of the Publio Health Department. There are four informations against him, ono of which alleges the following statement: "Wo would bo just as well off under German rule as wo are under British rule. Britain is. only after territory. The Belgium business was only an excuse to get into it." Thoother informations allege a statement that Nutso Cavell deserved her fate, that the Germans were justified in the sinking of the Marquette, and that tho Eighth Reinforcements were "a silly lot of s." Mr. P. S. IC. Macassey, of tho Crown Law Office, stated that he had been asked by Mr. Morodith, who had tho prosecution in hand, to apply for an adjournment. Ho understood that it was bocauso defendant's counsel (Mr. E. G. Jellicoc) was engaged in the Supremo Court. Tho whole of the informations were accordingly adjourned, until Thursday next. SEQUEL TO SEPARATION. A waterside worker, named John Charleston, pleaded guilty to molesting his ivife on December 2 during the currency of a separation order. Mi'. P. W. Jackeon, who appeared for t'lio complainant, stated that Charleston had' twice visited his wife's plaoo of employment, with the result that she lost hor situation. Tho olfeuco was a serious ono, as tho wile had had to go out to work becauso of tho fact fhat the maintenance provided by her husband was inadequate for tho support her and tho children. She really had to support horsolf. and tho information w«j J aid r.o that the defciidnut would-1 jiflfc molest her m future, TOie Mams-J

trate warned, the defendant that the offence was punishable by a lino of ,£2O, but it was not His Worship's intention to impose the maximum penalty on this occasion. If tho defendant appeared again, ho could expect severe treatment. A iino of £2 was imposed, the defendant being ordored to pay £1 Is. solicitor's fee. Tho alternative was soven flays' imprisonment. SHOPS & OFFICES AMENDMENT, A. Dimdore was proceeded against, under the Shops and Offices Act Amendment Act, 1915, on a charge of having sold boots on November 25 at an hour when bootdiops wero (by requisition) supposed to be closed. It was stated by tho inspector that Dimdore was a draper, who 6old boots as a side-line, and that he had transacted business after the hours which wore observed in the boot trade. The case was brought as a warning that the new Act must be observed, and the Department did not on this occasion press for a heavy penalty. The defendant, who did not appear, .was fined 10s., and ordered to pay Court costs 7s. INFORMATIONS DISMISSED. Walter Sheppard and William Boulton were jointly charged with the theft of an oilskin coat, valued at 20s. Tho coat had been missed from tho steamer Ruahino in July last. Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for the defondant Sheppard, while the defendant Boulton conducted his own case. After hearing the evidence, the Magistrate dismissed both informations. INCIDENT AT A GARAGE. Pour young men, named I'redk. Thompson Connell, Joseph Albert Hayes, James Arthur Shaw, and Win. Joseph Wright, were charged with aiding and abetting Walter Anderson in an assault upon Charles Felix Pratt at a motor garage in Tory; Street on November 1. Anderson, a motor-car driver, had been co.nvicted of the assault, ami the lour defendants were with him on the occasion. After hearing the. evidence yesterday, the Magistrate (Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M.) dismissed the information against Connell, but recorded convictions against the other 1 three delendants. In every one of the three cases, the penalty (line and costs)' totalled ■£2 lis." Bd., but a week was afiowed in. i which to find the money. Inspector Hendrey prosecuted, and' Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh appeared for the defence, ESCAPED FROM A HOME. ! A young woman, named May Rumble, who had escaped from the Salvation Army Home, and who • had • (according to the 1 police report) been leading a vagrant's ; life near tho military camp at Tauhere- , liikau, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. At the expiration'of the . term she is to be sent back to the Army Home to complete her term of reforma- ; tivo treatment. . ; HANDED OVER TO THE MILITARY. Thomas Mason, who had been arrested • by Detective-Sergeant Cox on a charge of deserting from the Expeditionary Force on October 7, was handed over to the i military authorities to be dealt with. ) ■ BAD LANGUAGE. Walter Thomas Miles did not appear ; to answer a charge of using obscene language in the Princess Theatre Hotel. He I wub fined £'j, and ordered to pay Court ; costs wid witnesses' expenses, totalling' ; 19s. Default was fixed at one month's j imprisonment. I . BY-LAWS, ETC. ■ Horace Graham Rutter, for whom Mr. H; Linklator appeared, was fined 55., with costs 75., for leaving his motor-car unattended in Grey Street. As tho owner of a horse which, waa ; found wandering at Porirua, Agnes Ben- ' son was convicted and discharged. | For employing an assistant after 6 p.m. on more than one day in the week ■ without informing tho Inspector of Awards, William Campbell, Ltd., wore nned 10s., with Court costs 7s. •It. W. Armit admitted having failed to 1 close his shop at 8 p.m. on November 19, ' and was fined 10s„ with Court costs 7a. For failing to attend .drill, Walter - ' Arthur Galbraith, described iaa a picture operator, was convicted and ordered to pay Court costs 7s. OTHER CASES. Having pleaded guilty to a charge of drunkenness and to a further charge of damaging the arresting constable's uni-' form, William Pearoe was fined 20s. for the first offence and ordored to pay 225. 6d. in respect of tho damage done to tho uniform. Tho alternative was seven days' imprisonment. A seafaring , man, named Hylhama iNordbach, was convicted and discharged' for insobriety, and for assaulting .John Beid on the steamer Maitai, lie was convicted, and ordered to pay .£1 expenses. For insobriety, Albert Leas and Ernest Cox were fined 20s. each, the alternative being three days' imprisonment.