MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3139, 18 July 1917, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

POLICE CASES. Mr. S. E. il'Carthy, S.M., piesided at the Magistrate's Court yesterday and dealt with the police cases. ■ iho Btory. told by llr. f. W. Jackson, on behalf of Daniel iiorgan, who pleaded guilty to escaping from the Itoto Koa inebriates Home, was rather interesting. Alter being six mouths in the home Morgan escaped, joined the. Expeditionary iorce, where he nut in eighteen months' service, being eventually discharged suffering from shell shock. Morgan was convicted and ordered to como up for sentence when called upon. . William Morgan was charged that, being a duly articled seaman of an overseas steamer, he did desert from the vessel. Mr. H. E. Evans, who appeared for tho i! po Y ~ei. ' 8 ' nsk cd that, the majimum penalty be imposed as the case was a particularly bad one. Accused and anothor man deserted from tho vessel, but thev were eventually found and placed on board. Accused, however, again deserted. Morgan was scutenced to a month's imprisonment. For insobriety one first, offender was fined 10s., in default twenty-four hours' imprisonment, and another was fined 205., with the option of 48 hours' imprisonment.. Guy Coekburn, who had a long list of 50 previous, convictions.' was sentenced to tMea months' imprisonment. Tjouls Larsen was fined 205... in default fortv-oieht hours' imprisonment, and for damaging Government property, valued at 11b. 6d.. ho was convicted and ordered to pay tho amount of tho damage. In default fourteen days' imprisonment. Minchington was convicted and ordered to come un for sentence when called upon on charges of being found drunk and of using obscene language in Haining Street.

CIVIL CASES. Mr. W. G. liiddell, S.M., heard the civil cases in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Judgment by default was given for plaintill in tho following cases:—Mullis and Lamberg v. Edward Jn.mcs Thompson, £1 45., costs 75.; Storomcn's Union v. W. Maher, £1 25., costs 55.; W. Koglnald Collins and.Co., Ltd., v. Frank ilhodes, costs only £2; Fitzgerald aad Peaice, Ltd., v. Edmund A. Gill. £11 18s.. costs £1 10s. 6d.; Edward James Ball v. Duncan liacPhorson, £2 10s., costs 10s.; H. Hanson v. a. A. Waddle, £7 Bs.'6d., costs £1 3s.' 6d.; Alexander Robertson v. J. Kinir. £4 4s„ costs 10s.; Welshbach Light Co., Ltd., v. Oruickshank, Miller and Co., Ltd.. £16 6s. 9d., costs £1 10s. 6d.; Hannah Hunter v. Emma Patouros. £4 7s. 4d., costs 10s.

JUDGMENT SUMMONS. Judgment summons cases were dealt with as'follow:—Arthur Rose was ordered to pay the Stewart Timber Company Jit 4s. 9d. hy July 31. in default forty-eicbt hours' imprisonment; Thompson waa ordered to pay the 0. and A. Odlin Company, Ltd., £29 Usi Bd. by July 31, with the option of twenty-eight days' imprisonment j Jack Kelly was ordered- to pay F. T. Wilson £3 3s. by July 31. in default three days' imprisonment.

A HUSBAND'S LIABILITY. The much discussed aucstion of a husband's liability for dobt contracted by his wife was again argued in an action heard yesterday, when H. Hanson, a plumber and motor repairer, proceeded against Alexander M. Proctor, of Karofft toxical) proprietor, for the sum of £11 16s. 9d., balance of account for repairs to a Cadillac car. Tho defendant went to the front in August, 1915, but before doing bo gave the car to his wife, who continued to conduct the taxi-car business in her husband's name. ' She also operated on her husband's bank account and paid sums reoeived from the running of the. car into that account.. Tho car being out of rspair Mrs. Proctor requested tho plaintiff to supply, the material and do tho work necessary to enable,the car to be run during the Christmas season. The dofwidant on his return from tho war repudiated all liability for these services, and the wife sought to have herself regarded as the debtor. After hearing the evidence the Magistrate reserved his decision. Mr. 0. 0. Mazengarb appeared for plaintiff and Mr. T. Neave for the defendant.