MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 81, 29 December 1917, Page 12

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Messrs. J. W. Ellison and IX. D. Hanlon, Justices of the Peace, presided at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. William Henry Cox, alias Smith, was sentenced to a month's imprisonment on being convicted of the theft of a Gladstone bag and an Australian fox rug. Chief-Detective Boddam, who prosecuted, stated that tbb facts in the case were somewhat peculiar. On December 20, accused took the goods to thq left-luggage office at the railway station early in , the morning, and deposited them there, taking delivery of the goods a few hours later. About twenty minutes or so later lie returned with the goods, and deposited them at the office, beinp; at the time under the influence of liquor. About half-an-hour later he returned to the office and wanted delivery of the goods, which was refused, because- the man was by then very . drunk. Accused then went and sat on the railway platform, and the police were sent for. Acting-Detective Burnett arrested the accused for drunkenness) and the usual search revealed the left-luggage ticket in his pocket. Next morning, when questioned about the goods, ho denied having deposited them in the luggage office, and professed to know nothing about them. Chief-Detective, Boddam stated that the police had not been able to trace the owner, although a man had, called at the Railway Department about a fox rug. The railway officials, however, had not taken the man's name and address, and therefore he could not be traced. The detective pointed out that the Full Court had decided in the case of Mahoney v. Marks that where a man was in possession of goods not his owp and could not account for their possession the circumstances established a prima facia case of theft.

John James Firth was fined UOs. for behaving in a disorderly manner in Courtenay Place while, drunk. For insobriety, four tirst offenders wore leniently dealt with. A remand to January 4 was granted in the caso of William Snow, alias Leigh, -a. travelling circus employee, charged with answering 'military questions in-a misleading manner; failing to make application for enrolment in the reserve, and, being a reservist, that ho did, without the written consent of the Minister of Internal Affairs, use a name other than that by which he was customarily known. James Hill, for whom Mr. Dcjiiglas Jackson appeared, was remanded to January 4 on a charge of being an idle and disorderly person, in that ho habitually consorted with reputed thieves and prostitues. Bail was allowed in his own recognisanco of £50.