MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 269, 7 August 1920, Page 5

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

THEFT OF OVERCOATS 'ifr. J. S. Evans, S.M, was on the bench, at tho Magistrate's Court yesterday. A seaman named Francis King was lined 10si, in default 48 hours' imprisonment, for being- drunk on the ivharf, and for using obscene languago ho was fined 405., the alternative being 14 days' imprisonment. . Margaret Creech' was fined 10a., in default 43 hours' imprisonment, for drunkenness, and was also ordered to pay 176. 6d. medical expenses, and for committing a breach of her prohibition order she was lined 40s, with tho option of i 8 hours' imprisonment. ■ On. Thursday evening Gl?orgo Prior Harris went to Even-body's Theatre and naked an attendant to show him the way to the lavatory. When Harris came downstairs he was wearing two overcoats, 'one of which belonged to the attendant. Harris gave as an excuse that he did not know he had tho coat on. lie was sentenced to a month's imprisonment. 'J'om Cox, a young man', pleaded guilty to the theft of an overcoat valued at .£5. The facts wero that Cox went to-tho Salvation Army Hostel, entered the room occupied by Samuel H. Carter, stole tho overcoat, and sold it to a. second-hand (tailor' under a false name. Cox was before the Court a. few weeks a?o on two charges of theft, and was cohYieted and ordered to come up for sentence wK?n called upon, and to report to the polics once a fortnight. These conditions lie did not observe. He was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. For committing two breaches of his prohibition order, William James was fined 205., and ordered to pay 7s. costs, in, default U hours' imprisonment. Mrs. Emily Muir was convicted of being the owner- cf a dangerous dog, and was ordered to pay 14s. costs, The dog attacked a woman passing in the street. LODGING IN A LICENSED HOUSE. The licensee of the Britannia Hotel,Alfred Gustafsen, was charged with failing to supply lodging to a man named Charles J. Simpson. The facts were that Simpson, who is a butcher employed by Barber and Co., and whose home is at the Lower Hutt, went to the hotel at 6.50 p.m. and asked if he could'have a bed at tho hotel for that evening (July 2). He was asked if he required breakfast, and he replied that he did not, as he had to be iat work by C o-'clock in the morning. He was refused a bed beoauso he did hot want to be served with breakfast, Tho complainant then saw a police sergeant, and lie went back to the hotel, where lie was joined by the Sergeant. In the discission that followed the licensee stated that he had ft vacant 'bed when the complainant first called, but that it had been booked in the meanwhile. Mr. fr'Beere, who appeared for the defendant, said that it had not been established that the complainant was a traveller, or that he was refused a bed. The Magistrate: The refusal was not because he was not a traveller, but because ho refused to pay for breakfast as we3l as a bed. • Mr. O'Beere said that it often happened that peoplo came to an hotel after 6 p.m. and boclced a room entirely for the purpose of securing liquor. It. wa9 a practice that the licensees di'd not desire to encourage, and therefore required payment for breakfast. After hearing evidence, the Magistrate held that the man was entitled to lodging for the night without being obliged to pay for breakfast. However, it was apparently only a technical offence. He recorded a conviction and ordered tho defendant to pay costs 9s. and expenses 20s.

SELLING UNSOUND CHOPS. A butcher named William H. Pool, carrying on business in Adelaide Bead, was charged with selling mutton chops that were unsound to a Mrs, Tonkin. The complainant said that at i o'clock one afternoon she sent her little daughter to the defendant's shop to purchase, a pound of chops. When the meat was brought home it was_ found, to. be flyblown, and she returned the chops. The butcher took them back, although ho claimed that they were not bad, .and gave her a fresh lot. This lot, too, it was alleged, were bad, but they were not sent back until the following morning. The defendant denied that either lot of. chopg was unsound. After hearing the evidence the 'Magistrate recorded a conviction, but said it was not a case for a heavy penalty. Pool was ordered to pay 30s. Cd. costs. ALLEGED CEUELTY TO A HORSE. The Society -for tlio Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, through its inspector, Captain Henry, proceeded against C. King, of Petone, for cruelly ill-treat-ing a horse. Mr. J. O'Donovan appeared for the society, and Mr. E. C. Kirk for tho defendant. Tlio horse was found by the inspector fastened to the railings of the wharf opposito tho Union Steam Ship Company. The horse was alleged to liavebeen m a pitiable condition from exhaustion. It had swollen tendons and ring-bone on the near fore leg, and was very lame. The defendant wished to put the horse in the lead of a three-horee leaded ran to drive it to Petono, but the inspector prevented this, and the defendant agreed to leave it at Thorndon Quay and secure another horse there. The horse was tied to the back ($. the van, but it could not bo got to move. It was later Jed away by hand. Tho inspector was of opinion that the horso must liavo been lame when it was drivenin from Petone. For the defence, it was stated that the horse had not suffered from ringbone. When the horso was driven in from Petone on the date in question it picked up a, nail in its hoof and went lame. It had since been treated for a suppurating wound in tho hoof caused by the penetration of the nail, and the horse had been driven in- from Petone that day and showed no signs of ringbone. Evidence in support was given by tho defendant and Veterinary Surgeon .Milligan, The Magistrate thought that there was no doubt that the horso was lame on the day in question, and that it was worked while lame. King wa9 convicted and fined 205., and ordered to pay 7s. costs, and solicitor's fee 21s.