MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 171, 7 April 1923, Page 12

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

YESTERDAY’S LIST POLICE AND SUMMONS CASES Mi. F. K. Hunt, SM., dealt with a large calendar of police and summons cases at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning. FINED FOR ASSAULT.. Thomas Rodgers, a well-dressed tailor’s presser, aged 43, was charged with drunkenness, and with having assaulted Margaret Milligan. Subrlnsjiector Cummings explained that the accused, alter having too much to drink, went into a confectioner's shop and made a nuisance of himself. When the proprietor went out for the police the accused assaulted the man’s wife by putting his arms found her and attempting to kiss her. Mr. W. E. Leicester, who appeared for the accused, said that his client was quite drunk at the time. ' After being released from the watch-house he had gone round and apologised to the lady. The accused bore a good character, and had excellent references, one being from Detective Boddam, with whom he had served in Samoa. The Magistrate fined the accused ss. for drunkenness and 40s. for assault. A TASTE OF CITY LIFEGarnet Davies, aged 31, a recent arrival from England, was charged with being a rogue and a vagabond because he had been found in a shed at 11.30 p.m. on Thursday night at the corner of Tory and Vivian Streets. The sub-inspector explained tliat'*the accused had been labouring on a farm at Cambridge, and thought he would like a taste of city life. He came down to Wellington, amd soon ran through his supply of capital. A remand was granted until Monday in order that information might be received from accused’s employer. CELEBRATING A LEGACY. John Walter Hamilton, alias Walter John Hamilton, aged 42, who had five previous convictions against him for drunkenness, was called upon to answer a charge of having stolen a bag of wood, valued at 55., the property of Kelleway and Son. Sub-Inspector Cummings stated that the accused had recently come into some money, and had been celebrating his good fortune ever since. The accused: I was drunk at the time, Your Worship. I am agreeable that you should issue a prohibition order against me. The Magistrate: Oh, I will do that all right. The accused was fined £2 for drunkenness and a similar amount for theft, and a prohibition order was issued against him. THE COMBATIVE INSTINCT. Looking somewhat the worse for wear, John George Froome, a barman, aged 29, who claimed Ireland as his birthplace, and William Lewis Wil-

liams, aged 34, an English steward, stepped into the dock to answer charges of having behaved in a threatening manner in Willis Street about 9 pan- on Thursday night. Chief-Detective Kemp explained that the mejj commenced fighting, and as they declined to end the combat when requested to desist they were arrested. Sir. C. A. L. Treadwell put in a pica for leniency, explaining that one of the accused had apparently seen more men than were really present on the occasion. Under the hallucination that somebody had insulted him he had proceeded to chastise the other accused. “It is quite natural for young men to fight occasionally,” remarked the Magistrate, as he fined the accused £1 and JLOs. costs each. CRUELTY TO DOGS. Janies Arthur Braggins was charged with having treated dogs cruelly by leaving a number of them at a house at Day’s Bay without food or water for months. H. AV. Willans, a neighbour of the accused, said that the dogs were starving, and had to be destroyed. They were a nuisance to the community. Sub-Inspector Cummings stated that the accused had gone to Featherston with the intention of starting rabbiting, and at the time had not enough money to take the dogs with him. A conviction was recorded, and the defendant was ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution. > A REMITTANCE MAN. Ronald McKennon Newton, for a third breach of his prohibition order, wtus fined £2 and costsMr. IV. E. Leicester explained that the accused was a remittance man. The Magistrate: If he is a remittance man then I don’t suppose he wants work. Mr. Leicester: He has now pulled himself together, and has got a job on .the wharf. INDECENT LANGUAGE. Ellen Jackson, for using grossly indecent language in Tui Street, was convicted and ordered to pay £1 Ils. costs. A DANGEROUS DOG. Victor Carmine, a. traveller for the International Art Company, appeared, on charges of keeping a dangerous dog. x After evidence had been given bv two girls who nad been bitten by the dog, the Magistrate made an order that the animal should be kept under proper control. The defendant was ordered to pay the costs of the prose cution, £3 14s. A warning was issued that if the dog was allowed to roam at large the owner would be liable to a fine of £lOO and £1 for every day it was at large. AN UNSTAMPED RECEIPT. Thomas Baillinger, for issuing an unstamped receipt for £lO to the Palmerston North Borough Council, was fined 40s. It was explained that the receipthad been inadvertently forwarded by one of the office staff before it had been checked and stampedEMPLOYING GIRLS UNDER AGE. James Smith, Ltd., drapers, Were called upon to answer two chargee of

employing in their factory girls under 16 vears of age without having applied for a certificate of fitness. It was explained that it was more the fault of the forewoman than of the firm. The girls did not appear to be under age, and the forewoman had not inquired whait their ages were. A fine of £l, with 10s. costs, was imposed on each charge. A BAD RECORD. Harry Garner Ross was charged with assaulting - Frederick Robert Leonard and also with assaulting a littlo girl at a euchre party at the Caledonian Hall. As the accused had a bad record for similar offences, the Magistrate sentenced him to two months’ imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to be cumulative. ALLEGED FORGERY AND THEFT. Allan Bruce Saunders, a clerk, aged 39,- was further remanded for a week on charges of forging the name of Thomas Roberts to a Treasury receipt, for £Bi , and uttering it to the Treasury Department, and of stealing £B, the property of the Treasury Department.