MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 15, 18 July 1910, Page 7

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

c To-day's sitting of the Magistrate's Court was presided over by Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M. Ada Edwards, against whom there were eleven previous convictions Tor theft, disorderly conduct and other offences, was declared an habitual inebriate and sentenced to twenty-one days' imprisonment. Two first offenders, charged with drunkenness, were convicted and discharged ; another two forfeited their bail (10s each). James Roy was declared an habitual drunkard, and ordered to spend twenty-one days in gaol. On a separate charge of procuring liquor during the currency of a prohibition order, Roy was convicted and discharged. Mr. C. R. Dix appeared for him. As a sequel to a disturbance in the Royal Hotel on Saturday, Patrick Dillon was charged (1) with drunkenness, (2) with assaulting Nellie Walsh, (3) with wilfully destroying six bottles of whisky and two panes of glass, valued at 355, the property of George Frederick Fair. To the first he pleaded guilty ; he "remembered nothing" about the other offences alleged. Evidence was given by complainants to the effect that Dillon, very much the worse for liquor, went into the Royal Hotel and demanded a drink ; this being refused, he seized a soda-water bottle standing on the bar and hurled it at the barmaid. His aim >vas wide, however, and the missile crashed against six bottles of whisky on the shelves, and these, with contents, fell to the floor. Accused declared a pot-valorous intention of wrecking the house, and had to be ejected. On tho count of inebriety he was convicted and discharged ; on the other charges the Magistrate took into . consideration that Dillon did not know what he was doing. Defendant was convicted on both information, fined 20s, in each case, and ordered to pay the damage. Default was fixed at seven days' imprisonment in the first instance ; fourteen days' in the other. i A young man named Herbert Moore [ was, on the information of John Henry Miller and Johu Thomas Hawthorn, ! charged with the theft of £18. the property of complainants. Evidence was given to the effect that Mooro, a draper's assistant, employed by Millar, at Petone, had been left in charge of the takings on Saturday, the 14th May. On Monday the money was missing. Defendant said he had locked it up, but he had put the takings in his waistcoat pocket, journeyed to town, then lost tho money. Moore, when arrested, admitted to Detective Mason having taken the money, and said that he had been told by the manager of the business to take it home, which he did. Defendant had told Millar, and had undertaken to repay tho amount. His Worship agreed with accused's counsel (Mr. Kirkcaldie) that there had been no evidence of misappropria- J tion, and accordingly dismissed the information. On the application of the police, LukeFarrell, charged with inebriety, was remanded till the 25th July. Charles Francis Pulley, who made no j appearance, was convicted of allowing a vehicle to remain ( in Ghuzne© Street , without a light, and fined 10s, with j costs 7s-. The alternative was fixed at , 48 hours' imprisonment. Further evidence was taken to-day in the unusually protracted cases against i William Hill, charged on three separate informations with theft of milk-cajis, two the property of George Nash and one of Daniel Kavanagh. Mr. J. J. j Define appeared for defendant. His Worship said that a large amount of the evidence adduced was totally irrelevant; that the issues had been widened as much as they possibly cduld, and that ' Hill must bs convicted on each Charge. The fact that Hill is a young man was taken into consideration ; on the first count, ho .was fined 20s, with witness's j expenses, £1 19s, default being seven, days' imprisonment ; on the second a. similar penalty and alternative were •imposed, witnesses' expenses being 16s ;| on the third information he was convict- j ed and discharged. Hill was allowed seven days in which to find the money ; and the cans were ordered to be restored to their pwners. George Henry Mears was ordered to pay 10s a month towards maintenance <"•! his mother. A ca.se against Arthur Harold Smith, charged with disobedience of an order for maintenance of four children, was adjourned till the 15th Angiu-t, to give defendant an opportunity of /educing arrears, £25 14s. At a .sitting of the Petcue Magistrate's Coift-t, held this morning before Mr. -W. R. Haseiden, S.M., threo prohimted pPTFons, E. Hoarc, Cecil C. Smith, and G. i\. Legg. were, each fined 40s for procuring liquor. On a (Second charge of being found on licensed premises. Lsgg was convicted and discharged. An application for summary separation and maintenance, with custody of children, preferred by Kate Ccok against her husband^ W. H. Cook, was dismissed. lMr Fitzgibbon appeared for applicant, and defendant was represented by Mr. Jackson. A leccuro is to bo given^by Professor Hunter ro-inorrovr evening at the V.M.C.A. Rooms, entitled "The Senses: Their Mechanism, and Mode of Operation." It will be under the auspices of tho St. John Anibulanoe Nursing Division, and the public will be admitted free of charge on this occasion!