CITY POLICE COURT.

Evening Star, Issue 11152, 30 January 1900, Page 4

CITY POLICE COURT.

(Before MessTs G. L. Denniston and J. N. Brown, justices.)

Drunkenness.—Jane Whit-taker, appearing after the interval of a fortnight and thus lengthening a, long list of convictions, was told by the Bench that she would he safer in prison, and the punishment recorded whs a fine of 20s, in default.seven days' imprisonment. Two first offenders were convicted and discharged.

Purposeless Deceit.—Mary Sutton, a welldressed young woman, turned her face in shame from the gaze of the crowd ;is she pleaded guilty to a charge of obtaining from Joseph M'Kay six pairs of boots and shoes by means of a false pretence.— Sub-inspector Kiely said that accused left her home in Oamaru a month ago. and came to Dunedin. She went to Mr M'Kay's shop in Princes street, and asked that the articles referred to be sent to Dr Martin's, stating that she was a friend of the doctors familv. At tliir, time she was living in rooms in Dowling street. She called at Dr Martin's, took the boots to her lodgings, picked out one pair, threw the rest aside, and then left the house. Her father, the sub-inspector added, was in court, and would say that he had experienced trouble of the same sort before.— Mr Sutton said that such was the owe. The girl left her home and went about purchasing goods without paying for them. He had paid the bills, sometimes for largo sums, always hoping that the girl wonld mend her ways. Ho hoped that the present exposure would effect a change. Her conduct was sj strange that he sometimes thought she could not be quite sane, and he intended to have her medically examined. The things she got in this peculiar way did her no good. She generally left them about in places that she was going from, or gave thein away.— Mr M'Kay here rose and said that he had no desire to press the charge. iHe had to bike steps to recover his property, but he had since heard that the girl was hardly responsible for her actions, and he had got back all his boots excepting one pair, which he understood the father would pay for.—Mr Denniston: Well, taking into consideration the state of mind the girl is evidently in, and as the property has been recovered, and in hopes that this exposure will bring the girl to her senses, the Bench will convict her and order her to come up for sentence when called upon, which practically means that if she behaves herself in the future this offence will be overlooked.