CITY POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 17927, 24 March 1922, Page 4

CITY POLICE COURT

Friday, March 24,

(Before Mr IT. W. Bundle, S.M.)

DISORDERLY BEHAVIOUR,

Hugh MM.ean did not appear to answer a charge of behaving in a. disorderly manner whilo fI runic.—Constable Hhngruo sa-vd accused caught him by the arms and used insulting language to Inin in Madoggau street.—A fine of £2 was imposed.

Isaac Buchanan was similarly charged, and said lie “ just told the public what someone bad called him."—The police evidence was that accused was found in the middle of a crowd, and was very excited, waving his arms about. Tho crowd was incited against the constable-,—Sub-inspec-tor Ecclcs said there wore about 150 young men around accused, who was drunk, and inciting the crowd against the constable who was trying to arrest .him. Tho subinspector went to the assistance, of the constable, and tho crowd followed them to the station.—Accused said a. man called him “ one of them.’’ He denied that ho was drunk. —A fine of £2 was imposed. THE ARMS ACT. For bovine possession of an unregistered rifle William Alexander Hill was Sued 10s with costs (7s). NO HALF-HOLIDAY. Ching Foci and Co. were charged with failing to give a half-holiday on the afternoon of Saturday, January 28, to Chin Wee, a. yenth under tho age of cghtccn years.—Mr W. L. Moore appeared for defendant, who pleaded guilty.—His Worship asked if the boy was related to Ching Fooi. —Inspector Browett said ho was a nephew, and added that they all seemed to bo related.—Mr Moore said defendant’s ew use was (hat lie was very busy on Saturdays, as people wished to get their laundry for Sundays.--A line of 20s was imposed, with costs (7s).

SALK OF CIGARETTES,

For felling cigarettes at a time when tobacconists’ shops were closed' William L Buddicom was fined 10s, with costs (7s).

A CADET STEALS AND RESTORES. William Headley Kite-honor Hughes, charged with .stealing £2lO, the property of the Government, was represented, by Mr J- R. M. Lemon.

Chief-detective Bishop called' the witnesses.

Bertram E. S. Brodie, Post Office district accountant, deposed that accused was a clerk in tho Post Office up to March 2. and 1 on that dale was .suspended' for the theft of this £2lO. When spoken to about the money accused drew the money from his pocket and' paid it back. He had it in his possession twenty days. Constable Hannafin, acting detective, said that accused hadi made a confession t'o this effect: He was a cadet in tho money order branch at Dunedin. On February 10 Mr W. A. fi IJislop, of Milton, called to make a deposit, lie filled in the deposit slip for £2OO, and did not put tho figures l on the slip, lie (Hughes) on counting the money found, it £2lO, and the entry for the full amount was made by him in the pass booh. This money he put in his pocket and' not in tho till. That night he took the money home, and then realised l that he had made a mistake. Ho did not use it, but kept it in his pocket. When asked by Mr Brodie about the money ho pulled; it out of Ids pocket and handed it over. lie was then suspended. Tho money was taken on the impulse of the moment. After lie had had the money for a lew days he realised his mistake, and- was too frightened to say anything; so b-„ w:’itod till mi : tquiry was made, intending (o hand it back. He bad not interfered with other Post Office moneys. The reason ho took the money was that ho was in debt for £l5O, caused mainly by advancing a. friend money to furnish, ft house.

Mr Lemon said that accused pleaded guilty. He was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

Bail was sskejl for. Mr Loniou suggested lhatgs accused had appeared) voluntarily and had repaid the money, the bail might be light. Tito chief detective assented, Ilia Worship said' that accused’s own recognisance for £3OO ami ono surety to a like amount wdhld suffice. JUST A JOKE.

Thomas Grey Risk pleaded not guilty to a charge of tho theft of a wnJlet valued at £1 and cf a diamond brooch valued at £l9, the property of Robert Spray. Mr B. S, Irvin appeared for rcxur-od. Robert .Spray, a chef, raid lie had been .“tayiriy at tho Metropolitan Ifof-al for about four '.vcck.?, Ho mot accused on tho afternoon of March ItJ. Oji the, {ollov, r ou,y morning be left Ida room about half-part 11, and left hie wallet, contain!up tho brooch, on the moutolpioeo. About halfpart 4 ho reiTtmed to his room, and found tho wallet was gone. Accused knew whore witness's room '.van.

To Mr Irwin ; lie was fairly friendly with accused, wiio was to come to his room on tho Sunday morning for a drink, but ho corao in vv-ikst’s absence. Then) had been no discussion about witness having things lying about his room. Witness thought it might have been a joke. The Chief Detective : If you thought it was a joke why did you report tho matter ’to the police? Mrs Hope, of tho Metropolitan Hotel, said accaood came to the hotel on tho Sunday afternoon, and asked if Spray was in. *ih© directed him to Spray’s boom, and he roturnod later and said Spray was out.

Plaln-dothss Constable' Sneddon said ho interviewed accural at tho Gladstone Hotel r.t 8 p.m. on the Sunday. Accused said ho had not been out of tho hotel oil day. Witness searched his clothes, and found the wallet in his pocket. Accused said ho could not Toll how tho wallet cams into his possession. Accused tad boon drinking, but was not drunk when seen by witness. Mr Irwin said that accused, instead of ■having ono or two drinks, had been in a, trance. Ha had plenty of money to keep himself with.

Accused, in gyving evidence, claimed that ho know Spray months ago. Ho admitted that bo wont into Spray's room and put -the wallet in bio pocket. Hia idea, in -.taking tho wallot was to try to play a joke on Spray in outer to. took .him not to d

'' To tho Chief Detective: He was Hi jomllor by terde. He did not open the vrallot. and did not oeo tho. brooch in

Charles Joseph Payne, solicitor, said hoi had acted in tho ostate of accused's mother. Ho had known accused' intiBtaly all his life. Ho was an honest and good-natured boy. Since coming hack, from tho war he had started drinking.

Thomas Long, jeweller, said apoaeod had! served nine years with him, and would have bem • trosted with anything by • him during that time. His Worship said it was a very bad joke indeed. Ho would toko into consideration accused's condition at tho _ time and dismiss the charge, on tlio_ oon-dition-that ho took out a prohibition order against hcinaolf.

MAINTENANCE

Application was made for a rehearing in Dio case of Francis Alexander Moulin, who had been previously sentenced te fourteen (lavs’ imprisonment for failing to comply with tho terms of an order :u respect to his wife.—Defendant had not appeared owing to a misunderstanding.— His Worship granted the application for a rehearing, awi sentenced dofoiKUnt to {onrteou days’ imprisonment, the warrant to bo sasiTcnded so long us ho paid 5s a wwk to ij» wile.

An order was made against Samuel George for tho payment of 15s a week towards the support of his father.

DIRTY PRESSES,

Thoms Walter Newbold pleaded guilty to a charge of causing a miisfraoe on his promises at 929 Cumberland- street that was likely te harbor rats.—lnspector King said tho place, a six-roomed hows, was usoi mostly as a eloro. In every room there was rubbish cf f.-k descriptions—bags, paper, timber, spouting, old iron, etc. There was also evidence that papers and ecsrim had been tom by mts.*~Tho euro wno adjourned for a fortnight in order to give tho defendant an opportunity -to clean up iho premises to tho satisfaction of the inspector. ,T. B. Wcotton. for whom Mr J. B. 0a! lan appeared, piiead.xl guihy to a charge of failing to Jcwp his factory d«m. —inspector Browett said there -woe a /rood deal, of rubbish- lying about lha* plcoo—a bibchcmso—and tho tracks of ~

flics ormidU/C seen everywhere.—Mr Ca'Jaa gave -an assuranco on behalf of Ids client that the place would bo renovated in. accordance with a res uisition given bv the inspector.—His Worship raid tho evidence showed that the bakohonso was dirty, hat lie would take into lion the fact that satisfactory arrangements had been made to remedy it, Midi inflict a noinma.l penalty.—A fnvo of 40s was imposed, with costs (7g). Will bun llowitsuu Eraser, who was represented by Mr B. S. Irwin, was charged with allowing a, nuisance in tho yard of his shop at 151 King Edward el,reel, that was likely to harbor rats. —Inspector King said tho yard was in a very bad state. In one hex, among other rubbish, nine ends of bacon were found. —His Worship), also adjourned this case for a week, to. allow dciendant to dean up tho place.