POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 18332, 20 July 1923, Page 7

POLICE COURT

Filidat, July 20.

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

DRUNKENNESS DENIED. It is not often that a person accused of drunkenness pleads not guilty; it is a difficult matter to prove an alibi in such cases. This morning, however, Benjamin Barker, despite previous convictions on April 30 and July 9, said that he “ wished to contest the case,” and for this reason asked for a seven-days’ adjournment. “ I also want protection from the police,” ho added. Senior-sergeant Alathieson: He sets up a defence on every occasion, your Worship, and is a regular nuisance. The Alagistrnto: Who do you wish to appear for you ? Defendant: Oh, Air Solomon will do me, and I want bail. The Magistrate: Well, I’ll allow the case to stand down while you communicate with Air Solomon. \ Ultimately defendant was remanded to enable him to arrange for his defence, bail being fixed at £5. “ Thank you very much,” said Barker, as he stepped down. BACK TO NAPIER. Allan Thompson, a young man, was charged with failing to comply with a maintenance order in respect of his illegitimate child. Sub-inspector Eccles said that defendant had been remanded to enable him to obtain tho £24 due for arrears. This was not forthcoming, and the superintendent of police at Napier had asked that defendant be remanded to appear there on Tuesday next. Remanded accordingly. NAAIE SUPPRESSED. A man was charged with having committed an aggravated assault on a female. He had been previously remanded to see whether ho would behave himself subsequently, said tho senior sergeant, and had apparently dona so, for ho had not been brought to the station since. Defendant, who did not appear, was convicted and discharged, and the order suppressing publication of his name repeated. BATCH OF BY-LAW BREAKERS. One of those sudden swoops which tho police make occasionally on nde.-s of bicycles and drivers of vehicles who neglect to carry proper lights at night or contravene the by-laws in some other manner was made recently, with the result that a number of offenders were charged this morning. For riding bicycles with no lights Robert Henry Gordon, Harold Edmond Collie, and Lewis Claude Grant wore each fined ss, with costs (7s), and George Hutton was ordered to pay costs. For driving vehicles without lights AVilliam Hamilton, Roderick Macdonnell, William Sanders, junr., and William Greer were each fined 10s, with costs. For riding a motor cycle without lights John Edward Baker (Mr J. C. L. AVhite) was similarly penalised. Edward Arthur Shepherd, for riding a bicycle on tho footpath, was fined ss, with costa. For allowing their chimneys to catch fire Arthur Geddes, William John Watson, and John Henry Blair were each fined 20s, with costs. George Alfred Brookes (Air Irwin) pleaded guilty to allowing fourteen bead of cattle’ to be at largo without proper guidance at Green Island,—Air Irwin said that though defendant had been before the court on a great number of occasions for similar offences, these had mostly taken place when he was a resident of Anderson Bay.—Tho Alagistrato said that defendant had been fined practically every year for seventeen years past. If he came before the court again ho would bo fined £5. This time the fine would be 40s, with costs (7s).