POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 19763, 13 January 1928, Page 5

POLICE COURT

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13. (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) SHADOW-SPARRING. With a few drinks aboard last night, Henry Ernest Foote was evidently infused with the desire to emulate Jack Dempsey and others of that sort, and the signt of a constable approaching had such an effect upon him that he shaped up in a fighting attitude. These were the facts outlined by Sub-inspector Fahey when Foote was charged with behaving in a disorderly manner in a public place, Princes street. The accused pleaded guilty, the Subinspector stating that his only failing was liquor. When he had liquor he was always in trouble. The accused was ordered to take out a prohibition order, and was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within twelve months. REMANDED. Francis Dooley was charged with stealing an overcoat, valued at £2, on December 25 at Palmerston South, the property of Vance Hannah.—On the application of Sub-inspector Fahey, the' accused was remanded to appear at Palmerston on January, 20, the police to present a medical report which had been obtained while the accused was under observation at Timaru. BACKYARD FIRE. Harry Clarke pleaded guilty to a charge of lighting a fire at St. Kilda in the open air without first obtaining a permit, Sub-inspector Fahey stating that the defendant had lit a fire in his backyard, and at night it was smouldering, the alarm being given by a passer-by, witli the result that the Fire Brigade was brought out.—The defendant was convicted And discharged. FAILED TO STOP. George Jenkins pleaded guilty to failing to stop his motor car in high street at the signal of a constable. Constable Kirk said that he gave defendant the stop signal, and beckoned a tramcar on. Defendant went on and stopped on the tram line. Had not the motorman in the tram stopped a collision would have occurred.—Evidence was also given by John Thomas Eaton, a tramway motorman, * Defendant said that he was approaching the Grand Hotel from the railway station, the constable’s back being to him. Witness stopped, but he thought the constable had given him the signal to proceed, though it was not the regulation signal. 5 „ Defendant was convicted and fined costs, amounting to 235. WILFUL DAMAGE ALLEGED. Alexander M'Donald and Harrv Tregea, who were charged, along with a juvenile, pleaded not guilty to wilfully damaging a verandah and shop front, the property of Herbert Francis Mackenzie, to the value of ss. The defendants said that the statements made to the police were correct, and they denied committing the damage, attributing the offence to the younger boy, whose case was adjourned to the Children’s Court. The charges were adjourned until January 23. “GETTING IN PRACTICE.” Arthur Templeton pleaded guilty to being the unlicensed driver of a motor cycle and to driving in a manner dangerous to the public on December 17. Constable Gibson said that at the time of the alleged offence he was in his backyard in Bay View road, when he heard a motor cycle race past three or four times at intervals. Going out to the gate he saw defendant on a motor cycle travelling at a speed estimaetd from thirty-five miles to forty miles an hour. When stopped by the witness, he said he was “getting in some practice,” and was going up for a license the following week. The defendant said that the motor cycle belonged to his cousin, who had tried it out previously on tho day in question. Ho himself was only on the cycle for about five minutes, and travelled at a fair speed. The defendant was convicted and discharged on tho first charge and was fined 20s and costs on the other charge. THE ARMS ACT. Robert M‘Leilan, charged that, as the owner of a registered firearm, he failed to notify a change of address, was fined 5s without costs. MOTORISTS’ OFFENCES. Frederick Amishaw was fined ss, without costs, for pillion, riding on a motor cycle.—Frederick Malcolm, the driver of the cycle, was fined ss, ivithout costs, for allowing the pillion riding. For pillion riding on a motor cycle James Morrison was fined ss, without costs, and for allowing it William Reynolds, the driver of the cycle, was fined ss, without costs. For not having his motor car lighted at night George Findlay was fined 5s and costs. Charged with motor cycling at night without lights James Houston was fined 5s and costs. A charge of negligently obstructing a public place by leaving his motorcar thereon was brought against Clive Leonard Monson, who wrote to say ho left his car for five minutes, and when he came back it was gone.—Sub-inspector Fahey said the motor had to be moved because it was blocking the way of the Roslyn cable car.—A fine of 10s and costs was imposed. Robert M'Donald M'Beath pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving of a motor car and guilty to a charge of being an unlicensed driver.—The police statement was that defendant drove along the Queen’s drive over intersections at thirty-five miles an hour. —ln reply to the magistrate defendant said he had had the car three months. He bought it for £4s.—His Worship, who remarked that it was dangerous for a man who had _ not a license to drive at thirty-five miles an hour, fined defendant 20s, and costs, on the first charge, and ss, and costs, on tho other charge. James Joseph O'Neill was fined 10s and costs for failing to give way to a tramcar when crossing an intersection and approaching from the right.—lt was stated that defendant ran into a tram and that damage of over £IOO was caused to the motor lorry. A similar charge was brought against Nicholas Thomas, who pleaded guilty. —lt was stated that defendant collided with a tram in Castle street. —A fine of 20s, with costs (19s), was imposed._ Harold Parker, charged with driving a motor vehicle in a manner dangeious*’ to the public, and with being in charge of an unlighted motor vehicle, did not appear. On the former charge defendant was fined 40s, and costs, ami on the latter charge he was fined os and costs. , , , James William Welsh was fined 20s, and costs (13s), for riding Ins motor cycle in a dangerous manner, it being stated that he knocked down a. young lady on a bicycle while ruling at about twentv-fi\’e miles an hour. Winifred Beardsley was fined 10s and costs for passing a stationary tramcar on a motor cycle, was fined os and costs for not having a drivers license, and was convicted and discharged for driving an unregistered vehicle. AFTER-HOUR TRADING. George Madigan, charged with failing to close his shop during tho prescribed hours on December 5, pleaded guilty, tho inspector stating that defendant, who was a hairdresser and tobacconist, had been open at 6.50 p.m. on the date in question, and saiif.e thought he was entitled to keep open till 7 p.m. on certain days.—Defendant was fined 10s and costs. Leo Madigan, who was similarly charged, was also fined 10s and costs.