POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 19765, 16 January 1928, Page 1

POLICE COURT

MONDAY, JANUARY 16. (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) A BOGUS RAFFLE. That he used the money to pay the rent and get food for the baby was tho explanation of Henry Scott, a young married man, who was charged with obtaining 25s by false pretence, by representing he was raffling a bicycle to obtain money for the wife of a sick man. Detective Beer said that Scott had gone round various factories in Dunedin and obtained money from the employees by way of shilling tickets. He was married, with one child, and had been out of work for four months. He left the cycle with a publican on security for a loan of ss. ■ In reply to the magistrate, Scott said lie had been receiving help from people, but could ask them no longer. His Worship, who refused an application for suppression of the name, convicted Scott and ordered him to come up for sentence any time within twelve months, it being understood that he was leaving for the north, where his people would find work for him. DRUNKENNESS. Two male first offenders were each fined 20s, in default twenty-four hours’ imprisonment. ALLEGED THEFT AT PALMERSTON. John M‘Kean and Ivan William Walter Hanning were charged with stealing goods valued at £l3 6s 6d from the shop of James Moodie at Palmerston on January 7. Mr C. J. L. White appeared for accused, who, on the application of the police, were remanded till Friday. REMANDED TILL FRIDAY. Charles Alexander Moore, who was charged with the theft of £8 7s 6d, the property of Annie Robertson Erwin, was remanded to appear on I'riday. Accused was allowed bail of £SO, with oue surety ot, £SO, a condition being that he reported daily to the police. CHARGE DISMISSED. Eighty years of age, Peter Campbell was charged with assaulting John * A. C. Hanlon appeared for tlio defendant, but there was no appearance of tho complainant. Mr Hanlon said the defendant was the landlord of a house in a nglit-oi-way, complainant being a tenant. H was claimed that Campbell retaliated after Finch struck him. , , J The Magistrate (who remarked tout complainant should bring his own case, dismissed the charge. CHRISTMAS EVE FIREWORKS. Charges with setting off fireworks in George street on the night of December 23*, Alexander Lccs, a married man, did not appear, and was lined 10s and costs. It was stated that defendant let a bomb off oh the footpath when there were a good many people about. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF EXPLOSIVE. Edwyn Bennett pleaded _ guilty to a charge of procuring possession of au explosive without lawful excuse. Sub-inspector Fahey stated that defendant’s father had quarrelled with his mother, and a day later the latter came to the Roslyu police station with five plugs of gelignite with which her husband had said he was going to blow the place up. No permit had been given to the defendant or his father, and when interviewed the defendant said he had purchased the gelignite from a man in Maclaggan street, but as the latter had eight children he would not disclose his name. Defendant had called at the police station previously, but was refused a permit. The police were unable to find out where the gelignite was obtained. The Magistrate: “ Why did you want the gelignite?” Defendant: “To blast rock at my father’s farm.” The Magistrate: “How do you know the man you bought tho gelignite from has eight chillren?” Defendant; “I. know him personally. ” The Magistrate: “It is not very convincing, is it?”

The defendant was lined 20s and costs, and the explosives were ordered to be confiscated. MAINTENANCE DISK A ULTER DEALT WITH.

In the adjourned case against Matthew Alexander Clydesdale, who was charged with disobedience of a maintenance order, with arrears amounting to £7B ss, and who applied for a variation of his maintenance order, the Magistrate said that tho arrears over £2O would ho remitted, and the order reduced to_2ss a week. On the charge of disobedience, defendant would be sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, warrant to bo suspended so long as he paid 25s a week off the order and 5s a week off the arrears up to £2o. Mr C. J. White appeared for the complainant, SOUTH DUNEDIN ALTERCATION.

When Edwin George Hobcroft and Alexander R. Lees met in a- marble bar at South Dunedin recently their behaviour towards each other ‘led to an altercation which resulted in a brief bout of fisticuffs, the removal of Hobcrott to hospital, and the subsequent appearance of both men in court charged with fighting in a public place. Tho defendants pleaded guilty, Subinspector Fahey stating that following a dispute in a marble bar the pair had adjourned to Glasgow street to have it out. Lees knocked Hoperoft, who fell on the kerbing and had to bo removed to the hospital. Lees said there was really no fight at all. Thev clinched, broke away, and it was all over.

Sub-inspector Fahey; Did you have vnur coats off?

Lees: Yes. Hobcroft tripped over a stone and cut his eye. The Magistrate; Why didn’t you fight on crass?

Hobcroft; There was none handy. Hobcroft was convicted and discharged, Lees being fined 20s, and costs. APPLICATION REFUSED. An application by Jacob Coory for the cancellation of a maintenance order and remission of arrears amounting to £3 9s 4d was opposed by the police. Coory, in evidence, said he was working on the waterside, where his wages averaged £3 10s a week. The Magistrate intimated that he would not alter the order, the amount being merely back maintenance for defendant’s son at os a week. It would have to be paid. Sub-inspector Fahey said that defendant was keeping another family of eight in the house which he had no need to keep. Tho Magistrate: That may be virtuous of him!” Au order was refused. PILLION RIDING.

William Reynolds and Beryl Barrow, charged with pillion riding, were each fined ss. and costs,

AFTER HOURS. Homy Miller aud Gavin Murdoch (Mr 1L S. Irwin) pleaded guilty to being found unlawfully on the licensed promises of the Mosgiel Hotel after hours, and were each fined 20s, and costs.

John Mooro (Mr A. C. Hanlon), pleaded guilty to being found unlawfully on licensed premises after hours, William Leslie Kedzlie not appearing to answer a similar charge.—bergean® McCarthy said that the two defendant® M ere seen leaving the Criterion Hotel at 10.15 p.m., Kedzlie refusing to givo any explanation.—Mr Hanlon saidthalt defendant had been driving a taxi for four hours, and went into the hotel but did not succeed in getting anything.—The defendants were fined 20s, and costs. „ A SLEEPY MOTORIST.

Donald Waldron Seddon MacGregor pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving of a motor car and guilty to being the unlicensed driver of a motor car. Sub-inspector Fahey put in a statement made by the defendant that he was dozing in In’s car at the time, and had run into a telegraph nole and smashed it. The defendant said he had been! working on night shifts during _ the holidays, and he thought the accident was due to lus not getting sleep. The Magistrate said that the charge would be amended to one of negligent driving, and the defendant would be convicted. The Magistrate: “Have yon driven as a taximan without a license?’

The Defendant: “I have driven & taxi,’*

The Magistrate That was most improper without a license. On the charge of negligent driving defendant was fined 20s and costs (10s), being fined 10s and costs (10s) on the other charge. CHARGE DISMISSED.

Frederick Geoffrey Shepherd (Mr J. S. Sinclair) pleaded not guilty to a «harge of failing to give the right of way to a car approaching from the right at a street intersection evidence ns to The alleged offence being given by Henry Charles Gore and Constable Crawford. —It was contended for the defence that the collision which occurred was due to negligence on the part of Gore.—After hearing one witness for the defence His Worship dismissed the charge, and remarked that, a.s there might bo a question of civil liability, be would not criticise the evidence. MOTORIST FINED. For failing to give way to a tramcar approaching from the right at an intersection, William Patrick Gonrlick. the driver of a motor car, was fined 20s* with costs (16s). MAINTENANCE. Application was made for a maintenance and guardianship order against Enest James Rolinson.—Mr A. C. Hanlon appeared for the complainant and Mr C. B. Brrowclough for the defendant.—His Worship granted the application, and fixed maintenance at the rate of £2 a week for complainant and two children.