POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 20055, 21 December 1928, Page 6

POLICE COURT

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21. (Before Mr H. \V. Bundle, S.M.) MONTH’S ADJOURNMENT. George Frederick Westland appeared on remand, the charges being that he obtained money by false pretences. After perusing the probation officer’s report the magistrate adjourned the case for one month, the accused to keep in close touch with Mr Garbntt. MAINTENANCE. Matthew Alexander Clydesdale was charged with tho ’ disobedience of a maintenance order, the arrears amounting to £37 17s. Ho was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, tho warrant to ho suspended so long as ho paid the current order of 25s per week and 5s per week off the arrears until they wore paid. THEFT 0.1?’ VEGETABLES. A man, whose name, under tho circumstances, was suppressed, was charged with the theft of vegetables from Chinese gardens at St. Clair. Senior-sergeant Qiiartcrmain stated that for tho past few months there had been persistent thefts in this locality, and tho police had had to keep a watch. One evening a constable found a woman waiting outside the gardens, and upon entering ho found the accused. ,Tho woman (accused's wile) was allowed to go. Tho Rev. V. G. Bryan King said that the circumstances were deplorable. The man was of good character. Lately ho had been undergoing treatment for tuberculosis, and Ids children also had been ill. Moreover, he had been out of. work, although ho had tried hard to get it. His plight was really desperate, and tho vegetables were taken to provide for the. children. During tho last 111 teen months tho accused had had only one and a-lialf days’ work a, fortnight, which brought him in less than £1 a. week on which to live. He hud temporary work now, which might become permanent. finder all tho circumstanees he (witness) would make a strong pica that tho name bo suppressed. The Magistrate staled that the Chinese gardeners were entitled to as much protection as any other person, but tho circumstances being as they wore, he would order suppression of tho name in the meantime. The ease would bo adjourned lor si.x mouths, restitution to be made to the Chinamen. ASSAULT UN CONSTABLE. George Smith was charged with assaulting Constable M'Donald Brown in tho execution of his duly, with resisting arrest, also with procuring liquor whilst prohibited. He pleaded guilty to all charges. Senior-sergeant Uuarlenuain said that this was rather a serious matter. Constable Brown found tho accused and linen other men at ton minutes to 10 last night drinking from a cask on tho wharf. As (hey were somewhat rowdy, ho ordered them away. They went, but on the. constable's return at a quarter to 12 they were still drinking, and another man had joined them, making Jive in all. As they wero still rowdy and under tho influence of liquor, the constable asked them to move on. While he was talking to them tho accused knocked his helmet off and 1 bo constable arrested him for assault. All Jive men then set on the constable, knocked him down, “put the hoot in,” and struck him on tho head with a hoi tic. Tho constable hung on to Smith, and eventually brought him to tho IVlico Station. Tho constable then went to hospital, where lie was treated as an out-patient, and lie had to go again to the hospital this morning. Under the circumstances the senior sergeant asked lor a remand till January 28. The accused was accordingly remanded till January 28, bail being refused. “A STRANGE PARTY.” Leslie Gibbous, for whom Mr J. P. Ward appeared, pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Bertie Henry Winchester. Senior-sergeant Qiiartcrmain stated that tho defendant and the aggrieved person wore at a parly together, and there was a certain quantity of liquor there. Afterwards tho defendant and the complainant came to loggerheads, the latter stating that Gibbons struck him and kicked 'him through a plateglass window'. The complainant gave evidence, and, cross-examined by Mr Ward, denied that ho had taken any liquor to tho party and that lie had used a filthy expression. Mr Ward staled that this was the first time the defendant had gone to a party, and he certainly seemed to have struck a very strange one. Tho defendant stated that there was a good deal of liquor drunk. Winchester passed a, remark In the defendant to which exception was taken, and Gibbons followed him along the street, asking for an apology. Damage -to the extent of about £2O had been done to the window' and a statue inside, and Gibbons had not only already made good a portion of this, but also had arranged for security for the rest. The defendant was lined dOs (with witnesses’ expenses 1 Os), in default seven days’ imprisonment. MINOR OFFENCES. Dudley Kool Anderson, charged with being in charge of an unlighted motor ear, was lined os. For lighting a fire without a permit John Beiford was lined ss. Francis Morton Bremncr, charged with failing to stop his motor at the signal of a constable, was fined 5s and costs. Alfred Charles Jackson was charged with being in charge of it stationary motor car by night without a light, and was fined 5s and costs. John Neill M'Gill was also charged with being in charge of a motor car by night without having tho prescribed lights, and was lined 5s and costs. Ernest Nathaniel Miitohell was charged with leaving a motor car standing on tho wrong side of George street. As this was tho first case of its kind hero a fine of 5s without costs was imposed. A charge of driving a motor car without having the assigned number plates W'as preferred against Albert Victor Trail who was lined 20s and costs. NETTING TROUT. Arthur James Hart and Donald Watson were charged with fishing for trout without a license, and with netting for trout. Watson was further charged with failing to produce his fish when called on to do so. They pleaded guilty to all charges. Sir G. T. Bay lee appeared on behalf of the Accclimalisation Society, and stated that (he defendants were netting at the mouth of tho Wnikouaiti River at Karitane. Ranger Pollett, of the society, was watching them, and when Watson was rowed across tile river ho was stopped by the ranger, who asked for his hag. Fellett told them who he was, and Watson endeavoured to back towards the river, evidently with the intention of throwing the bag in, because it had a stone in it. Watson eventually handed over the bag, and six trout were found in it. Mr Baylee said that the society desired an exemplary penalty in this case, as anglers had complained that netting for trout had been going on for some twelve months past. The society had treated . tho defendants very generously, as it had returned their boat, but had seized the net. Watson said that with regard to the charge of obstruction, he was walking along the river bank with the bag, when a man demanded to see it. He (Watson) naturally refused to give it

to him, as he was not told who the man was, and ho did not produce his authority. Ho later handed over th« .bag when ho was told he was a ranger. Hart said that they wero not f poaching part", but were netting for flounders. As the ranger himself admitted, they had caught a number of trout, but had thrown them back into tho river. .In ■ ,o last haul they got six trout, and sonic of tho party could not resist tho temptation to keep them. He had endeavoured to obtain a license to net trout, but had been told that only regular fishermen could do so. He had been told by J’ellett later that ho could have obtained a license under certain conditions. Tho charge of sliing without a license was withdrawn in each case, and Hart was lined £3 and costs on tho charge of netting for trout. Watson was lined £2 on the charge of netting trout, and £2 on tho charge of failing to produce, and costs, BREAKING AND ENTERING. Samuel Joseph Bleo and Reginald Robert Sutherland were brought up on a series of charges as follows; (1) Breaking and entering the warehouse occupied by Francis Barkley Carter and stealing stamps valued at (Is, tho properly of’Carter; (2) breaking and entering the warehouse occupied by Keith Ramsay and Co., and stealing £2 in money; (3) breaking and entering tho warehouse occupied by the Hon and Steel Company with intent to commit a crime;’ (-1) breaking and onteringing the counting house of the Bmeo Railway and Coal Company, Ltd., witli intent to commit a crime; (5) breaking and entering the premises of M'Lcod Bros, and stealing stamps valued at (is. Blee and Sutherland and Albert George Rodgers were charged with breaking and entering tho warehous< occupied by Keith Ramsay and Co, and stealing a. wallet, valued at IDs, tho property of Gordon Keith Ramsay. Bice was'further charged with breaking and entering the premises _ of M'Lcod Bros, with intent to commit a crime, and with breaking and entering tho premises of M‘Lachlan and Wright, Ltd., and stealing brandy Tallied at HE. Mr C. J. L. While, a plica red for Bice and Rogers, and .Mr J. J’. Ward for Sutherland. Gordon Keith Ramsay, factory manager for Messrs Keith Ramsay and Co., Ltd., .stated that on December 15 ho securely lucked’ up Hie warehouse at about iioon. There was no sign of hro about tho premises at that time. A wallet valued at JUs was left in (ho office. On Iho Sunday morning ho was called to the promises, and he then noticed that a window hail been broken. Tho office was in disorder, tho cupboards and drawers having all been broken open. A quantity of burnt paper was on lop ol the connler. None of the accused had any right on tho premises. To Dir White; They were newspapers that were burnt. Martin Traiuor. employed as night watchman by the company, said he was on duty on December Jo, and ho visited tho place at about 0.3 U p.m. As ho was going down he saw a man standing at the corner ol Hulsey street and Jutland street. Me. did not take much notice of him, but on looking in at the premises ho saw two men running in the yard; the back door was open. He hurried hack to the corner and saw tho three men running away. Wliei he got back over the ante into Hit yard ho smelt tire, and on going into the office ho found hro there. At this time tho papers were in n locker under the desk. They were burning, and ho put them out. Charles Frederick Andrews, a watchman employed by the Vacuum Oil Company said that he saw the three accused leave I rom that locality, and later he recognised Sutherland as being one ol’ the men. Accused was at that time detained by the police. Detective Kearton also gave evidence and read tho statement made by Sutherland. f l ho accused denied any knowledge of the burning paper. The statements of the other two were corroborative. • , Evidence was taken in respect to the other charges against Bleo and Sutherland, Detective Iveartou stating that ho had procured statements Horn tho accused. All three pleaded guilty, and wcr< committed to the Supremo Court foi sentence.