POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 20309, 18 October 1929, Page 12

POLICE COURT

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18. (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) NO NUMBER PLATES. John M. Paterson was charged with driving a motor cycle without having any number plates. A fine of 5s and costs was imposed. CHIMNEY FIRE. Ernest Davies was fined 10s and costs for allowing his chimney to go on fire. OFFENSIVE MATTER. George Garland was charged with casting offensive matter in the Queen’s Gardens, and was fined 40s and costs. MINUS A PERISCOPE. Robert V. Hodgson was charged with operating a motor cycle without a reflector or. periscope. Ho was further charged with being an unlicensed driver. On the charge of having no license he was fined 5s and costs, and on the other he was convicted and discharged. On a charge of having no periscope or reflector, Colin Howisou was fined 5s and costs. Ernest Jenson was dealt with similarly. SUNDAY TRADING CHARGES DISMISSED. Reserved decision was given in the case in which Hugh and G. K. Neill were charged with selling goods on a Sunday, and also with exposing goods for sale on a Sunday. At the hearing Mr P. S. Anderson appeared for the deefndants. After reviewing the evidence, His Worship said the first charge involved personal service, and must be dismissed, and on the charge of exposing, the films were hidden in the body of the machine, and were not visible. That charge was also dismissed. UNATTENDED CARS. The following were fined 5s and costs for leaving cars unattended for longer than fifteen minutes;—Albert M. Harris, Alfred William Duncan. Sydney G. Angell, Alexander Gassie, George William Collie, Jack Collins, Albert Corkesley, John Thomas Cooper, William Gillanders, Thomas Irvine, Robert L. Jones, Leslie Marshall. John C. Mowat. Joi n M'Donald, Athol M‘Kay, Ernest Oscar Lees, Charles Parnell, Herbert F. Payton, Hugh A. Salmon. Sydney A. Sheen, and Hugh Sutherland. For similar offences Arthur Mills, Frank Barnett, and Lewis Herura were fined 5s and no costs. _ In the case of Walter Scott, a conviction only was entered. IMPROPERLY PARKED. For leaving a motor car not parallel with the road in the Lower Octagon, Leonard Bates was fined 5s and costs. Oscar R. Cooper, who also left his car in the Lower Octagon at an angle to flic kerb, was fined 5s and costs. Walter G. Richards was also fined Gs and costs for leaving his car in the same place and in the same way. FAILURE TO STOP AT SIGNAL. Albert MTvcaggc was charged with fnil'iig to drive a motor cycle near the left side of the road. Ho was further charged with failing to stop at the signal of a traffic inspector. Traffic inspector M'Niehol said that defendant drove along Princes street south by tlie Grand Picture Theatre on the wrong side of the road. An inspector tried to stop him, and defendant passed within six feet of the inspector, but cleared off. On the charge of failing to stop at the signal of a traffic inspector, a fine of 30s and costs was imposed, and on the other charge defendant was fined court costs (10s). UNLIGHTED CARS. For being in charge of an unlighted motor car John Barnes was fined 5s and costs. Thomas Charles Stewart was also fined 5s and costs for a similar offence. INSUFFICIENT SILENCER. Arthur Brown pleaded guilty to driving a motor cycle without an efficient silencer and was fined 10s and costs. DANGEROUS DRIVING. Robert Johnson was charged with dangerous driving. Traffic Inspector Watson that defendant drove south along George street and over the Hanover street intersection at a speed of thirty miles an hour. A fine of 40s. witness’s expenses 10s, and court costs 1.3 s was imposed. NO LICENSES. Henri Arthur Hurt was fined 5s and costs for driving a motor lorry without a license to do so. Charles Leonard Finer was charged with permitting an unlicensed motor car to be used, and was lined court costs. 10s. INCOME TAX RETURNS. Harry AVilliam Carrington was charged with failing to make a return of income tax. He was represented by Mr Hanlon, and Mr Taylor prosecuted. Mi Hanlon said that Carrington, although liable under the Act, was really a, victim of circumstances, because a firm of accountants did his work for him, and they prepared those statements, and he just signed them. Unfortunately, that firm appeared to do a lot of ' business in that particular line, and had a host of returns to prepare, and did them in order. It got behind, and defendant now found himself called upon to answer the charge. The accountants themselves approached the Commissioner of Taxes, stating that they took the blame and asking if he could see bis way to stop the proceedings, but the commissioner said the case must go on. Mr Hanlon suggested that it was a case for the minimum penalty, and Carrington would make other arrangement to have the returns furnished. The Magistrate; Perhaps the accountants will pay this. Mr Hanlon: I do not know that they will. My friend and 1 agree that that is what should be done, but there is no obligation on them to do so. A” fine of £2 was imposed, with court costs (10s), and Crown solicitor’s fco (£3 3s). NEGLIGENT DRIVING. Alexander Kingsl'ord Emslie was charged with having a motor cycle without a silencer, and also with negligent driving.—Sub-inspector Cummings said the defendant had been in court before, but the matter of the silencer was now fixed up.—The defendant pleaded guilty to negligent driving, the sub-inspector stating that one morning the defendant did thirty miles an hour along the Anderson’s Bay road—too fast. The defendant was fined 40s and costs on the charge of negligent driving, and on the other he was convicted and discharged. Ervan Cay ford was charged with negligently driving a motor car, Mr J. bYtTiouis'oh appearing for him.—Subinspector Cummings said that the defendant had knocked down two women at, the tram stop in Anderson’s Bay road, while the intending passengers were* walking across the road to board a tram.—Mr Thomson said _ that the "immediate cause. of the accident was that the stepped o,:;k in front of the car. The defendant v.ns guilty because he had driven too" close without letting them -eo him. However, the women were not altogether blameless, because the defendant

was in their view lor some time, He was driving slowly, and it was understood that the injuries were substantially the result of shock.—Sub-inspector Gumming said that the deiendant tendered all assistance possible, However, he did not sound his horn. —A fine of £3 and costs was imposed. RAILWAY TRAVELLERS. Alexander Harkncss, James Arthur Lee, and Albert Adolphus Reeves, who wore defended by Mr E. J. Anderson, pleaded not guilty to travelling first class on a second class railway ticket. George Edward Harris, railway porter at Dunedin, said lie assisted the guard on the Port Chalmers train to take the tickets. On August 22 the defendants were on a- train, and were sitting down in a first class carriage. They said they did not have first class tickets. Witness said they were still in the train after Burkes, and they would not pay the extra fare (difference between the first and second class fares). They said he had no right to ask for tickets after the train had been cheeked. To Mr Anderson : Witness denied that ho had taken the defendant’s tickets between Dunedin and Ravensbnnrne, He did not see two High School boys and 'four working youths in this particular carriage. The carriage was empty in the first place. William George Steadman was also assisting in the collection of tickets on the train. He asked defendants for their tickets, but they would not produce them, though one man showed a green privilege ticket which he knew to be a second class ticket. To Mr Anderson, witness said he had been told at Ravenshourno that some men had gone into a first class carriage. Reeves, in evidence, said it was a dirty wet night, and their usual carriage was full. He looked in the first class carriage and saw two High School hoys and four working youths there, so he am! his companions went in. Shortly after Harris came through, examined ins ticket, and punched the tickets ot Lee and Harkncss. The other passengers got out at Ravenshourno, leaving The three of them in the carriage. After leaving Ravensbonrne Harris came straight up to them “ like a raving hull.” Witness had no opportunity to explain anything Harris told them they would cither have to pay, the extra fare or get out of the carriage. The discussion lasted till Burkes was readied, when they left the carriage and stood on the platform in the rain for the rest of the journey. On the following night tho gnnvd took their names and addresses. Flio car was a verv old one, and was first class in name only. To the sub-inspector, witness said that he made an explanation to the guard, which was referred to the district traffic manager and to the station master, who refused to accept it. When the guard spoko to him he offered to pay the fare, but the guard refused to accept it then. Harkncss ami Lee corroborated Reeves’s evidence. Mr Anderson submitted that there was no ease to answer, as no demand was made for the additional fare, but that the men wore given the option of leaving the carriage. < His Worship said he thought the defendants honestly went into the first class carriage as they stated, and the trouble arose through their not leaving the carriage when requested to do so. He did not wish to enter a conviction which might have a serious effect from their point of view. Hey thought the case would be met- by dismissing t*io charge subject to the payment ot courtcosts'(los). IMPORTUNING. Nora Foley (Mr J. P. Ward) pleaded guilty to a charge for importuning passers-by in High street. Sub-inspector Cummings said that the accused had been under observation for two months, and had been seen associating with men of low repute. This morning at 1.30 she was seen by Sergeant Wade to accost a man in High street. The accused gave no explanation, but said she had been drinking. She was employed in domestic service at Caversham. Mr Ward said that her ease was not similar to those others which had been recently before the court. Drink had led her into the trouble, for when she was in liquor she did not know whom ; she spoke to. She strenuously denied ; that she was guilty of prostitution, hut | in view of the fact that she had been approaching so many people she would have to plead guilty. She had two brothers in New Zealand, and there was one at Ashburton who was quite willing to take her into his home and look after her. The accused undertook | to go to her brother. Counsel sug- i gested that she should be allowed to do this. I

His Worship intimated that ho would 1)0 willing to adopt this course if a medical examination proved satisfactory. When the medical certificate was produced His Worship convicted the accused and ordered her to come up for sentence if called upon, a condition beng that she goes to her brother and takes out a prohibition order.