POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 21037, 26 February 1932, Page 10

POLICE COURT

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) CLARK STREeFdISTURBANCE. Not guilty was the plea of Wm, Clements, alias David Wilson, to; charges of disorderly behaviour and of using obscene language in Clark street. Constable Patterson said Clements was swinging a bar and waving his arms. He was under the influence of liquor. When arrested he used obscene in your life,” was accused’s comment when he was shown the written language. Constable Orosbie gave corroborative evidence. “ He is wrong. I wasn’t swearing, declared accused. He was sitting on the corner drinking a rigger of beer when the constable told him to go down the street. He was a little drunk, but he did not know why he was arrested. “ You must have been drunk, as you don’t remember much about it,” said the Magistrate, who fined Clements 20b, in default twenty-four hours, on the first charge and £2, in default seven days, on the second charge. SIX MONTHS’ HARD LABOUR. Erie Wm. Lindon pleaded guilty to a breach of his probation and to the following charges With stealing at Palmerston a man’s blazer, valued at £1 10s, the property of Robert Walter; with stealing at Drummond goods and money to the value of £1 6s 6d, the property of Alfred Paul; with attempting to obtain from James Ronald Gilmour at Invercargill the sum of 10s by falsely representing that ho had authority from T. A. Shearer, of Drummond, to collect. Detective-sergeant Nuttall said accused was admitted to probation on. November 13 at Invercargill on a charge of theft, and he had not reported to the probation officer since his , release. He had been sentenced at Oamaru to two months’ imprisonment for theft and false pretences. Lindon was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment with hard labour on each charge of theft and false pretence. The charge of breach of probation was struck out. PETTY THIEVING. •' A youth, Robert Morrison Davidson, pleaded guilty to stealing a bag ■ of sugar valued at 13s 4d, the property of James M'Connell. Sub-inspector Cameron said accused was employed by a baker near M'Connell’s shop. While men were shifting sugar from a store to the shop, Davidson took a bag. Davidson’s explanation was that he had been given money by his parents to buy a bag of sugar through his firm, but he conceived the , theft, hoping to make a few shillings. M'Connell had been missing parcels frorat the rear of his premises, but the youth denied any other offences. Counsel for accused said it was a case of 'sudden etemptation, accentuated by a lack of pocket money. Davidson received 7s' a week pocket money, and the theft took place at the end of the week, when his funds were low. His employer spoke highly of the youth. The Magistrate said he could not ' realise the plea of sudden temptation. v , A pocket allowance of 7s weekly was liberal, even in these days. ‘ A fine of £2 would be imposed. An application was made .for the suppression -of publication of the accused’s name. “ A chief deterrent in these cases of petty thieving is publicity,” said the Magistrate. “ I cannot suppress the name.”' ARMS ACT BREACH. William Anderson was fined 10s and costs on a charge of failing to give notice of change of address under the Arms Act, the charge of failing ‘to. produce a certificate was withdrawn. NUMBER OP OFFENCES ALLEGED. James Watson , M'lvor _ pleaded guilty to a ■ charge of obtaining £4 in money and goods to the value of 10s from Patrick Francis M'Carthy -by falsely representing that a cheque drawn on the Bank of New Zealand at Tapanui for £4 10s, and Signed by ' L. H. Graham, was a good and valid order for that amount. Detective-sergeant Nuttall said there were numerous other offences to be preferred against the accused, and he asked for a remand till March 7. This was granted. DANGEROUS DRIVING. ' Francis Edward. O’Neill pleaded not . guilty to a charge of driving a motor car in a dangerous manner.—Constable Timmins said he was on duty in King Edward street just before 2 o’clock in the morning, and he heard a crash in the direction of the Oval. On going along he saw a car facing across King Edward street at the corner of Grosvenor. It had struck a post and was damaged on the right side. It *Jiad turned completely round. The defendant was walking round the car, t and there was a young lady in it. The lady said that they had suddenly decided to turn into Grosvenor street and the defendant backed that up. When witness pointed out that the damage was on the right side defendant said he did not know the corner very well, and he had kept on turning round.—Constable Crawford gave evidence as to a statement made by defendant, in which he said he was travelling at about thirty miles an hour when approaching Park street and he slowed down to turn into Grosvenor street, but the car skidded when he applied the brakes. There was no traffic about.—A fine of £2 and costs was imposed. . Ernest Hutchen, on a similar charge, was fined £2 and costs. OFFENSIVE MATTER. Robert Walter Gill was fined 10s and eoste for casting pffensive matter. Default was fixed at twenty-four hours’ imprisonment. Thomas Albert Silver was fined 20s and costs on a similar i charge. PROHIBITED LIQUOR. John M‘Dowell, on. two charges of procuring liquor while prohibited, was fined 20s and costs on each charge. UNLICENSED WIRELESS SETS. For having wireless sets in their possession without licenses John Angus and Harold Lambeth Downing were each fined 10s and costs. • UNLAWFULLY ON LICENSED PREMISES. Henry Hames, James Matheson, sen., and James Matheson, jun., pleaded guilty to charges of being unlawfully on licensed premises after hours. Herbert Charles Mduntney, the licensee of the Bay View Hotel, pleaded guilty to selling liquor after hours. Mountney was fined £5 and costs, and the others were each fined 20s and costs. John Joseph Reynolds was fined 20s and costs for being unlawfully in the Criterion Hotel after hours. • ELDERLY MAN CHARGED. Charles M'Androw, an elderly man, was charged with attempting to iniicontly assault a male. Detective-sergeant Nuttall said the fiffence was alleged to have been pom-

mitted last night, and the accused was arrested this morning. He therefore asked for a remand till March 7. This was granted. BY-LAW BREACHES. George Lyon Barnett Brundell was fined 10s and costs for driving a motor cycle without a light. For leaving her motor car unattended Winifred A. Blackie was fined 10s and costs. Dangerous driving of a motor car cost Rudolph William Christenson, who pleaded not guilty, 20s and costs. George Brooks, jun., was fined 10s and costs for driving a motor lorry without a reflector, the Magistrate saying defendant’s father, who owned the lorry, could pay the fine. .For passing a stationary tramcar. James Granston was fined 20s and costs. Similarly charged, William James M'Faul was fined 20s and costs. Charged with causing an obstruction with a motor car, James Thomas Dunn was fined 20s and costs. Alfred Herring was fined 10s and costs for driving without a license. For failing to register a motor trailer William Edward Greaves was fined 10s and costs. Herbert Heatherington Pictou was fined 10s and costs for failing to give way to traffic approaching on his right. For leaving cars not parallel with the road William Henry Allen, William Borlase, James Robert Kedzlie, William Cramond Parsons, and Matthew T. Spence were fined 10s and costs. Similarly • charged, Russell Howard Stewart, William G. Rowlands, and John W. H. Clarke were each fined 5s and costs. „ , in Raymond T. Padman was fined 10s and costs for driving an unlighted motor Ca Alan Joseph Turnbull was fined 10s and costs on a charge of dangerous driving. , , , George Victor Murdock, on a charge of failing to supply the name of a driver of a motor car which had committed an offence, was fined 10s and costs. Charles S, Hunst was charged with leaving his car unattended m Stuart street. Defendant wrote a letter stating that the parking areas were full. His Worship said there was not much ordinary traffic in Stuart street after 8 p.m. Inspector M'Nicoll said several parking places were handy. Defendant was fined court costs (10s). William Edward M'Dowell was fined 20s and costs on a charge of dangerous K. Ramsay and Geoffrey M. M. Reid were each fined 10s and costs for leaving cars unattended in Stuart St Riding a noisy motor cycle cost William Edward Thomas Rendall os and CO John William Smith Wood was convicted and ordered to pay costs for using a motor lorry without a heavy traffic license. , THREATENING BEHAVIOUR CHARGE. John Charles Duke. M'Ara pleaded not guilty to a charge of behaving in a threatening manner within view ot a public place. , , • Harold Day, a porter employed in the railway goods shed, said that about 4 30 p.m. on February 3 he went into the goods shed and saw the defendant in Wharf street in his motor car. He had a friend with him. Witness learned that -defendant was inquiring for him, and witness stood outside the door. Defendant came towards him and said: “ I want a piece of you.” There had •been a dispute between witness and defendant’s mother over a property at Pine Hill. Witness’s companion advised witness to go away, and witness walked along Wharf street to a hut where the porters left their clothes. Defendant followed him, -and witness said he would have nothing to do with him on railway property. Witness turned round, and defendant sent him sprawling into the hut. He had no opportunity of defending himself, lo counsel, witness said he saw the police the same night. He told the police he was hit in the back as he was turning round, when he received the blow. M'Ara and his mother had been to witness’s place earlier in the morning for money which he had already given defendant’s brother. He then ordered them off the place. He had not seen the defendant before and he had not told anyone he would “ have a piece of him.” Harold Thomas Anderson, a porter employed in the goods shed, said he was in the hut, and Day asked him if he would stand by him. He did not see Day struck, but saw him knocked through the door. There was a scuffle on the floor. Robert Logan, another porter, said he saw Day coming towards the hut, and he heard M'Ara say “ We’ll have it here,” but Day said ho would have nothing to do with him on railway premises, and he turned to go into the hut and he sprawled in. Counsel for M'Ara submitted that the case should be dismissed, as there was no evidence of threatening behaviour; but the magistrate held that a man being knocked through a door constituted threatening behaviour. ‘ Defendant said he resided at Mataura, and was in Dunedin on a week’s holiday. He detailed the events of a visit to Day’s place in the morning and those leading up to his visit to the goods shed, where Day said he wanted to have a “ pop ” at witness. Day walked towards the hut, and then came towards witness in a threatening attitude, and witness defended himself. He did not go to the goods shed to fight, but for business. To the sub-inspector, witness said that when Day eame towards him in a threatening attitude witness struck him and knocked him through the door. Day came outside, took off his coat, and the fight started. He did not know how they both got inside, but supposed more blows were struck. David Gallager, worker in the goods sheds, also gave evidence. (Proceeding.)