POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 21711, 4 May 1934, Page 5

POLICE COURT

FRIDAY, MAY 4. (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) CYCLIST SEEKS LOWEST FINE RATE. William Torrance Doig was charged with riding a motor cycle without a license. Senior-sergeant Mac Lean said that the defendant had purchased the cycle recently, and it was discovered that he had no license when he was stopped on account of' his lights being defective. He could have been charged on this count, too, but the senior sergeant believed that the situation would be met with the no-license charge. “Which charge would'yon rather be convicted on?” asked the magistrate. “Which is the cheaper?” naively inquired the defendant, amidst laughter. Doig was fined 5s and costs (3s) for not having the necessary lights. FALSE UNEMPLOYMENT STATEMENT. Albert John Daniel Smith admitted a charge of making a false statement under the Unemployment Act. Chief-detective Young said that this was one of the usual charges. Until February 2 Smith was in receipt of sustenance allowance. It was then ascertained that he had made a number of false statements over a period. He had entered his returns as nil, whereas he had been working for a marine dealer buying scrap metal. He received £1 15s by this method. Smith had been very frank about' the matter, and was a man of good character. He was married, with three young children. Since this irregularity he had not received anything from the Unem-, ployment Board. He was fined 10s and costs. BY-LAW BREACHES. Charles Ernest Smith, who made a voluntary appearance on a charge of driving a car without lights, was fined court costs’ (3s). For permitting cattle to wander on a main highway at Henley, Edward Henderson and Robert Dugan, as partners, were fined 20s and costs. Alfred Eckhold was convicted and discharged for being an unlicensed motor cyclist and was fined 20s and costs for riding an unlighted cycle. Edward Kennedy was fined 5s and costs for using an unlighted trailer. Henry William Luke Tait, for operating an over-loaded vehicle, was fined £1 and costs. , James Bernard Brown was fined 5s and costs for not leaving his motor truck under proper control. James Ballantyne Hislop, who was represented by Mr E. J. Anderson, pleaded not guilty to charges of negligent driving and failing to give a signal indicating he was about to turn. The defendant turned from Princes street into Water street and became involved in a slight collision with a tram. The charge of failing to signal was dismissed, and the other was amended to one of failing to give way to traffic approaching on the right, the defendant being fined 10s and costs (14s).