POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 21821, 10 September 1934, Page 12

POLICE COURT

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10. (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. Alfred Edward Arundalo was lined 12s 6d, in default twenty-four hours’ imprisonment. UNLICENSED RADIO. Eleanor Childs, who appeared voluntarily, was fined 15s and court costs 3s. THEFT OF SKINS. A young man, whoso name was suppressed in the meantime, pleaded guilty to stealing 600 rabbit skins, valued at £ls 15s. Chief-detective Young said that in Central Otago, between August 18 and 22, the accused had taken the skins from the complainant’s fence while they were drying. Tho matter was reported to the police, and it was found that the accused had left the district. Later it was ascertained that he had sold 600 skins in Dunedin and had been paid £ll 17s Id by cheque. He was afterwards located up country, where in an interview with the police he admitted he had gone to the complainant’s house and had stolen the skins from a line.

The accused, who was unrepresented by counsel, alleged that the complainant had stolen his skins, and that the local constable had made him return them. His (accused’s) only reason for stealing complainant’s skins was that he thought lie would put it across him.” He had complained to the constable about the complainant taking his skins, but had been informed that it was more of a civil case.

The Chief Detective : This is the first 1 have heard of it, sir. He made no mention of it in his statement.' “ I should like inquiries made about this,” said the magistrate. The accused was remanded till Friday on his own recognisance on condition that he reports daily to the police. ' MAINTENANCE CASES. The arrears were remitted in the cases of William George Buckley, a relief worker, who applied for a variation of a maintenance order and for the remission of the arrears. Gordon Alexandra Spedding was proceeded against by his wife in respect to an application for separation, maintenance and guardianship orders. Mr E. J. Anderson appeared for the complainant and Mr O. G. Stevens for the defendant. The complainant said she was afraid of her husband and would never return to him. They had been living apart for four and a-half years and she was living with her parents. Mr Stevens alleged that the trouble was due to interference by the complainant’s mother, and the defendant gave evidence along these lines. His Worship said that when the case had Men before the court previously he had adjourned it in the hope that a reconciliation might be brought about. However, it now seemed that no good purpose could be served by adjourning the matter further. A separation order would be granted in respect to the charge of wilful failure to maintain, but he would not consider granting maintenance greater than the present order.