ROUSE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 23508, 23 February 1940, Page 2

ROUSE COURT

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23. (Before -Mr H. W. Bundle, S.AI.) DR FAKING AND FNTEIRING CHARGF, John Michael M'Gurrin was charged witli breaking and entering the shop of Alf. Walker by night and stealing a slug pistol, valued at 355. Sergeant F. Johnson, in applying for a remand till February 28, said that the accused was arrested last night, and at least one other charge was pending. He admitted the offence. A remand was granted till February 28. REMAND GRANTED. Colin George APCrone, who w’as represented by Mr R. A. King, was charged with assaulting William Stewart so as to cause him actual bodily harm. On the application of Sergeant F. Johnson, a remand was granted until March 15, bail being allowed in self of £25 and one surety of £25, conditional upon the accused reporting once weekly to the police at Oamaru or Dunedin. An application by Air King for suppression of the accused’s name was refused by the magistrate. THEFT OF PETROL. “ This was a most despicable theft,” said the Magistrate in respect of Stanley Seymour Vinicombe and John Adelwin Williamson, who pleaded guilty to the theft on February 17 of two gallons of petrol, valued at 4s lOd, the property of Eric William Clement. Vinicombe was represented by Air J. C. Alowat and Williamson by Air 0. G. Stevens. Detective-sergeant Hall said that the two young men had been out in an old motor car, which belonged to Vinicombe, during the evening of February 16, and in the early hours of the morning they were returning to their homes and drove the car to Alayfield Avenue, near the Belleknowes links, where they parked it. They took a tin and wont to complainant’s car, from which they took some benzine and put it in the tin. AVhilo at the back of complainant’s car, they were disturbed, and ran away, leaving their car in the street. Constable Hedwig made investigations, and although both at first denied the offence, they subsequently admitted it, although it was not until this morning .that Williamson advised he was going to plead guilty. Air Alowat said that Vinicombe was only 19, and this was his first appearance before the court. The possession of the car was probably the root of the whole trouble. In view of the accused’s youth, counsel suggested suppression of the name. Air Stevens said that one realised this was a particularly shabby and contemptible - type of offence, but in jnitigation it might be said that Williamson, who was 23 years of age, was of a weak type, and easily led. Air Stevens also made an application for suppression of his client’s name. The Magistrate said that if the accused were older ho would have had no hesitation in imposing a sharp penalty. In view of their youth and previous record, they would be admitted to probation for 12 months, conditional on their abstaining from liquor during that time. They were also prohibited from driving. The application for suppression of their names was refused. CHARGE DISAIISSED. A charge against Ernest Arnold Annand of being in possession of a firearm without a permit was dismissed, the magistrate accepting defendant’s explanation that ho had been going to make use of the firearm for starting cycling races. CYCLISTS FINED. For riding uulightcd bicycles George Pol worth was fined 10s and costs, and Herbert Elliot Renshaw and Arthur Albert Peterson 5s and costs. CHIMNEY FIRE. For permitting a chimney to catch fire William Hey was fined 7s 6d and costs. DRUNK AND DISORDERLY CHARGE. Cecil Johnston pleaded guilty to behaving in a disorderly manner while drunk, within view of a public place, Sergeant F. Johnson stating that the defendant, who was in a drunken condition, made a violent attack upon his wife, taking her by the hair, and every time she tried to rise he knocked her down again. There was no evidence that the wife was seriously injured, but the defendant’s conduct was shocking, especially in view,, of a public place. The defendant was fined 20s and costs. MOTORISTS CHARGED. William Grey Henderson was fined £2 and costs on a charge of dangerous driving, and for tailing to stop at the signal of a constable he was fined £2 10s and costs, the Alagistrate ordering that the conviction bo endorsed on the defendant’s license. Andrew Robert Wales was convicted and discharged on a charge of negligent driving. For driving without duo care and attention Richard Joseph Keogh was fined 20s and costs. Fines for dangerous driving wore imposed as follows :—Gerald Ireland Black, £2 and costs; John Richardson, £2 10s and costs, and Andrew Smaill, £4 and costs. For exceeding a speed of 30 miles an hour Victor Alexander George Daniel was fined £2 and costs; William Ashley Bartlett 18s and costs (12s) ; Hector Louden Strang, £2 and costs. For exceeding the heavy traffic speed limit of 25 miles an hour George Kennard was fined £2 5s and costs. For having no warrants of fitness Hector Ralph Gill, Janies M‘Nulty, William Christopher AVix, and William Henry Adamson Were each fined 10s and costs; and Raymond Smart was fined 15s and costs. W illiam Allan Lynn was fined £2 10s and costs for driving with defective brakes, and ho was convicted and discharged for having no warrant of fitness. Angus Alfred Alackay was fined 20s and costs for exceeding 30 miles per hour, and he was convicted and discharged for being an unlicensed motor driver. John Neilson was fined £2 and costs on a charge of dangerous driving, and for having no warrant of fitness he was convicted and discharged. George Bell was fined 10s and costs for having no warrant of fitness, and for riding a motor cycle without a headlight he was convicted and fined costs (10s). Frank John Smith, who was charged with being an unlicensed motor driver, was fined 5s and costs. For driving without due care and attention Frederick Pink was fined 20s and costs. Albert Edward Alarks. wbo was charged with being an unlicensed motor driver, was convicted and ordered to pay costs (10s).