GREY MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 June 1914, Page 8

GREY MAGISTRATE'S COURT

MONDAY, JUNE 29th, 19i4. (Before J. G. L. Hewitt, Esq., S.M.) PIGS ON SACRED GROUND. James''..Bourke (jtnir.-) was' charged (on (he information of W. Urquhprt, Chairman of Trustees of the Cobden Cemetery) with allowing his pigs to trespass in the Cohcbu Cemetery on Jum« 15th, the information being laid undtr the Cemeicries Act. Defendant .did not appear.. The informant said the damage done was that a pitch 20ft by 40ft had been looted in, two craves desecrated, glass wreaths broken, and other damage done. The defendant was Jiabb under the Cemeteries Act to u fine of £5 for each swine fbHnd f re-passing. The Act gave the trustees no power to claim for damages. Tn answer to his Worship, witness said the "round had been rooted down to the skincrln. It would take a man two rlavs in !?vd, H again. Witness himself had only ss-cn one pit; in (he cemetery. He ••n"kl call witnesses to prove that five swine belonging to defendant had so tre?passcd, but ho did not wish to he vindictive'and asked for a nominal penaltv. His Worshiri inflicted n f ">e of £2. MAINTENANCE. At his mother's request, a .-on was ordered to contribute 2s 6d weekly towards her support. BY-LAW CASES. William Bloman was fined 5s for riding a bicvele on a footpath (Preston Road) within the Borough of Greymouth. DEFENCE CASES. > Knells E. Olson was charged with failing to attend drill as required by the Defence Act. . , , Sergeant-Major Gray stated that it had boon found that defendant had left th* district/ Like many others, when summoned, he wrote the Department. A fine of £1 was imposed, defendant having already been fined £5 for not a! tending camp. Porcy Mills, charged with failing to attend the annual training, camp at Kowai on April 20th, was convicted and fined £5. Herbert Samuel Michel, for failing to attend camp, an adjourned ease. The defendant stated at the previous hearing that he "had written to Col. Richardson,

asking for leave. Sergean-Major Gray said he had written to the colonel, who replied that de- • fondant had been excused from the first camp, b'-t not from the casual camp. The defendant pleaded that he was an. tible to attend c a™P ownig to his father's illness. ' . . The ease was again adjourned to allow defendant to prove that his father's condition was so critical as (o make it mvßsary and proper for defendant to remain at home and attend to him, his Worship stating he would require a doctor's certificate "in the direction indicated. The following were fined £5 each on charges of failing to attend camp: Geo. Robinson, William .Henry Ward, lto'-<>rt James Bradley, and William Joseph Barrow (£3 15s and £1 15s e.ypenses). BREACH OF ORDER.

Harry Gibbons was charged (!) w'th being on licensed premises at Maori Gully on the 14th inst. during the hours the .Act required such premises to be closed ; also (2) that on the same date and ai ,' same place he was on licensed premises during the currency of a prohibition order. , Mr F. D. Sargent appeared on belnli of defendant, Counsel stated that defendant could not appear, as he was a stock drover and had to get cattle through the Borough before 11 a.m. to avoid \i breach of the by-laws. His Worship: He is afraid, then, ol breaking the by-laws, but evidently not of breaking the Licensing Act. Constable Anderson said the excuse defendant gave was that he was on licensed premises to see a drover. The time was Si'iidav afternoon. To Mr Sanrent.—The defendant was a stock drover,' and in going up and down the Coast might have, on the day in question, gone to the hotel for meals. Deferdant said he was there to see George Mallinson, another drover. William Mallinson did come up the street a few minutes after. To Sergeant Egan.—Defendant did not explain that he was at the hotel for the purpose of obtaining meals. His Worship said he intended to put on a pretty stiff fine. In view of previous convictions he fined defendant £5 on the charge of breach of an order, no fine beincc imposed on the charge of being on licensed premises during prohibited hours.