MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 May 1931, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

TO-DAY’S GREYMOUTH CASES. Mr AV. Meldrum, S.M., i presided at to-day’s sitting of the Greymouth Court, and Senior-Sergeant C. E. Roach represented the police. An offender for drunkenness was convicted and fined 5/-, the amount of his bail. Fifteen statutory first offenders, caught on licensed premises after hours, were each convicted and ordered to pay costs. Two second offenders were each fined £l, with costs, and a third offender was fined £2, with costs. Edward Henry McGuigan pleaded not guilty to being unlawfully on the premises of the Cobden Hotel, at 9.30 p.m. on April 18, and stated that he went there to see a boarder about a quote for some timber. After hearing the evidence, the S.M. stated that defendant should have looked for the man before 6 p.m. He took the risk, and went to the hotel after hours. The explanation was not satisfactory, and defendant would be convicted and ordered to pay 10/- costs. Alex. Cox was fined 5/-, with 10/costs, for riding an unlighted motor cycle along Mackay Street, after sunset.

On a charge of delivering a revolver to an unknown person, without a permit, George C. McNabb was convicted, without penalty. He stated that he gave the revolver away, and did hot know that he was committing an offence. The weapon was old and rusted, and he did not think it could be fired.

Charged with killing imported game, a hare, at Kotuku on April 12, Frank Matson did not appear. Michael Kinsella Molloy, John Molloy, and Constable Rodgers gave evidence for the prosecution. Defendant was fined £l, with 18/- Court costs and £1 9/10 witnesses’ expenses.

Thomas Leach, who was charged with the theft of coal valued at 1/-, the property of the Government, did not appear. Constable Henrickson stated that at 10.15 p.m. on April 13, ■he saw defendant walking along the wharf with a sugar bag full of coal. He stated that he picked it up between the trucks. The Senior-Sergeant said that coal dropped off the trucks during shunting operations. Defendant was fined 10/-. When Thomas Benjamin Jackson appeared on a charge of theft on April 22, of £4 8/-, the property of the Jnangahua branch of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, Mr W. J. Joyce stated that the informant, Milan Pupich had communicated with him. Under the circumstances, he did not feel inclined to offer any evidence. The charge was dismissed. RANGER ASSAULTER Two charges were laid against John Ballock: (1) That, on April 16, at North Beach, he assaulted Robert Thomas Roper, ranger for the Cobden Town Board; (2) that he rescued a horse, seized for the purpose of being impounded. Defendant pleaded not guilty, and was represented by Mr W. J. Joyce. Roper said that, about 6.40 a.m., he found three horses wandering at the corner of Bright Street and the North Beach, one of them being owned by a son of defendant. He took one horse to the pound, and returned for the others. Defendant and his son came along in a car, and the son claimed the horse. Witness said he could have it if the poundage fee of 2/- were paid. Defendant then jumped out of the car and demanded the horse. He took off his coat, hat, and dinner-bag, and struck witness three times, knocking him into the gorse. Defendant o then took the horse, and handed it over to his son, dragging the rope out of witness’s hand. He did not retaliate when Ballock struck him. The fee was not paid, and he did not get his rope back until the same evening, when he found that it had been thrown over his gate.

To Mr Joyce: Defendant did not offer to pay the fee in the evening, and did not accuse witness of allowing another person’s horse to wander. He denied using obscene language to Bailock. The horse did not pull him into the gorse.

Roper’s 12-year-old son, and Constable Kearney, gave evidence for the prosecution. Defendant said that he was a miner, employed at Dobson. He had no money with him at the time, but offered to pay the poundage fee that evening. Roper used obscene language, and said that the horse was always on the road. He denied striking Roper, and said that he never lifted his hand, and did not take his coat or dinnerbag off/ He would be 66 years of age this year, and it was too much for him to fight nowadays. The horse pulled Roper into the gorse. Roper then handed the horse over to witness’s son, and told him to put it in the paddock. “What made the horse pull back and throw him into the gorse?” asked the S.M.

Defendant replied that a horse would naturally pull back when anyone opened the door and stepped out of a ear. James and John Ballock, sons of defendant, gave corroborative evidence. The S.M. said that there was a direct conflict of evidence. Roper said that he was struck by defendant, and the latter said that Roper was pulled into the gorse by the horse when it broke away. Defendant admitted that he jumped out of the car, and frightened the horse. It appeared to bo clear that defendant attempted to rescue the horse, using a little force in the matter. The horse was not handed over by Roper of his own accord. The assault was not very serious, but. it was interference with the ranger when he was carrying out his dr.ty. Defendant would be fined 10/- on the assault charge, and fined 10/- on the second charge, with 16/- Court costs and 10/6 witnesses’ expenses.

MAINTENANCE DEFAULTER. Failure to obey an order for the maintenance of his child was the charge against William Low, the arrears to January 19 amounting to £lB 15/6. Defendant said that he was working only two days per week, under the unemployment relief scheme. He was out of work for 11 months prior to January, as he could not find employment. He was now living with, his people, and could not make any offer. The S.M.: What about your child in the meantime? How is it to live? “I can hardly live myself,” said defendant.

The S.M.: It is your child, and you have a responsibility to maintain it. You are living with your people, and getting plenty to* eat. What is the

child to do?—I am only getting 9/per day on relief work. The child is unable to earn anything. It is youi* responsibility to maintain it. What are you prepared to offer? You have to face your responsibility. You have got to get a move on, and do something. If you bring children into the world, you have got to maintain them. Defendant said that he could make no offer at present. If he could get three days’ work per week, he would try to pay something. The S.M. sentenced Low to one month’s imprisonment, the warrant not to issue so long as he pays 10/- per week in reduction of the arrears, in addition to the payments under the original order, made on December 8, 1930.