MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 July 1941, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

TO-DAY’S GREYMOUTH CASES. Mr. G. G. Chisholm, S.M., presided at to-day’s sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Greymoutn. Sergeant W, Cooper represented the police. . w .„. On the information of William Hughes, meat inspector and Greymouth abattoir manager, Samuel Stewart, butcher, of Greymouth, was charged that, on April 26, he did expose for sale two hindquarters of beef and one hindquarter of a pig, not killed in a registered abattoir or licensed meat export slaughterhouse, contrary to the Greymouth Borough by-laws. Mr. J. W. Hannan appeared for the informant, and Mr. E. B. E. Taylor for the defendant, who pleaded guilty. Mr. Hannan said the reasons for bringing the informations were twofold? Firstly, where meat was slaughtered at an abattoir, it was under proper inspection, to guard against disease, and secondly, when meat was killed privately, the local authority did hot receive abattoir fees.

Mr. Taylor said it was a comparatively new regulation under the bylaws. The position was that a man out at Marsden had agreed to sffll two beasts to defendant. One he had sent into the abattoir in the usual way, but he had difficulty in mustering the other, so shot it and delivered it dressed. He could have telephoned Mr. Hughes and secured permission to shoot the animal, subject to later inspection, but he overlooked this fact, and it was also overlooked by defendant. There was no suggestion that the beast concerned was in any way inferior. He dia not think a heavy penalty was sought, the case being brought as a warning. The S.M.: Is it a fact that it is only a recent provision in the by-law here? Mr. Taylor said it was included in the 1941 amending by-laws. The S.M.: I see that it is an amending by-law, but was it not included before that? . , X 1 . Mr. Hannan said that the provision had been included in the original by-laws. Defendant was fined 10/-, with 10/- costs. BLACKBALL ASSAULT.

Described by the S.M. as an extraordinary case, the hearing of a charge of common assault against Thomas Matthew Shadbolt, a miner, of Blackball, occupied the Court lor over an hour. Shadbolt, wno was represented by Mr. J. W. Hannan, pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting a 19-year-old girl at Blackball. on July 8. • n Evidence was given for the police by the girl concerned, a girl companion, a married woman and Constable R. B. Waldron, of Blackball. The defence was a demal of the allegations of the girl concerning the assaults on two occasions on the same date and the alleged improper conduct of accused which led up to the assaults. Evidence for the defence was given by accused and his wife. After hearing the evidence, the SM. said he must hold the assault to be proved. The story of the girl, as to what led to it had not been corroborated but if true, it showed a very shocking state of affairs. It was not corroborated but, at me same time he (the S.M.) felt that he did not know the whole story. Accused would be convicted of assault, but would be remanded for sentence until to-morrow morning, as he (the S.M.) was going to ask for a Probation Officer’s report, so as he could get some particulars of accused’s behaviour. On Mr. Hannan’s application, accused was released, on his own reSergeant Cooper applied for the suppression of the witnesses names, owing to the nature of the evidence. Tim S.M. said that one of the girls was only IG, and as far as she was concerned, die proceedings might be in Children’s Court. He did do. think the name of accused snould oe suppressed, but the names of the witnesses must be suppressed.