MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5666, 21 December 1920, Page 6

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

ALLEGED THEFT OF JEWELLERY

ACCUSED REMANDED

A charge .of breaking and entering and theft was preferred ■ against William Frank Bryant before Mr J. S. Barton, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Senior-Sergt. Quinn stated that it was alleged that the accused had entered the dwelling of Mr J. B. Greig, at Waerenga-a-liika and stolen therefrom a gold watch and cable, valued at £lO, two gold rings, valued at £35 15s, and a fountain pen valued at £1 Jb, being the property of Mrs Greig. He asked for a remand for eight days to permit of further enquiries being made. His Worship asked if it were not possible for the case to be brought on before then, pointing out that he did not want to keep the accused under arrest. over the holidays if it could be avoided. The Senior-Sergeant said he would bring the case on as early as possible. A remand was granted. On a further charge of drunkenness the accused was fined 5s and costs, in default 24 hours' imprisonment.

MAINTAIN AN CE ORDER ARREARS

A claim for payment of arrears in respect of a maintainanee order was made by Je*»sie O'Neill- (Mr Nolan) against Edward Francis O'Neill, the amount involved being £3G. The defendant denied owing the amount claimed. He admitted that an order for the payment of £2 a week had been issued against him with his consent, but stated that in addition to the £32 said to have been paid by him, he had given the plaintiff a further sum of £ls. He had a receipt for this amount somewhere but did not know if he could find it. His Worship informed the defendant that he apparently failed to realise the seriousness of the case. Unless he could either prove that he had paid the amount owing, or else show reasonable grounds for not complying with the order, he was liable to imprisonment. He would adjourn the case until the afternoon to give him an opportunity of producing the receipt for the £ls which he said had been paid. When the Court resumed in the afternoon the defendant stated that he had only been able t.o find the receipt for £12." He repeated the assertion that he had paid a further £ls, but refused to go into the box and make a statement on oath. His Worship said that under these cm rit stances he must accept the evidence of the claimant. O'Neill would lie sentenced to 21 days’ imprisonment with hard labour. The warrant would, however, be suspended if he paid £lO within a reasonable short period. Costs £3 3s were allowed.