MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Grey River Argus, 27 June 1922, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

( Before Mr W. Meltlrum, S.M.) The habitnes .of the (Magistrate’s ; Court were provided yesterday with a : varied and interesting programme. It I was very evident, by the number of ‘‘after hours’’ cases, that police activity in this direction has been revived after a period of comparative relaxat ion. STI .‘AYING STOCK. dive Kettle was charged with allowallowing a horse to wander in Johnson Street on .June Is. He was lined 7» and costs. Harry (ribbons, similarly charged in respect of the same street, pleaded not guilty, stating he was away when his horse got out. It being a second offence, Gibbons was fined 10/- and costs. Hr asked what the alternative was ami was advised by the Bench In think the matter over before deciding tn ‘‘take T. Lalor and Geo. Anderson wore lilted 10 - and costs for second offences in connection with the straying of their horses on streets within the Borough. A FT ER HOURS. Walter Barber and Goo. R. Hunter ware charged with being on licensed premises after hours on June >l7. Th” second defendant pleaded not guilty, being represented by Mr W. J. Joyce. The first defendant was also similarly charged in respect of the Union Hot-4, Wall semi on a recent Sunday. Constable Rogers, stationed at Brun tier, stated that defendant and th” others who were in his companv, had stated they were in for tea, but the > time was s.4'> p.m. As well as those he caught, there were a good number escaped, probably as many ;.s those whos” I names he took. In the box defendant stared that he had been to Blackball playing football on the Sunday in question. Owing to the large number of players in Blackball that day, his team had de cided to have tea on the road home. They had landed at the Union Hotel at about 7 p.m. The Bench opined they had stcqqii-l too long on the premises. Defendant was convicted and ordered to pay costs, j With respect to the other offence, alleged to have taken place in the : Albion Hotel, evidence was given bv I Serg'-ant Fryer as to tinding Hunter : ;On the premises. Hunter said ho had called for a parcel of sausages, j To Mr Joyce: lie diil not say ho had icalleii to see the proprietor on business. , Witness did not know whether <lefen- I il.'int had Lad ten at the hotel or not. ’ | Constable Hughes g.ve corroborative ’evidence. ! Counsel stated his client had gone into the < ote| to pay the proprietor a tsuni of money. He did a good -leal of (business with the lieensi’e, ami made : . the hot el his I.iua rt ors. I j!-..- ■ - :,..l J,,, ha,] 1,-|.| tea at the Albion Hotel, ami had left | |some parcels tlmie. Witness though; j 'the police were satisfied with his ex- | pin nat ion. On previous oei-nsimis the Ipolice had never • • nest ioiicd him. | The 8.-nch slated def<-mlunt had .a | reasonable ex<-us.-, and the Sergeant ' had been satisfied with his explana- i tion. T’he information would be dismissed. The Senior Sergeant stated th:t Bar ber had given as his excuse for beingon the premises that he had called to got some football ‘‘togs.’’ Defendant and his companion were standing at the bar, which was closed.

<'io.<s-exriiniiie<l by defen.knit, Ker- | yeni.t Fryer, who In .1 raided the pre- I misos, stated that defend ant had said j he could not get his parcel until Mr M<• b’a rlane <-ame back to his office. | in the box, defendant said he had I rushed into the hotel about seven minutes to nine, just before his train. The Beneh stat j Icfendant had been perfectly within his rights in going into the hotel for his footle’ll clothes. It ' was only a suspicious circumstance that ho had been found near the slide. Defendaiy would get the benefit of the doubt ami the information would be dismissed, as would be that against his companion. Thirteen others, all first offenders, wore convicted and ordered to pay 1 costs. A second offender was fined £1 RKCI'T’ET.’ATIOX IX GAOL. Hugh Owen app« ared on a charge of being a rogue and a vagabond. Defendant elected to be dealt with summarily ami pleaded not guilty. 'Die Senior-Sergeant stated the man had come to the (’oast last year. When he arrived he had been sleeping in sheds and had been ordered out of the town. Xow he had come back from the country, and as he was run down, and apparently unable to look after himself, he would ask that defendant, who w: s willing that such should be his treatment, should be sentenced to It days ’ imprisonment. The Bench accordingly ordered this term to be inflicted.