COURT NEWS

Grey River Argus, 7 April 1927, Page 2

COURT NEWS

FISHING LICENSE PROSECUTION. WAIROA, April 6. At the Police irCourt to-day, A. Ale-x’.-io was convicted without line for not taking out a special fishing license at Waikaremoana. The Tourist Depart ment did not press for a penalty, as it is not generally known that ordinary Dominion licenses are unavailable o-, the Lake, where special ones are necessary. CARGO 3,’JLLA GIX G. AL’CKLAX’D, April G A steward on the Aliddlesex will b< sentenced to-niurrow on a charge () < receiving a quantity of clothing and two handbags, valued at f(j lus. The charges related to a cargo pillaging case in connection with which a num bei of men have been sent to prison. GAOL FOR FRAUD. AVELLIX'GTOX, April G Three months in gaol was imposed on Ernest Hodge, alias Wilson, 32. who, received ’deposits and failed to account to his employers for £G 15s. He was engaged as advertising can vessel- on a commission basis, and had been previously convicted on two charges. CHEQUE FRAUDS. WELLINGTON, April 6. Edward William King, canvasser, Wellington, pleaded guilty, before Air I’age, 5.A1.., on four charges of false pretences in respect of cheques pre sented to an Auckland publican and disiionoured. Counsel said restitution would be made if accused were granted probation. Accused was remanded for sentence to-morrow. TARPAULIN THEFT WELLINGTON, April 4 “'These thefts were not committed through necessity. AU four accuse 1 are working, and they planned and calculated the offences, ” said Chief JecLective Ward in the Alagistrate’s Court, when Percy Richard Green, a green grocer, aged 42, Percy Edmondson. a seaman, aged 40, William Al ’Kay, a labourer, aged 45, and James Whitelaw, another labourer, aged 37, .jointly pleaded guilty to having stolen tlu-ee tarpaulins, a roll of canvas, ami three drums of paint, at. a total value of £3l, the property oi*

the Union Steam Ship Company. Gieen and Edmondson also admitted a further charge of having stolen two drums of paint and a drum of oil, worth £lO, the property of the same i company. Counsel, in asking for leniency, told the court that their clients committed the thefts as a result of a drinking bout. Observing that he could not look lightly on the offences, Mr E. Page. S.M., sentenced all four ac< use<l to months’ imprisonment on the first charge. A similar sentence, to be served concurrently with the first, ?vas imposed on Green and Edmondson on the other charge. BLUE JACKETS CHARGED.

AUCKLAND, April 4. The football season is here. Five bluejackets were playing a game in I Queen street the other night with a cushion taken from a motor car. As a sequel to this one of the Jack Tars was arrested oh a charge of stealing a cushion valued, at 2s Bd, the property of James Alitchell Paul. The accused was Harry Hollier, a stoker on the Philomel, and he was represented by Air Tong He pleaded not guilty. Air Paul said that he left his ca" parked in Queen street about ID o’clock last night. On returning lie noticed that the controls had been interfered with, and when asked by a police sergeant whether he had missed Anything from his car Jie discovered that a cushion had been taken.

George Metcalf, the next witness, said he saw five sailors near the car. One was trying to crank the engine, while another bluejacket was inside the car. They were unable to start the engine. One sailor then took the cushion out and started playing foot, ball with it in Queen street. Witness informed a policeman, who found the accused with the cushion in his possession. AU the sailormen -were under the influence of liquor at the time. Constable Smith said that -when ho came on the scene he saw the five sailors having a game of football with the cushion. When tlioy were observed Hollier picked the cushion up and walked away. He at first said he found the cushion, but later ad niitted having taken it from the car. The five men were under the influence of drink.

Air Hunt: I’m going to reduce the charge to one of mischief. I don’t want to convict the accused for theft. He’s only a young chap, but on the charge of mischief he will be fined 50s. lie can pay 10s and can collect 10s each from the other four men who wer-e with him. The whole thing was larrikinism, and nothing morq. A naval officer who was present in the coyrt informed the Magistrate that Hollier had a very good record in the navy. BOY ’S IMPULSES. SLEEPING SICKNESS SEQUEL. CHRISTCHURCH, April 4. At the Children’s Court to-day a lad of 16 admitted two charges of stealing bicycles. When tlie hoy was eight years old he contracted lethargic encephalitis, commonly known as sleeping sickness. Medical evidence showed that it is necessary to place the boy under some restraint through no home for the “half-way” cases being available. Tho Court had to commit the boy to the Borstal Institute. Air H. A. Young, S.Af., and Mrs A. E. Herbert, J.P., were on the Bench. It was stated that until the conti action of the complaint, in 1919, the boy was healthy and normal, but the! effect of the disease was to leave him! subject to irresistible impulses, and) There was little hope of that condition 1 of affairs impraving,' Rathet was

there a likelihood of th.- mental fibre of the youth snapping altogether. It seemed that the only thing to do was to have the lad committed to the Borstal Institute, where it might be possible to have him segregated from criminal youths and given special treatment. The boy’s case was the hrst known in the South Island. Dr J. W. Crawshaw said that he attended tho boy m 191.) and diagnosed his case as lethargic encephalitis, -which was really inflammation of the brain, accompanied by lethargy. Ihc l>oy was very seriously ill, but recovered fairly well, though he was •not yet normal piiysic.al.lyX. Very little was known until rue past few years in regard to the (risease, as it did not occur in Europe until 1917. Even very mild cases had very serious aftereffects on the moral calibre pf the afflicted person. A r-hild knew I and felt he was doing wrong, but was unable to resist, and could not be held responsible. The disease was very common in England, and in four years 3000 cases had been under observation. A special hospital had been provided for the treatment of the sufferers generally. The opinion of medical au thoiities was that the disease permanently reduced the mentality ol the patient. Airs Herbert: “Could you give the necessary certificate, for the mental institution?” Dr Crawshaw: “No; I could not certify that he is insane.” Mr Young: “You think it necessary that he should be placed under some restraint? ’ ;

Dr Cunwshaw: “Undoubtedly; if he is allowed to go round he probably would do something else. Evon suicidal and homicidal tendencies might develop.” In committing the boy to tho Borstal Institute for three years, the Alagistratc said that he had made full note of the medical evidence, which would be submitted as a special report to the Prisons Board. DRUNKEN LONDON, March 22. That an insurance company must indemnify a drunken motorist against the consequences of an accident when drunkenness is the result of folly and not of deliberation was the important ruling of Air Justice Roche. Frank James, of Bournemouth, who admitted drunkenness, and was sen

tenced to a year’s imprisonment, as a sequel to an accident, sued the British General Insurance Company to recover £l5OO paid in satisfaction of third party claims. It was stated that when James was returning from a wedding party he killed one man and injured another. Air Justice Roche awarded James £1857, stating that his case was n worse than that, of sober persons do liberately driving recklessly. If a criminal offence precluded a motoris from recovering an indemnity the re suit would be far-reaching. Tho insurance company into a its 16 appeal. _ ; " J