COURT NEWS

Grey River Argus, 9 April 1927, Page 5

COURT NEWS

SUBSTANTIAL SENTENCES. WELLINGTON, April. 8. Prisoners were sentenced to-day by the Chief Justice as follows: — Frank Smith, motor driver, 41, theft from dwelling, three years’ imprisonment. His Honour remarked that he was satisfied that the prisoner in the past had been a professional thief. The offence was merely an incident of a regular total of hotel thefts. Stanley Arthur Haydon, 36, cook for receiving stolen property, three year’s hard labour. His Honour said the offence was committed in concert with the previous prisoner,^and his record was bad. John Murphy, fireman, 26, theft from steamer, 12 months’ imprisonment, j With another prisoner he had broken open a case in the hold and stole twelve fur coats valued at about £l7O. A term of five years’ imprisonment was imposed on Lars Johan Anderson Strid, seaman, 48, for an indecent act and three charges of attempting to commit an indecent act on boys. CATTLE STEALING CHARGE. GISBORNE, April 8. Wairiki Waihi, aged 35, a native of Ruatoria, was charged at the Police Court with the theft of ten head of cattle, the property of Ranu Walker. He was remanded until April 14, bail being refused. •

CLERK CHARGED WITH THEFT OF OVER £4OOO. CHRISTCHURCH, April 8. George Cecil Neild, charged with having on February 16, at Ashburton, stolen from Thomas Maurice Clark £lOO was remanded for a week. The police said that accused had admitted ho had failed to account foi the sum of between £4OOO and £5OOO.

SLY GROGGERS. ASHBURTON, April 8. At the Magistrate’s Court, Margaret Scott, aged 85, was fined £25 for selling liquor in a no-license area, and ten shillings (the amount of costs) fir keeping liquor for sale. A similar charge against Archibald John Templeman was dismissed-, but the latter pleaded guilty of being idle and disorderly, being ordered to come up for sentence in twelve months, conditional on leaving the town forthwith. TAUMARUNUI, April 8. At the Magistrate’s Court, before R. M. Watson, S.M., Elsie Machine was I fined £2O, with costs £6 4/'-, for keeping liquor for sale in a no-license area. Security for appeal Tas fixed at £l5 15/-.

FINES FOR BREACH OF STAMP ACT. WELLINGTON, April 8. Failure to comply with the requirements to register under the Stamp Act by January 1, led to a prosecution by the Commissioner of taxes of five companies for carrying on business. A heavy penalty was not sought. The following fine. c were imposed:—National Motor Safe ty Devices £4, Goodrich Service Station and Rubber Supply Company, Masterton £2, Bates Safety Backfire and I apouriser Company', Libeau and Dickson, Ltd., and C. R. Stroud and Company were each ordered to pay costs.* MOTOR BYE-LAW ATTACKED. CHRISTCHURCH, April 8. A bye-law of the Riccarton Borough, situated just outside the city boundary, on the Main South and West Road, was attacked in the Magistrate’s Court to-day. The bye-law prescribes that motors must reduce their speed to fifteen miles an hour when within two chains of an intersection. It was ‘argued that the speed prescribed was i needlessly slow, and that, in any case, the reduced speed over so great a zone as two chains before an intersection was unnecessary. Decision was reserved.