MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Grey River Argus, 20 September 1932, Page 8

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

YESTERDAY’S SITTING. Mr W. Meldrum, S.M., presided over yesterday’s sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Greymouth, when the following cases were dealt with.' SeniorSergeant C. E. Roach represented the police. AFTER HOURS. Eight first offenders found on licensed premises after hours were each convicted and ordered to pay costs. One second offender found on licensed premises after hours was convicted and fined £l, with costs 10/-. Allan Austin Culling was charged with being on the licensed premises of the Commercial Hotel, Ahaura, after hours and secondly with giving a false name when questioned by a constable. Defendant was convicted and ordered to pay costs on the first charge and was fined 10/- and costs for giving a false name. Ernest Sherlock was charged with being on the premises of the Union Hotel in prohibited hours on August 20. Defendant, who conducted his own defence, pleaded not guilty. Sergeant D. B. Murray said that at 8.10 p.m. on the date in question, when approaching the hotel he had seen defendant come out of the front door. He would then be about half a chain away. Constable 'Patterson corroborated Sergeant Murray’s evidence. He stated that he could not say whether the door was opened for the defendant, but he had seen the lighted cigarette in defendant’s mouth as he had approached. The door was shut, as it usually was, when the police went to the hotel. The defendant, in evidence, ‘maintained that he was not in the “pub,” but was only having a smoke in tho doorway with another man. He did not know what had happened to this man when the police had come along. He had walked about a chain and had then met Sergeant Murray. The Magistrate said that the offence was to be found on licensed premises, and although he did not doubt the police evidence, that they had seen the defendant come out of the hotel, there was a doubt about it. and he could not convict on the evidence. The charge would thus be dismissed.

J. R. G. Paul, licensee of the Commercial Hotel, Ahaura, was charged that on the 19th August, (1) he did sell liquor after hours; (2) he did expose liquor for sale after hours. Defendant, who was a first offender, pleaded guilty to the first charge and the second was withdrawn by the police. Defendant was convicted and fined £2, with costs 10/-, on the charge of selling.

UNLIGHTED CYCLES. Alfred Coumbc, charged with cyclilg without a light in High Street aftfr sunset on 31st August, was fined sfwith 10/- costs. William Boxburgh, for cycling without a light after sunset on 23rd August in Tainui Street, was similarly (lea'.t with. UNLICENSED WIRELESS SETS. Jessie Arthur, Lawrence Linfcsay Cunliffe, James Kenneth Griffin, Vessie Robertson, David Saunders, H|gh Campbell Steel, none of whom ed in Court, were charged with ojmtating unlicensed wireless receiving sets. In each of the above cases, the laspector said that a license had been procured and each defendant was fined 5/- with 10/- costs. Bahay Saraty was similarly charged. Mr James appeared for the defendant and entered a plea of guilty. He stated that his client had since taken out a temporary license, but the set had been returned to the dealer and not purchased. Sergeant Roach said that the defendant had evaded the whole of last year’s fees, amounting to £l/10/-. Defendant was convicted and fined 10/-, and costs, and ordered to pay £l/10/- to the Post and Telegraph Department. Bernard Ernest Older was also charged with operating an unlicensed* wireless set. Mr James, for the defendant, entered a plea of guilty, but stated that a license had since been taken out from the date of installation of the set, and no fee had been evaded. The Inspector said that the license had not been taken out until after his visit. Defendant was fined 5/-, with 10/costs. William Phillip McCarthy was also charged with the operation of an unlicensed wireless set. The Inspector said that in this case six months’ fees had been evaded, totalling 15/-, and no license had yet been taken out. Defendant was fined 10/- and costs and ordered to pay 15/- to the Post and Telegraph Department. BY-LAW BREACH. Walter Leslie Hughes was charged that on 29th August, being a driver of a motor vehicle at the intersection of Marlborough and Shakespeare Streets, he did fail to give way to a vehicle approaching from the right. Mr James appeared for the defend ant and entered a plea of guilty. Senior Sergeant Roach said that the defendant had run into a car driven by Mr Joyce and as a result it had been extensively damaged. They had seen the defendant some distance away and had thought that he would pull up, but he did not. He had stated that he could not see Joyce’s car because of the hedge at the corner. Mr James said that the facts were as stated by the Senior-Sergeant. The defendant had not seen the car, which had been extensively damaged, and it was likely that he would have to resist a civil claim. The Magistrate said that the rule to give way to a vehicle approaching on the right simplified matters, but he

would take into considery.ion that defendant would probably yave to pay for the damage. He would be convicted and fined £l. with 10/-\osts. MAINTENANCE CALE. James Wright was charged yith the disobedience of a maintenance order and arrears to August 17th, amounting to £lB/10/-. He was convicted and sentenced to one month in Greymouth Prison, Warrant not to issue for 7 days. \'