COURT NEWS

Grey River Argus, 16 October 1936, Page 4

COURT NEWS

Wellington Sentences HILL GETS PROBATION. /"Per Press Association). WELLINGTON. October 15. The following prisoners were sentenced to-day by Judge Johnston. — John Kenneth Gordon Apperly. 39, theft of £144 5s 9d. as town clerk at Motueka. 12 months’ imprisonment. The Judge said it was not a ease for probation, prisoner having been probationed in 1932 at Motueka for theft and he was not entitled to a second trial. Edward John Hill. 31, agent and debt collector, for theft at Greymouth, 12 months’ probation. George Reginald Harrison. 25, labourer and gardener, six charges of breaking and with theft, and Rack Irwin, 29, labourer, ditto, five charges, two years’ imprisonment and two years’ reformative detention respectively. James Norman Ohl. 36, labourer, indecent assault on a female child at Wanganui. 12 months’ reformative detention. Henry George Pearce. 37, warehouse manager, theft as servant at Wellington. 12 months’ imprisonment. Sydney Albert Walker, 26, seaman and labourer, indecent assault on a female at Wellington, 18 months’ imprisonment. Daniel Hughes, 63. labourer, theft of £5 5s from a person at Wanganui, six months' imprisonment. Clarence Leopold Tolley, 22, motor driver, forjring a driver’s license, 12 months’ probation. Erie Alfred Chapmcna, 23. labourer, carnal knowledge (two charges) of breaking ami entering with intent to commit a crime (six charges), breaking an entering with theft (six charges), two years’ probation.

14 Days’ Gaol FOR DRUNKEN DRIVER. WELLINGTON, October 15. Fourteen days’ hard labour and cancellation ot the driving license _ till Mav 31. was imposed by Mr Luxford, S.M. on Rigby Brooks Bellerby, 44, labourer, for intoxication when in charge of a car. He was pulled up by traffic officers after crossing an intersection against the signals. Counsel said that he belonged to Hawke's Bay and was unfamiliar with the Wellington intersections.

Footballer Gaoled A LENGTHY RECORD. CHRISTCHURCH, October 15. ' The captain of the Hordwhenua Rugby Union’s first fifteen last year, Archibald Cameron, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court this morning, to face four charges of false pretences. Cameron pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on three charges, the terms to be cumulative, and was convicted and discharged on the fourth. Cameron was described as a shepherd, aged 31. of Shannon. Mr Levvey, S.M., was on the Bench. The charges against Cameron were that he obtained money and goods by means of valueless cheques drawn on the Bank of New Zealand. Cameron had been in trouble before, and the taunts about his early record drove him to drink, said Mr Brassington, who appeared for him. The result was that he committed a further series of offences. While playing for Horowhenua last year, Cameron had suffered injury as the result of which he was unable to work. It was then that he committed the offences.

Chief Detective Dunlop said that Cameron had purchased blank cheques from people who did not know him. Cameron had twenty-two convictions ad for similar offences, and he could be declared an habitual criminal. COSTS OF DEMOCRAT CASE. AUCKLAND, October 15. An echo of the Democrat Party case was heard in the Magistrate’s Court to-day, when costs were asked by Donald and Davy against the plaintiff, Baulf. Costs were not claimed by the other defendants. Surety for an appeal to the Supreme Court was fixed at .»lr Wheaton, for Donald, asked for costs fur the. hearing and also for the adjournment from May to August. Mr Wyvern 'Wilson fixed the costs for Donald at £9 15s for the action, and one guinea for the adjournment, and costs for Davy at £9 15s for the action. The Court costs for Donald amounted to three shillings. ‘‘The costs were considerably less than I expected.” said the Magistrate. Replying to a request to fix surety for an appeal he said: “The judgment was given in favour of all the defendants. and 1 have no notice of appeal, and 1 don't know how many are being appealed against. The Supreme Court costs would be about £7O, and I fix the surety at that.” On being assured that the appeal would be against only three defendants. Hislop, Donald ami Davy, the Magistrate reduced the surety to £55. NEGLIGENT DRIVING CHARGES TIMARU, October 14. Before his Honour Mr Justice Northcroft in the Supreme Court, Timaru, to-day, John Sugrne stood trial for alleged negligent driving, thereby causing the death of John Charles Bate on August 9. Accused pleaded not guilty. After His Honour had summed up, tne jury retired at noon and returned tit 2.30 p.m. with a verdict of not guilty. A rider was added making a strong recommendation that the law regarding red reflectors and white mudguards on bicycles should be more strictly enforced. liis Honour saying that the registrar would see that- the rider was forwarded to the proper authorities. WELLINGTON, October 15.

The hearing of evidence in the first case of its kind to be brought in Wellington under the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 1936, relating to “hit-and-run’’ motor drivers, took place in the Magistrate’s Court to-day. The maximum penalty for offences of this kind under the new legislation is a fine of £so'o or a term of five years’ imprisonment. Leslie James McPike pleaded not guilty to a charge that on August 15 last, being the driver of a motor-car in Vivian Street, Wellington, and an accident having arisen directly or indirectly from the use of such motor to another vehicle in charge of Alexander Parker Burns, the accused failed to slop and ascertain whether he had injured any person. When the evidence for the proseeu-

tion had been taken, counsel for the defence (Mr T. P. McCarthy) sought a non-suit, but his claim was disallowed by the Magistrate (Mr E. D. Mosley). Sub-Inspector C. E. Roach prosecuted. Constable F. Thomson said that he found a baby car in Vivian Street showing signs of having been involved in an accident. There was no sign ot a second car. The accused was interviewed later, and on being asked, refused to make a statement. The accused was then questioned, and admitted striking another car, but did not think he had knocked it over. He also said that he did not go back after striking the car because he did not think anyone would be injured. Cross-examined by Mr McCarthy the witness said that the accused, told him he had stopped after the accident in Short Street, about 10 yards from the scene. He did not say he got out of his car. To Sub-Inspector Roach the witness said there was a strong smell of liquor about the accused. lie. was certainly not intoxicated. He said he had had some liquor under doctor's orders. The accused was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was allowed.