MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Grey River Argus, 22 February 1938, Page 8

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

SITTING AT GREYMOUTH, At yesterday’s sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Greymouth, Mr Raymond Ferrier, S.M., dealt with the following cases: —Joseph Alphonso Martini pleaded guilty to driving a motor car at Paroa on January 6, at such a speed which, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, might have been dangerous to the public. The Traffic Inspector, Mr R. P. Chibnail, said that defendant went over two intersections at 55 miles an hour and overtook a car on a corner with less than 300 ft. visibility.

Defendant’s only excuse was that he was in a hurry to get home to Hokitiki. '

Defendant said that he considered he was travelling at a speed at which he could pull up with safety, “You must cut the speed down. You can’t travel at those speeds,” said the Magistrate in fining defendant 15s with 10s costs.

David Pryce Reginald Hamer (Mr A. H. Paterson) pleaded guilty to a charge of driving a motor car through Ddbson at a speed exceeding 30 miles ped hour. Defendant was fined 10s with 10s costs.

Benjamin Charles Rogers did not appear on a similar charge. The inspector, Mr R. P. Chibnal said that defendant was travelling at 40 M.P.H., and when stopped said he was in a hurry get back to Lewis Pass. Defendant was fined 10s with 12s costs.

William Randolph Case did not appear on_a charge of operating a motor vehicle without a warrant of fitness.

The Inspector said that the truck was not safe and he had warned witness previously. The truck should not be on the road, and he had warned defendant to have it removed. A fine of £1 with 10s costs was inflicted.

Roy Alexander Evans, was on the information of Mr. R. Chibnall, Traffic Inspector, fined 15s with 10s costs for riding a motor cycle without a light after dark. James William Calder, George William Muir and, Joseph Archibald Rodgers were charged with behaving on a disorderly manner in Tarapuhi Street on December 18 last.. Defendants did not appear.

Senior Sergeant Quayle said that the three defendants had entered the piecart near the Town Hall and created a disturbance there.

James Leonard Bourke, pie-cart proprietor, said thata about 9.30 on December 18, ‘ witness had just arrived at work when Calder came along and was served. Two strange men came along and they were a bit boisterous, and he realised that there would be trouble if the men did not quieten down. One of the men picked up a sauce bottle and fired it at the side of the cart. Later Calder threw a pie at his assistant, plate and all. Bad language was used and there were women about. After getting out in the road, one of the men caught hold of witness, and the other punched him in the eye. The men were under the influence of liquor.

David Henry Cleghorn, assistant at the pie-cart gave corroborative evidence.

Senior Sergeant Quayle said that all of the men were employed in sawmills and nothing previously was known against them. Apparently on this occasion they thought that they could do as they liked at the pie-cart. Each defendant was fined 30s, with 10s costs, and ordered to share 8s witnesses expenses.

John Brewer, farmer, 42, appeared on remand from Monday last, for sentence on a charge of obtaining £5O from Harry Digby James, by means of a valueless cheque, on October 23 last. Accused had pleaded guilty to the charge.

In sentencing accused the Magistrate said: Brewer, you have pleaded guilty to false pretences and your counsel applied for probation. I now have a number of reports concerning your antecedents and mode of life. You know what they contain and there is no need for me to say anything, except that they are all pretty bad and show that probation in your case is quite out of the question. You will be sentenced to three months’ hard labour. Accused’s councel, Mr W. D. Taylor, asked that the reports should be read, in order that accused should know their contents. The Magistrate replied that it would do no good to read the reports in public. He had nothing more to say, except that they were exceedingly bad, as bad as he had seen for a long time.

George Ronald Dobson, was charged (1) that, on February 20, at Waiuta, he did assault Constable Wilson while in the lawful execution of his duty (2) that on the same date he was unlawfully on the licensed premises of the Empire Hotel, Waiuta (3) that, on February 20, 1938, at Waiuta he did commit a breach of his probation order, in that he failed to be of good behaviour and keep the peace. Defendant pleaded quilty to all the charges. Constable James Wilson, said that at 12-5 a.m. on Sunday morning he visited the Empire Hotel, where he found defendant along with other men. Defendant adopted a fighting attitude, stating he would “have witness on.” Witness eventually handcuffed accused and placed him in a room, where he had to be bound hand and foot, as he was so violent. Accused was on probation and was reporting twice monthly to witness. Accused’s trouble was drinking, when he became troublesome. Witness had occasion to warn accused about his drinking, accused had previously been convicted for breach of his probation. Accused had nothing to say.

The Magistrate said that it seemed that accused was determined to abuse the advantages of probation and get himself into all sorts of trouble. On the charge of assault accused would be sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour. On the second' charge he would be convicted and discharged. On the third charge he would sentenced to three days’ imprisonment with hard labour, the sentence to be concurrent. The circumstances would no doubt have to be reported to the probation authorities, who would decide whether accused would be sentenced to a conversion charge.