COURT NEWS

Grey River Argus, 14 February 1940, Page 10

COURT NEWS

CHRISTCHURCH CASES. CHRISTCHURCH, February 13. Holding that the plaintiffs, Gladys of Christchurch, and Lillian Mary. Boyce, of Cambridge, shared in the estate of William Hodgson late ,of Mina, Cheviot, MrJustice Northcroft delivered a reserved judgment to that effect in the Supreme Court yesterday morning. Plaintiffs, who were the daughters of the testator’s brother, who had died before the will .was made, were represented by Mr. fc. M. Gresson, and the defendants (the Public Trustee, as, executor, together with other beneficiaries) by Mr. R. A. Cuthbert. Am application to argue questions of law before the trial was made m the Supreme Court yesterday morning byjMri.L. J. Hensley, representing the defendant, H. C. Urlwm, m a case concerning an allegation ot slcindex*. For the plaintiff, Randall Flintoff McKay, Dr. A. L. Haslam opposed the application, submitting that questions of fact as well as questions of law came into consideration. He said that .the plaintiff wanted a public hearing before a jury to clear his reputation of the imputation that he was a cheat. . Mr. Justice Northcroft disallowed the, application, after hearing further legal submissions.

COMMON GAMING HOUSE. AUCKLAND, February 12. After a raid by detectives on premises in Wakefield Street, John Sydney Cormack appeared m the Police Court before Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M-, charged, with being the occupier ol premises used as a common gaming house. He pleaded guilty. In response to complaints a police officer on special duty went to 49 Wakefield Street and obtained bets and saw betting being carried on, said Detective-Sergeant McHugh. The machines used were the onearmed bandits,’’ which had been referred to as the greatest gambling instruments in New Zealand. In the rdid two machines were found The accused admitted that he was laying odds of £lO for a wm an cViS » ro. The Magistrate ordered, the destruction of th machines. SOLDIERS CHARGED CHRISTCHURCH, February 13. Four charges of obtaining money by valueless cheques, to a total sum of £39 7s, were brought, against Richard John Banks, a labourer, aged 3(1 years, of Burnham Camp. Mr W. R. Lascelles appeared for Banks, who pleaded guilty to all the charges. , Detective-Sergeant. J. McClung described the offences, which all took piace at hotels,- the'licensees being led to ... cash j..,the /cheques because they knew, .the-acpused^and counted on his honesty. - . Mr Lascelles pleaded that the offences showed weakness and. stupidity rather than cunning criminality. Th« accused’s... mother’ had died .when he was eight years of age,' and his father when he was 20. The accused was prepared to make restitution out of his military pay. - The Probation Officer (Mr W. H. Darby) said there was a question whether the military authorities would recognise an allotment from a man’s pay for such a purpose. ; He had been in communication with the authorities on this point, but had not yet received a reply. “What doeS it matter for what purpose the allotment is made?” asked the Magistrate. He did not like to think that a man’s allotment would be questioned. However, to keep the case from being- concluded, pending further information, he would convict the accused and'order him ; to come up for sentence if called' b'n within three years, on special. t condition of repayment of the sum' of'.£39/ : 7s as directed by the Probation Officer. David Howard Miller, ( Patrick James Houlihan, and Harold Frederick Price, all of Burnham Camp, were charged with converting to their use a motor-car, valued at £450, the property- ( of J.. C. Pairman. .All the accused, who were represented jby Mr R. Twyneham, were remanded to February-15. Bail was granted to each in the sum of £5O, with one surety of £5O. ' . ’ Alan Donald Park, of Trentham Camp, an insurance agent (Mr J. T. Watts), and Stephen Arthur Williamson (Mr N. S. Bowie) were each charged with stealing £lOO, the property of Grgo Franicovitch, at Teddington, on June 10, 1939. Both the accused, who appeared on remand, were remanded again to February 26. Alfred Daniel Andreassend was remanded for a week on a charge of stealing a,, pair of. trousers and a dressing-gown, of a total value of £3, the property of John- Scott. On a charge of drunkenness he . was also remanded 'for a week. YOUTHFUL THIEVES. NELSON, February 12. ; Facing 'lO. . charges, .including breaking, entering and theft at Napier, Blenheim,' and Nelson, Raymond Stanley 7 Hill, aged 18 years, of Hastings, and Clarence Henry 7 Spencer, of Auckland appeared in the . Magistrate’s Court. They pleaded guilty to all the, changes, and were .committed for sentence at Auckland. The charges involved, the theft of . money and goods valued at £59, and;included breaking and entering ' a chemist’s shop, a petrol station, a foundry, and the Regqnt Theatre at Napier, His Majesty’s. Theatre at Blenheim, and three business' I houses in Nelson. They were also charged with the theft of a..car valued at £254 in Auckland,‘on which charge they yvore remanded to,.Auckland. . TIMARU/’February j2. Forgery, breaking and entering, theft, attempted .theft, and the- unlawful conversion of a car -were charges brought against a. boy,s who appeared for sentences at a sitting of the Children’s Court . to-day before Mr. H. Morgan, S.M. The Magistrate warned the boy’ that had he been an.adult and been brought before the Supreme Court he could have been /declared an habitual criminal. . V : The boy was placed under the supervision of the Child Welfare Officer for two years, and ordered to come up. for sentence on the. .charges of forgery and unlawful conversion if called on within a : year, and to make restitution, of. £2O/13/11. within a year. |