Magistrate’s Court— Greymouth Sitting

Grey River Argus, 6 October 1949, Page 2

Magistrate’s Court— Greymouth Sitting

Mr. F. F. Reid, S.M., of Christchurch dealt with the following cases in the Magistrate’s Court at Greymouth yesterday. Arising out of an accident on the Kumara—Greymouth highway on September 19th., Sydney George Charles Common of Riccarton, Christchurch, was charged with driving a motor car without due care and attention. For the defendant, Mr. W. D. Taylor,said there was no question of speed, and he had .insofar as it was possible to keep to the left side of the road. Common was fined £6 with 10/costs.

David Fleming Greig, of Westport was charged with using obscene language on the Greymouth Railway Station on September 12. The Court agreed to accept an “election” and plea from Mr. W. D. Taylor who said that he had been instructed by telephone from Mr. M. B. Scully, Westport, to enter a plea of guilty on behalf of defendant. Senior-Sergeant R. C. Mcßobi e said that defendant went to the Greymouth railway station with the intention of boarding the rail-car. The foreman saw that he was carrying loose bottles of beer, and told him that he would not be allowed to take the beer on the car. The defendant then became abusive, and used the language from which the charge was the outcome. H e was fined £5, with 10s costs. John Purnell, who did not appear, was fined £2, and 10s costs, for casting offensive matter in Perotti Lane on September 18. Three men found in the Buck’s Head Hotel, Brunner, at 1.45 a.m. on September 4, were fined 10s, with 10s costs. Three men found in the Commercial Hotel at 10.5 p.m. on September 20, were fined 10s, with 10s costs. Alexander Scalmer was charged with having a bottle of beer in his control, in th e vicinity of the Lyceum Hall, when a dance was in progress on September 17. Defendant was fined £2, with 10s costs. Louis Saunders, of Stewart’s Gully, Canterbury, was charged with being found in possession of two bottles of ale on a railway train at Greymouth, the liquor being intended for consumption on the train. The defendant, who did not appear, was fined £3, with 10s costs, and an order was made for the two bottles taken by the constable to be confiscated.

Hugo Sarto Patrick Joseph Mulloy, aged 46, mine labourer, of Taylorville, who appeared on remand, was charged with default under maintenance orders made at Blenheim in favour of his wife and live children, tlie arrears amounting to £6B. He was convicted and sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour, the warrant to be suspended so long as current maintenance is paid, together with 5s a week off the arrears in each order.

James Kevin Coster was convicted and lined £2' for the disobedience of a maintenance order.

POLICE COMMEND MAN’S FRANKNESS

James Nash, aged 44, single, a miner, pleaded guilty before Mr F. F. Reid, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Greymouth yesterday to a charge of committing an indecent act with intent to insult or offend a girl aged eight years at Omoto Road on Sep tember IS. Senior-Sergeant R. C. Mcßobie said that accused had been perfectly frank and straightforward when questioned, and he was sorry for yielding to a sudden impulse that bad come over him. Be ctuld not account for his unintentional action added the Senior-Sergeant. Mr W. D. Taylor ,who appeared for defendant said that he could offer no explanation for his action but counsel stressed the fact that the accused was not particularly bright mentally. It was to his credit that he made no attempt to handle the girl. Evidence was given as to defendant’s good character and industry, a witness stating that during ten years he had known him as a hardworking and inoffensive citizen. Pie was also a particularly quie. l and sober type.

The Magistrate said that he was of the belief that the accused in a moment of weakness had acted to a sudden impulse. He would convict him to come up for sentence if called upon within two years, emphasising that he must clearly understand that he must control such impulses. George Patrick Curtain and John Joseph Thomas Sheahan were charged with using obscene language in Guinness Street on September 17. They were each fined £3 with 10s costs.