S.M. Court, Hastings.

Hastings Standard, Issue 117, 10 September 1896, Page 2

S.M. Court, Hastings.

(Before Messrs W. Beilby and J. Arnott, J's.P. At the S.M. Court this morning the following first offenders were convicted and discharged :—W. P. Thompson, charged with allowing a horse to stray ; David Pilmer, with being the owner of two wandering horses ; J. Mcßae, with permitting a horse to wander ; G. F. Roche, with being the owner of a straying horse ; Robert Williams, one horse straying ; Norman Gallien, one wandering cow; J. Lagor, one straying horse ; Edward Maiming, three wandering horses. The following were fined 5s and 7s costs : —F. List, one straying horse ; T. Waters, one straying horse. For boarding a train whilst in motion, G. R. King was fined 5s and costs 7s. The following charged with driving round the corner of Station-street and Heretaunga Road at other than a walking pace were fined 5s and 7s costs :—John Drummond, G. W. Darvall, W. Kirk, and Ma,rtin Peterson. For driving vehicles without sidelights after sundown, Ja>mes Lynn and W. Broughton were fined 5s and 30sts 7s. F. Thorpe and George J. Muhilson pleaded guilty to riding their bicycles without headlights after sunset in the Heretaunga Road, and were each fined 103 and costs 7s. Duncan Macdonald was charged with riding a bicycle without a light after sunset, and pleaded guilty, but said he was riding into town to bring Dr Linney to an urgent case of sickness. Sergeant Mitchell explained that bicycles without lights at night were even more dangerous than vehicles, as they travelled noiselessly and consequently the public, having no warning of their approach, were in extreme danger. In this particular instance he (Sergeant Mitchell) hailed defendant, who took no notice of him but rode on, and would have escaped altogether but that he ran into a horseman on Karamu Road, and falling, he was captured by Constable Butler. Fined 20s and costs 7s. The following charged with leaving vehicles unattended and unchained were fined 5s and costs 7s :—W. P. Thompson, Wm. Tressider, Fred Wells, and John Smith. A. B. Green, charged with keeping an unregistered dog, was fined 10s, costs 7s, and os registration fee. William Clay was charged with using indecent language in the Havelock road within the hearing of ladie3 and others. From the evidence of Mr C. H. 0. Caulton, licensee of the Exchange Hotel, Havelock, it transpired that the accused applied for drink at witness's hotel whilst in a drunken condition , and when he was refused and turned off the premises by Mr Caulton he made use of the filthy expressions complained of. Mr Caulton's evidence being corroborated, Sergeant Mitchell asked the Bench to protect the hotelkeepers in the discharge of their duty. The aceused was a great annoyance to hotelkeepers in the locality. The Bench remarked that as the accused seemed to be a nuisance he would be sentenced to 14 days' hard labor. Thomas Wilson was charged with vagrancy. Sergeant Mitchell said accused was going about the town sticking up passers-by for money and begging drink at the various hotels. He was well-known to the police, and had several previous convictions registered against him. Accused was sentenced to two months' hard labor. Wm. Story, brought up on a similar charge, and against whom there were thirteen previous convictions, was treated similarly. James Jameson was charged with wilfully trespassing on the premises of the Exchange Hotel, Havelock and refusing to leave same when ordered. Defendant explained that he thought Mr Caulton was joking with fiim or he would have left at once. The evidence went to show that Jameson, who was somewhat intoxicated, would not leave the house when ordered to do so, but stretched himself on a sofa a fell asleep. There was no suggestion of violent language or behavior, and when Constable Butler appeared on the scene and told him to leave he did so quietly. Jameson was discharged with a caution. Robert Well wood was charged jwuT" being the owner of two wandering horses. This was a first offence, and would have been dismissed as is usua| under such circumstances, but as he had failed to appear or offer any ex ; planation he was fined 2s 6d and cast# 7s for contempt of Court. Thomas Hoy was charged under similar circumstances for allowing a horse to wander, and was fined 3s 64 and costs amounting to 9s for contempt of Court. Robert Warren did not appear to answer a charge of leaving a vehicle unattended and unchained, and svaa fined 7s 6d and coats ius goawaßjps oi