MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 13 October 1925, Page 9

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

PROCEEDINGS AT ELTHAM. FORTNIGHTLY SITTING. Rhe fortnightly sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Eltham was held to-day, Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., presiding. Before the routine business of the court .was proceeded with, Mr. T. B. Crump, on behalf of the members of the legal fraternity at Eltham, extended a cordial welcome to Mr. Poynton on the • occasion of his first visit to Eltham in his capacity as relieving Magistrate in place or Mr. A. M. Mowlem, during the latter’s absence on sick leave. Mr. Crump expressed the hope that his Worship would find his court duties at Eltham to be pleasurable, and (that in .'the temporary change from his duties in Auckland city Iris visit to Taranaki would he of benefit to him in a vacational sense.

In reply, Mr. Poynton thanked Mr. Crump and his colleagues for their sincere greetings, and intimated that it afforded him much pleasure to be able to pay a. visit to Taranaki and to renew nis acquaintance with the people of the province and its various attractions. He agreed with the previous speaker that a change was sometimes akin to a vacation, and hoped his official duties whilst in Taranaki would be as pleasurable as Mr. Crump had wished. CIVIL CASE. In the undefended civil action taken by Sarah Jane Hart, of Eltham (Mr. T. B. Crump), who sued Gertrude Hart, of Wellington, for the sum of £4 4s, alleged in the statement of claim to have been paid by plaintiff to W. F. Short, of New Plymouth, lor defendant at the latter’s request, judgment was given for plaintiff with costs amounting to £1 2s 6d. WANDERING STOCK. Four charges of contravening the by-law prohibiting stock owners from permitting cattle to wander upon county roads were preferred by the Eltham County Council, on the information of the county ranger (H. E. Williams). Mr A. A. Stewart appeared for the Eltham County Council. In the case against S. Marshall (Awatuna),! who was charged with, allowing seven buhocks to stray on the Eltham Road at Kaponga, the inspector said the circumstances were somewhat unusual, in that defendant had previously sold the bullocks, but the purchaser had not taken delivery. In view of this he asked that a conviction only, without a fine, be recorded. — Defendant was convicted and ordered to pay 7s costs. -John G. Phillips (Matapu), for permitting ten cows to wander on the Hastings Road at Matapu on August 1, was fined 10s, together with costs amounting to £1 16s. Jack MeCandlish (.Rowan), four of whose cows were found by the dairy inspector on the Rowan Road on September 14, was fined 10s, with costs £1 11s.

Jack Wallis (Kaponga) described by the inspector as “a constant offender.,’’ was fined £2 and costs £1 8s in respect of three of his bullocks found on the Palmer Read at Kaponga on September 29. ANIMALS PROTECTION ACT. The Acclimatisation Society, for whjch Mr. A. A. Stewart appeared, iifstituted proceedings against Douglas Coleman, farmer (E.thain), in respect of - his. alleged unlawful possession of quail game at Eltham on May 4. ' Mr. Stewart submitted that a breach had teen committed by defendant in practising game shooting whilst not in possession of a license. He explained that defendant, when contemplating going shooting with a friend who held a license, had intended procuring one for himself also, but had reached the issuing depot too late on the day in question and had then decided to proceed with his friend. As the circumstance might be considered mitigating to a certain extent counsel intimated that a light penalty only was being sought by the society, but it could not, however, overlook the matter entirely. Defendant, who did not appear, was convicted and ordered to pay costs, amounting to £1 Bs.

ADJOURNED CASE DISPOSED OF. The previously adjouriied case, in which the Eltham County Council proceeded against N. Hammersley (Kaponga) for failuie to cut back an overhanging hedge, was finally disposed of, defendant, who had forwarded a written agreement dated October 13 to ‘have the work completed within six weeks, being convicted and ordered to pay 7s costs.