COURTS AND OFFENCES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 29 June 1926, Page 5

COURTS AND OFFENCES.

THEFT OF GEESE ALLEGED. (by TEIjEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) s DANNEYTRKE, June 28. The story of a .shooting party from Dannevirke- on -Sunday, May 16, which tried its -skill at Orlngi on hares, arid wound up by chasing geese and taking them alive and dead, was told before the Justices of the Pea-da to-day, Clifford Harris Thompson, a well-known ioeal business man. being the defendant. He was-charged with commitcin.g a. theft of five geese valued at £5," the property of Daniel Cullinane, a.so with having stolen one goose valued at £l. ' Defendant had expressed regret for wha-t- had occurred, and the sum of £5 ha-cl been paid as ■compensation. He took the blame for the actions of the other members of the party, as he had led them to understand that he had permission to take tire g-eese. Defendant, in evidence, stated that he believed from what had transpired on previous occasions with one of the Cullinane brothers, that he and the members of his party were within their rights in taking the geese. He pleaded not guilty, arid was committed for trial'at the Supreme Court, bail, being allowed in £SO self, and R like surety.

A CRAVING FOR DRUGS

AUCKLAND, June 29,

George Edward Barker, aged 23, -was charged at the Police Court with breaking and entering the shop of the Auckland Pharmacies, Ltd., on June 19 and stealing a quantity of drugs. Detective MeWhirtcr stated that he visited the accused’s home when the accused handed him a quantity of heroin and morphia. He also produced cocaine from under the house. The accused then admitted tlic theft charge. He said he climbed through a fanlight into the shop. He knew where the drugs were kept, and on leaving the premises he injected about six grains of heroin. He knew he did wrong, but could not resist the craving. The accused pleaded guilty and was committed for sentence.

UNLICENSED AMUSEMENT PLACE

AUCKLAND June 28

A fine of £3 was imposed on James Samuel Montecino in the Police Court on a charge of using a building at 165 Queen Street for public amusement without first obtaining a license. Defendant recently attempted to establish a record for continuous piano play_ ing. Mr. Lovegrove, who appeared for defendant, isaid that he had previously asked for an adjournment on defendant’s behalf, but he had not seen him since that day. Senior-Detective Hammond : You are not likely to see him, either.Mr. Lovegrove: He is probably still asleep. I ask leave to withdraw from the case.

A City Council inspector said that when asked for his license Montecino said he was carrying on under the license of the premises next door. Defendant then ordered witness to leave the premises. In imposing the fine, the Magistrate .said there was another charge of keeping open the premises for the transaction of business on a Sunday, but the summons had not been served.