COURTS AND OFFENCES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 5 February 1927, Page 5

COURTS AND OFFENCES.

MOTORIST FINED £25. (by TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 4. A young man named Maxwell Menzies Frost, who was intoxicated when driving a motor car on the Ngahanranga Gorge Road and collided with a tractor, was fined £25 to-day by Mr Hunt, S.'M., and also had his license cancelled for six months. Mr Hunt said that Frost could apply for a renewal of his license if he took out a prohibition order.

ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES,

DUNEDIN, Feb. 4

In the Police, Court this morning George Thomas Swann, who had been extradited from Australia, appeared to answer a number of charges of false pretences. Sixteen witnesses were subpoenaed 'by the Crown. Mr A. C. Hanlon and Mr G. T. Baylee appeared for the accused. Lengthy evidence was given by the credulous investors concerned, after which the police evidence was taken. Accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed for trial to the Supreme Court. Bail was allowed on accused’s own recognisance of £SOO and Two sureties of £250 each, conditional on his reporting daily to the police.

ACQUITTED ON CHARGE OF ASSAULT.

AUCKLAND, Feb. 4

Joseph Andre, a coloured man, was charged in the Supreme Court, before Mr. Justice Herdman with assaulting David Carroll, a .waterside worker, so as to cause him bodily harm.

Dr. J. Mark, assistant house surgeon of the Auckland Hospital, said that Carroll had considerable bruises on his face and an ear was injured. He had a cut on his lip 2i inches' long and going down to the bone. Carroll said he was acquainted with the accused through working on the wh-Tf. On December 2he had to pass Andre on the stairs of the waterside workers’ shed, when Andre stabbed bint with a knife. Witness did not see the knife hut cuts on his clothing were made bv it. Witness had had trouble with accused the night before at the house of John Hobo. The defence was that the stabbing was an acident after Andre had received a blow on the face. The accused and several witnesses gave evidence to this effect. The iurv returned a verdict of not guilty. YOUTH FINED £2O. <7 AUCKLAND. Feb. 4. Stating he was reluctant to send a boy of 18 years to prison, Mr W. R. McKean. S.M., imposed a fine of £2O on Frederick Georoe Parkinson, aged 18. who pleaded guilty to a charge of converting to his use a motor-car valued at £4BO, the property of G. K. Mat hi?,son. The offence was a fairly common one, and there must be some • said his Worship, who. thought a monetarv penalty spread over . a neriod would serve l to impress his guilt o-i the voting man’s mind. In addition to the fine, Parkinson was ordered to make restitution of £4l 15s in respect of damage at the rate of 20s per week. Tf this is not done, Parkinson will .go to gaol for two months.