COURTS AND OFFENCES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 27 April 1927, Page 5

COURTS AND OFFENCES.

FARMER FINED FOR THEFT OF SHEEP. (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) CHRISTCHURCH, April 26. John Charles Giltrap, farmer of Rolleston, aged 69, was charged in the Magistrate’s Court to-day with the theft of four sheep, the property of Ernest Ackerman Smith, farmer, of Rolleston.

It was stated in evidence, that the two farms were adjoining and that Smith had lambs running in a paddock not quite securely fenced, and that sheep and lambs strayed on Giltrap’s land. Smith, it was stated, saw some of his lambs in a lot ready to be offered at the saleyards on behalf of Giltrap. Several -witnesses expressed the opinion that Smith’s brand had been pulled or clipped off, and Giitrap’s brand imposed. The sheep were inspected by the Magistrate', Mr Lawry; S.M. who held that there was no doubt that the wool had been clipped to remove the brands. His Worship said he would take into consideration accused’s age. He would be fined £7 10s with costs £3. The sheep, the Magistrate ordered to bo returned to the owner.

CHINESE TO BE DEPORTED. AUCKLAND, April 26. A fine of £SO, or six months’ imprisonment. and an order for deportation, was imposed on a Chinese named Young On. aged 21 years, in the Police- Court for remaining in New Zealand after the extended period of his permit had elapsed. A BOOKMAKER FINED. AUCKLAND, April 26. Charles Howard Chamberlain was fined £75 in the Police Court to-day for carrying on the business of a bookmaker. This makes a total of £3OO in fines arising from the police bookmaking raid last Saturday. Chief-detective Cummings said that Chamberlain bad been carrying on the business in quite a satisfactory way according to the settling accounts in possession of the police', and bad never betted with women or children. The police had the money for the paymentof the fine.

MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO ARSON CHARGE. DA NNEVIRKE, April 26. Before justices, Douglas Fraser, a labourer, was charged at Ormondville to-day with wilfully setting fire to a stable, the property of the Napier Brewery Co., and leased to .Tames Maekie Smith; with wilfufly setting lire to a motor garage, the property of Henry Perry;, with attempting to set tire to a stable, the property of William Hcnrv Edit ins; with wilfully setting lire to a- four-roomed cottage, the property of Henry Perry. 'fhe tires all occurred at Ormondvill on Saturday night last. Perry’s garage and the Napier Brewery Company’s stables and also Perry’s cottage were all destroyed, the loss running into some hundreds of pounds. '['lie accused pleaded guilty, and was committed for sentence. In a statement to the police lie said that on Friday last, after having spent a considerable. sum at a hotel since April 14, he was refused a bottle, of whisky 1)v fhe hotel-keeper, lfc was very annoyed at Hie refusal, and the idea struck him to burn down the. hotel. Before he went back to work on Sa-t-uir-dav evening lie went to Fdkin’.s stables, close .to Ormondville Hotel, and lighted some'-paper with the intention of burning the stabb with a view to igniting the hotel. He was discovered and went away, returning I’.ater to the hotel stables, which lie set on fire, and ran a-wnv to bis home. He was mad from the effects of drink: otherwise he would not have done it.