MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 102, 15 April 1912, Page 6

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

NAI’IER. MONDAY, APRIL 15. (Before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M.) FAILING TO TAKE THE OATH. John William McConnell was charged on the information of the Defence Department with failing to take the oath of allegiance. He was further charged with failing to put in the requisite number of drills. Sergt. Cummings stated that this case was the last of a batch who came up some time ago. He had frequently been seen by the Defence authorities but had refused to attend the parades.

The accused did not appear. Captain Skelly deposed that the man had registered but had refused to attend parades or take the oath of allegiance. He had also been noti fled of the parades, but had only attended one. It was necessary for a man to attend 30 weekly parades during the year. As five months had | gone it was absolutely impossible for

i him to do so. Convicted and fined £2 on both informations. BREACH OF. BY-LAWS. Wong Lee was charged with driving his vehicle along a road with

only one light. Sergt. Cummings stated that as there were a large number of accidents on the roads between Napier and Clive and Taradale, the by-law-requiring two lights was to be enforced. This was the first information of this kind and the police would not press for a penalty.

Convicted and ordered to pay 7/’costs of court. BROKEN PROHIBITION ORDER. William Buchanan was charged with a breach of his prohibition order.

Mr. Dolan appeared for the accused, and stated that the accused was a good workman when sober. Sergt. Cummings stated this was the third breach of the prohibition order.

Convicted and fined £2, in default seven days’ imprisonment. MAINTENANCE. Janies Wallace was charged with failing to pay towards the maintenance of his younger brothers. Sergt. Cummings stated that the accused had received notice to attend the court, but had not put in an appearance. .

The case wa? adjourned for a fortnight, in order to allow the accused to make an explanation. LICE-INFECTED SHEEP. Arthur Bellamy was charged on the information of the Inspector of Stock with having lice-infected sheep. The accused did not appear. The Inspector of Stock deposed that he examined a flock of 202 sheep belonging to the accused at Petane and found them lice-infected. He did not press for a heavy penalty.

Convicted and ordered to pay £2 and 15/- costs. J. T. Harvey was charged with offering lice-infected sheep at Petane for sale in public yards. The Inspector of Stock stated that there was a flock of 250 sheep. Convicted and fined £2 and 7/costs.

H. Brewster was similarly charged. He did not appear. The Inspector of Stock deposed that there were 68 lambs exposed in Petane yards and they were all infected with lice. Convicted and fined £2 with 15 - costs.

ALLEGED THEFT. Frederick Wilson, alias Frank Whitehouse, alias V nite, was charged with the theft of a horse, gig and harness valued at £46 the property of Charles Frederick McKenzie. Sergt. Cummings stated that the accused worked for Mr. McKenzie at Havelock, and had attempted to sell the turnout to Mr. Belz) a secondhand dealer. Charles Frederick McKenzie deposed that he was a farmer residing at Guinard, Havelock. Up to the 6th instant the accused,had been employed by him for several weeks. Prior to employing him he hatl no acquaintance with the man. Witness offered the accused the loan of his horse and trap to go into Hastings to buy some clothes. ~ He said that an hour would be all he needed. The accused did not return asrain. Had

no knowledge that he was going to Napier, and had given him no authority to dispose of the horse, gig and harness. The value of the turn-

out was £l6. John William Belz, a second-hand dealer, said defendant came into his shop on the morning of the 9th inst. at about 8.30 and offered to sell a horse which he said belonged to him. (Witness exchanged another horse and gave the accused £2 15'. The man was perfectly sober while he was making the transaction. At 11.30 the accused returned again and offered the whole turnout for £3. After questioning the accused he stated that he had been working . for Mr. Mackenzie at Havelock. Witness rang up Mr. McKenzie to : verify this story, and found out that

the accused did not own the horse and trap. Constable Burrell gave formal evidence of arrest. This closed the case for the prosecution.

The accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed for trial. RABBIT-INFESTED LAND. Mr. Campbell, Inspector under the H.B. Rabbit Board. proceeded against Robinson for failing to clear his land (an area of about 600 acres on the west side of the Inner Harbour) of rabbits. Mr. Cornford appeared for the informant and Mii' Humphries for the defendant. The defendant pleaded not guilty. His M orship said that the steps iak<’ii by the defendant to destroy li.be rabbits were certainly innde- ' quale. The chief inspector had i sworn there were more rabbits than the;; should bo on the property.

Other witnesses for the defence who had been on the property on haphazard occasions had sworn that there were very few rabbits. The evidence for the defence had this value, it proved rabbits were not very bad. Convicted and fined £2, with costs £2/15/-.