HASTINGS MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 232, 13 September 1922, Page 5

HASTINGS MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Mr R. W. Dyer, S.M., presiding at the weekly session of the court to-day dealt with the following cases:— Richard Sullivan w'as charged with on September 2 unlawfully converting to his own use a bicycle, the property of R. S. Tame. Sergeant Hogan said that the owner left his bicycle outside the National Stables. Accused took the bicycle, and when he was questioned by the police, he denied all knowledge of it, hut be subsequently handed the machine over to the police. Accused said he thought the bicycle belonged to his brother, and when he found it wasn’t he gave it back. In reply to the magistrate, he said he had 'been out of work for three months, and was being kept by his relatives. His Worship said he did not believe accused’s statement about the bicycle. The practice of taking other people’s bicycles must be put a stop to, and accused would be fined £lO and costs 7s or two months’ imprisonment. If accused was again convicted of a similar offence, His Worship said, he would probably be sent to gaol. /John William-Westlake was charged with the disobedience of a maintenance order requiring him to contribute £1 (15s and ss) a week towards the maintenance of his wife and child, the arrears being £2O 2s. It transpired that accused was receiving as wages £1 5s a week and found. His Worship convicted defendant and sentenced him to two months’ imprisonment, warrant to be suspended whilst he paid Is a week off the arrears, in addition to the current payments on his wife’s order, and one months’ imprisonment, warrant to be suspended durin'g the payment of Is a week, in addition to the current payments on the child’s order, with posts. THE SPEED LIMIT. Following misdemeanants, convicted of driving motor cars in the borough in excess of the speed regulations (12 miles an hour), were each fined £2 and costs 11/:—Derrick Perry (26 miles) and C. H. Slater (25 miles). W. Chadwick pleaded .guilty to a similar charge, but told the police that there was a child seriously ill. and he was going for a doctor. Sergeant Hogan said he had made inquiries regarding this statement, and found that it was correct. Under the circumstances His Worship entered a conviction and discharged defendant. CIVIL CASES. Judgment was given for plaintiffs in the following undefended actions: — Gill Bros. v. C. T. Wall, £56, costs £4 11/6; H.B. Farmers’ Co-op. Association. Ltd. v. W. Glover. £4 11/, costs £1 18/6; same v. L. Hammond, £3 15/9, c-osts 25/6. Judgment Summons.—Hastings Bakery, Ltd. v. David Rliynd. £3 16/6, to be paid at the rate of 10/ weekly, or ten days’ imprisonment. WAGES DISPUTE. M Hannah (Mr. T. O’Dowd) sued William Sullivan (Mr. Kelly) for £l6, an amount alleged to be due to plaintiff for wages. His Worship, after hearing the evidence. said that the rate of wages was disputed, Ha.nnah claiming that his terms were £2 a week and found, whereas Sullivan said that there had been no arrangement made at all. That meant plaintiff went to work without knowing what he was to get, and defendant took him without knowing what he was to pay him. He thought that highly improbable, and he accepted what Hannah said as true, and that the arrangement was for £2 a week and found. He calculated that Hannah had been working in defend- | ant’s service for five weeks, and judgment was given for £lO and costs £4 I 11/.