MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7398, 26 February 1902, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Wednesday, February 26. (Before Mr H, Eyre Kenny, S.M.) JUDGMENT FOB PLAINTIFFS. J. Dunn v. E. A. Laurent, claim £1 19s and costs ; A. J. Whittaker (Mr Caplen) v. A. Cathro (Mr Foy), by consent, claim £2 2s 3d and costs ; E. Exley v. Ed. Hill, claim £1 Os 4d and costs ; J. W. Scott v. Geo. Bryant, claim £3 11s 4d and costs. BYB-LAWS. David Grant, who pleaded guilty to driving round the Egmont Hotel corner at other than a walking pace, was fined 5s and costs. PROHIBITED PRRSON ON LICENSED PREMISES. Chae. Woodley, a prohibited person, pleaded guilty to being found on the premises of the Empire Hotel, and was fined 40a and costs, in default fourteen days' imprisonment. A week WBS given in which to pay the fine. INFANT LIFE PROTECTION ACI. Sarah Bowberry was charged with having kept an illegitimate child in 'her bouse from January 14th to February 19th, such house not being registered under the Infant Life Protection Act. Mr Welsh appeared for the defendant, who pleaded guilty. - Mr Welsh submitted that his client had been perfectly frank and open in the matter, and that the offence had been simply caused through ignorance. Mrs Bowberry was well known as a skilful nurse, and at times children were sent to her to nurse, as had been done in the present case. His Worship said this was a grave offence, although in the present case there were mitigating circumstances, but at the same time he could not let the defendant off with a nominal fine. The maximum fine for this offence was £25, or six months' imprisonment, and although he would only inflict a light fine, he hoped it would act as a warning as far as this district was concerned, because if any similar cases were again brought up he would inflict a substantial penalty. In the present case he was satisfied that the defendant had not wilfully infringed the law, but be had thought that by this time everybody would have known that houses where illegitimate children were boarded out had to be registered under tbe Act. Defendant would be fined £1 and costs 9s.