TO-DAY'S COURT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 31 May 1915, Page 7

TO-DAY'S COURT.

(Before * M* * Kenrick, $ M-)

DRUNKENNESS.

A first offender for drunkenness was fined ss. Tiie Magistrate said this was not a time ' for people to waste money in getting drunk. Some alteration should be made in the law whereby there should be imprisonment for drunkenness.

BREACH OF BOROUGH BY-LAWS

M. E. McGarry was proceeded against1 by the police for a breach of the borough by-laws, defendant having driven a motor on the wrong side of the corner at the, intersection of High and Princes streets.

The Magistrate said the defendant had written a letter to the Court admitting the breach, and stating that «*ere was no such by-law in Eltham. ±lis Worship added that in these days ?l r a?i d J OO, 0"10*101! it was necessary that the by-laws should be strictly observed, otherwise there was sure to' be an accident.

A fine of 10s, with costs 7s. was imposed. .

DEFENCE PROSECUTIONS

P. Browne was char£ed with having tailed to attend a parade of B Company ; llth Regiment. Defendant said the reason he did not attend was behe was beyond the distance. The Magistrate dismissed the information, and told the defendant to obtain an exemption certificate. B. Carrien, a factory hand, who was also proceeded against said, as he was driving tne creamery cart around to the different factories, and working seven days, he was unable to attend the parades; -The; Magistrate said that if everyone who worked seven %\iays a, week were excused there would:,be no Territorial force. Defendant would have to find a substitute for one day in a fortnight. A fine of 10s, with costs 7s, was imposed.

L. Bel!,,vrho did not appear, sent a letter admitting the offence Reginiental-Sergt.-Major Hill said that the defendant, with others at Normanby, were under the impression that they were only exoected to attend one parade a month. This was not so. A fine of 10s, with 7s costs, was imposed.

P. W. Johnstone. who did not appear, and whose drills had been very unsatisfactory, was fined £1, with costs 7s, in default seven days' military detention. For having damaged a rifle, the property of the New Zealand Government, the defendant was fined 10s, with costs 7s, and he was ordered to pay £1 ss, the value of the 'rifle barrel damaged. T. Harris, who appeared, said he had at the beginning of the war handed in his equipment. He had attended two or three parades afterwards, but later there was no officer present to drill them.

The Magistrate remarked that it was not fair to the men who attended if there was no one present to take the parade. The Sergt.-Major said he had taken parades regularly at Okaiawa, with the exception of a couple of times, when he was away at the camps. A fine of 10s, with costs 7s, was imposed.

L. W. Bailey, who pleaded guilty, said the reason he did not attend was because- ho had to work on the drill days.

The Magistrate said defendant would have to arrange for someone to take his place for a couple of hours during the day.

Defendant said he could attend parades at nights. Defendant had nut in four extra, parades at the camp. His commanding officer said he could do this. Defendant was allowed off without a fine upon condition that he arranged to attend the narade of the National Reserves in the* evening when he could not be present at the afternoon duties.

W. Walsh pleaded guilty. Defendant said that at the beginning of the war matters" were disorganised, and his ■then commanding officer said he need not attend. He had only recently received notice to attend. He had attended the camp. He was now living beyond the distance.

The defendant was dealt with in the same way as the previous defendant. N. Tregear, who pleaded guilty, said he attended all camps and his drills regularly previous to the outbreak of the war.

Allowed off without a fine

C. Rye, who was proceded against, said he "had been away from Okaiawa for twelve months, and had been residing in the Lowgarth district, where there was no drill centre. He had attended all his camps and drills regularly previously. Allowed off without a fine.

D. Gray, who pleaded guilty, said that last year his health had not been good, and he had obtained three months' leave of absence. His health had not improved since, and therefore he did not attend the parades. He had received no notice to attend the drills, except the camp, which he put in.

Defendant was treated the same as the previous defendant.

W. Maddox, a senior cadet, pleaded guilty. His case was adjourned from a previous sitting to allow the police to enquire into a statement by the defendant that he had been working from 10 to 13 hours a day, and was therefore too tired to attend drills in the evening.

Senior-Sergeant McNeely said that on enquiries he found that only on two occasions had the defendant been working long hours, and that was daring Easter week. Other times in the time book were marked 48 hours. On the date mentioned in the information the defendant had worked 48 hours.

The Magistrate asked the defendant why he had made the assertion that he had been working 13 hours on the date mentioned in the information. Had this been true he would have been prepared to allow the defendant off. Defendant replied that'he had made a mistake.

A fine of 10s, with costs 7s, was im posed. A MAINTENANCE CASE.

The case of Louisa Locker against Percy Locker, Patea, for arrears under a maintenance order, was called on. There was also an application by Locker for a variation or cancellation of the order, on the ground that since the making of the order the parties had cohabited. Mr ODea appeared for Mrs Locker and Mr Spratt for the defendant Locker. By consent the orders were reduced, the wife to receive 30s a week, and the child 7s 6d a week.

The maintenance case of AL»e Hodge against William Hodge, of Whangamomona, was mentioned this morning. Mr ODea, for complainant, stated that Messrs Spence and Stanford, of Stratford, were acting for defendant, and as the partiesi and witnesses were resident in the Stratford district, he asked that the case be adjourned to the Court there on the 4th inst.

The Magistrate said that the 4th inst. was the day of the annual licensing meeting for that district, and he adjourned the -' -'se till the 11th inst., at Stratford.