MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 21 July 1936, Page 7

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

, GREYMOUTH SITTING GREYMOUTH, July 21. At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday charges were dealt with,, as follows: DESERTION CHARGE < John Henry Larsen, 36, seaman, pleaded guiLy when charged with de- < sorting from the s.s. Piako, at Nelson. \ Detective-Sergeant Knight said that accused, who was a duly-articled seaman deserted from t h e New Zealand Shipping Company’s liner. Piako. at Nelson, on July ,6. A warrant was issued under the Shipping and teaman's Act, and Larsen was arrested at Grevmouth oh Saturday evening. The shipping company had been communicated with, arid stated that they had no further use for accused’s services. His place had been filled, with som e difficulty, and the ship was-’to sail from Wellington- yesterday?' ' 1 Accused in reply to the S.M, said that he signed' on the ship in London for the return voyage. . The S.TVI. imposed a fine of £5, in default 14 days’ hard labour. The fine was not paid. POISON LAID. ' t Francis Johnston was, charged that, on June 1, at-Slatey Creek, lie laid strychnine on the . Moonlight-Slatey Creek highway. Entering a format plea of not guilty, Mr Hannan saru that the information was laid under Section 16 of the Police Offences Act ' The particular Highway ran through defendant’s land, and lie admitted laying poison on the land alongside the highway. If the charge were amended to one of laying poison v • within three chains of the highway he . would plead guilty. Detective-Sergeant Knight agreed to the proposed amendment, audit was' made. Hq said that the factswere'h; little unusual. Defendant was a DirmW’, residing on the banks ot Slatey Creek, within a mile of the end of the Slatey Creek-Moon!ight v highwav. He had approximately 7Cp acres of land. ijWtiich was’ ring-fenced. At the (extreme boundary there was a gateyand'boundary fence across the highway/ About half-a-mile further in there was another gate across the highway, and a fence at right angles to it;" Immediately through the second” gateway, the public road'crossed the two branches of Slatey Creek, by j means of two suspension bridges, for Jrdvv the convenience of foot passengers. On ; June 1. two young men named Blackmuii were camped near th<>. first of the two bridges. They were felling bush about half-a-mile further up, having to cross the second bridge to get to their work. They had an Alt' , satian dog with them, on which they

placed considerable value. While they were at work during the day the dog was tied up. They#returned to the hut about 5 p.m., and fed the dog 1 on food from the hut. The dog ,died almost immediately. Poison was suspected, and investigations wer e made by the speaker. Defendant was interviewed, and strychnine, was found in his possession. He made two statements, on separate days, admitting that he had laid poison on the approach to the second bridge. He gave as his reason that he had been trouoled by people with dogs who were going on his property shooting deer, and he laid poison for the dogs. The investigations came about through the death of the dog, and the fact tnat the two Rlackmun brothers were very ill, for some days. In reply to the S.M.-', who asked how the illness of the men was explained the Detective-Sergeant said that there was only one suggestion that could he made—that their illness was due purely to “stage fright.’’ The S.M. asked if he had paid the value of the dog. Detective-Sergeant Knight replied in the. negative, and explained that the owners placed the enormous value of £SO on the dog. Sir Hannan said that the locality was isolated, and the road had been put in only in recent years. The old man had been accustomed to having the countryside to himself. The Detective-Sergeant stated that there had been considerable' expense involved, aoout £SO in conducting the inquiries. Four visits had been paid to the district, which was about 25 miles from Greymoutli and the analyst’s fees had to be paid, because defendant did not at first admit placing the strychnine in bacon. ■Considering 'the heavy expenses that the police were put to, which were due in a great extent to defendant not admitting the offence when he was first interviewed, tne S.M. said that Johnst''n would be fined the maximum amount, £lO, with 1 Os costs. THEFT CHARGE. Maxwell Keith Garner, alias-Henry Albert Rowe, 22, appeared for sentence, having pleaded guilty to the theft of a wallet containing £4 17s lid and papers, to the total value rf £5, the property of John Hilary Patterson Mercer, at Berlins on July 12. He also pleaded guilty to a further, charge of the theft of a razor valued at 10s 6d, the property of Lance Heaphy, at Berlins, on July 12. Detective-Sergeant H. E. Knight stated that accused took the razor from the hotel at Berlins. Since his remand, inquiries -had been made, and his real name was found to he Garner. He had a fairly substantial record of previous convictions, and had received leniency on other occasions, which apparently lie had net

appreciated. Tne full amount of the money had been recovered, but not th e wallet, which was valued at only a small sum. The razor had also been recovered.

The Probation Officer said he thought that accused should be given another chance /to make good. He seemed to have been trying to do his best since being liberated from Borstal.

The S.M. said that accused had evidently been a good worker while in Borstal, and seven months of his two years’ period had been remitted. Since his release his conduct had been satisfactory until lie committed the present .offences. It was a case where he might be giyfcn another chance. He would be convicted and admitted to probation for two veers, the balance of 2s Id the value of the wallet to be paid. -