MAGISTRATE'S COURT

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXV, Issue 3404, 15 December 1931, Page 5

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

SITTING TO-DAY.

A sitting of the Magistrate's Court at Te Kuiti was held to-day, Mr. F. W. Platts, S.M. being on the Bench.

For procuring a firearm, to wit, a .22 Winchester rifle, without a permit from the police, and for having the weapon in possession for seven days without registering, a native, cf Mahoenui, was convicted and ordered to pay costs!2s.

Over-Loading

E. L. R. Hocking, of New Plymouth, motor lorry proprietor, on an overloading charge, was fined £lO and costs. Counsel (Mr. E. M. Mackersey) for the prosecuting county, said he had been instructed to press for a heavy penalty. Defendant had been convicted for similar offences in Taranaki, and it was the habit of his drivers to come through at night. It had been necessary for the county ranger in this case to secure a taxi between 12 o'clock and 2 a.m. in order to catch the defendant in the Waitomo County.

Driving Stock at Night

"It is a dangerous practice to drive stock at night and a severe fine could be inflicted. However, I will accept your story, that you did not know the law," said His Worship, in convicting and fining M. O'Mally, of Pio Pio, farm labourer, £l, with costs 12s, for driving three horses between the hours of 8 o'clock in the evening and 4 o'clock in the morning of the following day, without having a permit to do so. The sergeant stated that a mishap had occurred, when a lorry containing a number of Maori passengers ran into one of the horses, and one of the Maoris was thrown out on his head. Judgment by Default. Judgment by default was given for plaintiffs in the following civil actions: — Robert Stewart v. Aranui few £1 13s 6d, costs 15s; the same v. Tau Meta for £2', lis lid, costs £1 10s 6d; Mackay and Jones, Ltd. v. R. Le Gae for £l2 8s 7d, costs £2 16s; A. D. McLennan v. Tohe Searancke for £1 2s 6d, costs £1 12s 6d; His Master's Voice (N.Z.) Ltd. v. H. G. Vause for £3 0s 6d, costs £1 5s 6d; Farmers' Co-op. Auctioneering Co., Ltd. v. W. M. Cuff for £7 19s lid, costs £1 12s 6d.