MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17179, 27 May 1916, Page 14

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

CHRISTCHURCH. Mr T. A. 13. Bailey, S.M., presided at to-day's sitting of the Christchurch Magistrate's Court. Florence Ethel Beswick (Mr Besviek) pleaded guilty to driving a motor-car without lights, and was fined 5s with costs. Thomas Wingo, who did not appear, was charged with carrying no lights on his motor-car. He was convicted and lined us with costs. John Barker was charged with riding a motor-cyclo over the intersection or Montreal'Street and Oxford Terrace at an excessive speed. He pleaded guilty and was fined 5s with costs. E. H. Cambridge was charged with driving a motor-car past the Bank of New Zealand corner at an excessive speed, and also with driving a motorcar on tho wrong side of the street. Ho did not appear, and was. fined 10s with costs on each charge. Leonard W. Campion, who was charged with driving a motor-car at an excessive speed, was fined oa with Cyril lies was charged with ridin& a motor-cycle at a speed dangerous to tho public, and pleaded guilty. Ho was fined 10s with costs. Charles Robert Williamson was charged with cycling on the footpath and cvcling without a light on the evening of May 10. Defendant, who did not appear, was fined os on each charge. . ... Richard Carney was charged with wilfully breaking three panes of glass, valued at 18s, tho property of Youii" Chung, Madras Street. He pleaded not guilty. After evidence had been heard accused was convicted and fined 40s, with costs, and was ordcrew to pay the cost of the broken window. Tims to pay was refused. _ • The Inspector of Factories (Mr K. T. Bailey) proceeded against Henry French, tobacconist, for a broach of the Shop and Offices Act, by keeping his shop open on May 8 after 6 p.m., tho regulation ' closing hour. 'Defendant said that he would admit selling tobacco after G p.m., but ho did not know that he was breaking the law. Mr Bailey asked that' a heavier penalty than usual should bo made. A neighbouring tobacconist had warned the defendant as to the closing hours, but he said that he would keep open 'and take his chance until he received' the official notification. Defendant was fined 40s, with costs, Thomas Kincaid, grocer, was' charged with a breach of tho Shops and Offices Act. He did'not appear, but in a letter to tho Court pleaded guilty to employing an assistant bcioro 7 a.m. Mr R.'T. Bailey said that Mr Kincaid had given tho Department every assistance. Defendant was fined 20s and costs. Charles Myers and Anthony Roga! (Mr Cassidy) appeared on a charge of wilfully damaging a wheelbarrow and the roof and chimney of a dwellinghouse, the property of John Rock, to the value of £lO. They pleaded not guilty. When Rook entered the box to give evidence, his condition made Sub-Inspector Mullaney inquire of the Bench whether it was worth while going on with the case. Mr Bailey (to witness): What made you get drunk? Witness: Eh! I'm not drunk. a fall. Sub-Inspector Mullaney oiicred to go on with the case, but Mr Cassidy said" that it was beneath the dignity ot the Court to listen to a drunken witness. Tho Sub-Inspector asked permission to withdraw tho charge, which was granted. Mr Cassidy, for the defendants, said that both young men were returned soldiers, and absolutely denied committing the offences alleged. They had a large number of witnesses, to testify on their behalf, if the c-vse had continued. Rock was escorted from" tho witness box to tho police station, when he was arrested on a charge of drunkenness. Robert Michael Cox, James Patrick Walsh (Mr Cassidy), and Archibald Hunt (Mr Alpers) were charged with being tho occupiers of rooms on the third floor in the Royal Exchange Buildings, and that they did use the same as a common gaming house. Sydney John Merficld (Mr Cassidy) was charged with assisting in the management of a common gaming house, and Richard Brewer (Mr Cassidy) was charged with being found on tho premises. On the application of Detective Gibson, a remand was granted to Wednesday next. Bail was allowed in £IOO each, "to each of the defendants, except in the case of 'Brewer, where the amount was £2O. LYTTELTON. Mr C. Ferrier, J.P., and Mr G. C. Smith, J.P., presided at the Magistrate's Court at Lyttelton yesterday. . William Lowe, on a charge of being a disorderly person, was convicted and discharged. LEESTON. Mr J. Baructt, J.P., and Mr W. G. Lunn, J.P., presided at the Leeston Court yesterday. S. Gordon Alexander. Ballington Taylor, "William Washbourne, Malcolm M'Grcgor and Arthur Gordon Taylor, pleaded' guilty to a charge of having thrown stones at the schoolmaster's house at Brookside on May 3, and breaking a window. Alexander,against whom there were two charges, -was fined 4 5s and costs oh each charge, and tho 'other defendants were each fined ss. Defendant were ordered to make good the damage done. For riding a motor-bicycle at Doyleston without a light, Arthur Smith, who did not appear, but who entered a plea of guilty, was fined 5s and costs. The Bench expressed the hope that the case would serve as a warning to others, as the practice of riding motor-bicycles without lights was b-yjnnnng too common. ASHBIJRTOX Mr Y. G. Day, S.M., pr?<si<Md at the Ashburton Magistrate's Court yesterday. Charges against William Davison (Hinds), Henry Martin (Fairton)', J. G. Jackson (Ashburton), Charles yioper (As>;urton), A. M. Humphries (Fairton) and E. O. Reilly (Hinds), of railing to send children regularly to school were adjourned tor three months to enabls the parents to ensure i more regular attendance. Mr J. Blank (truant inspector) prosecuted in each instance. In tho adjourned case of W. J. Daly (Mr Acland) v. J. J. Lewis (Mr Buchanan) for the recovory of £SO for damage to sheep alleged to have been j caused through defendant driving a i vehicle through them on tho Ashburton traffic bridge on April 12, judgment was given lor defendant -with costs. I In the oivil action W. H. Collins and Co. v. David Edgington, claim £3 7s, judgment was given for plaintiff by default, with costs. RAKAIA. Mi- L. Oxley, J.P., and Mr C. Tucksr, J.P., presided at the Rakaia Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. John Lindsay was charged with drunkenness and with using obscene language on the Rakaia Railway Station. On the first charge he was convicted and discharged, and on the second was fined 20s. '" • On Thursday, before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., Pluck and Son claimed £7 10s 6d from Henry Stevens for goods supplied. Defendant admitted a liability of £5 2s Bd. The Magistrate adjourned the case for a week to enable defendant to produce a receipt for certain goods alleged to have been Raid foiu