MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 170, 19 June 1934, Page 5

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

MISCELLANEOUS CASES. Air J. L. Stout, S.M., presided over the sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Palmerston North yesterday. Gilbert ltiley was charged (1) that he did operate a motor-car not equipped with brakes complying with the requirements of the motor regulations ; (2) that he did fail to produce Ins driver’s license; (3) that he. did negligently drive a car on the Aokautere Road on May 26, (4) that on May 26, when approaching a flock of sheep on the Aokautere Road, he did fail to drive slowly past them. Air L. Laurenson appeared for defendant and entered pleas of guilty to all four charges. Senior-Sergeant Whitehouse said that defendant had been driving his employer’s car and was in a hurry to reach home, but just over a rise he encountered a flock of sheep. His brakes would not act and lie dashed into them at a speed of 30 miles an hour, killing two. Counsel said the police seemed to have been very thorough in laying the charges. All the offences arose out of the same occurrence, and counsel suggested that a fine on one only would meet the case. Defendant was convicted on all four charges. He was fined 10s, with 10s costs, for having no license, and £5, with" 10s costs, for negligent driving.- He was discharged without penalty on the other two charges. For failure to possess a driver’s license, John Keith C. Dalryniple, of Palmerston North, was fined 10s, with 10s costs.

George Garner, with several aliases, a showman, aged 49, appeared on a charge that on June 16, at Palmerston North, he did play a game of chance in a public place. A charge of being deemed an incorrigible rogue was withdrawn. Accused pleaded guilty to the former charge. Senior-Detec-tive Quirke said accused had £7 on him when arrested. He had been previously convicted. Mr T. F. Belling, who appeared for accused, said no great harm had been done and' in any event licensing regulations for sideshowmen would shortly be gazetted. Counsel suggested that accused be fined £5 and left the other £2 with which to get out of tho town. The Magistrate adopted this suggestion and fined accused £5.

Joseph Michael Holeham pleaded not guilty, to a charge that, on June 16, at Palmerston North, lie was deemed to be an idle and disorderly person in that lie had insufficient lawful visible means of support. Constable G. Chapman gave evidence that he saw accused in a more or less intoxicated condition in Main Street yesterday morning. Accused accosted several people producing a cardboard box from which he endeavoured to sell shoe laces. His associates were of the undesirable class, he .had been about the city for some time ,and was always more or less muddled with drink. Accused said he had endeavoured to obtain a living and not make himself a burden on the country. Accused was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment, the Magistrate commenting that ,he had had four different chanoes previously, having each time been convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon. William George Rae, alias Griffiths, alias Griffis, of Wellington, was charged that, being a person excluded by the regulations under authority of the Gaming Act, 1908, he did trespass on the Otaki racecourse while it was being used for a race meeting. Defendant was fined £5, with 10s costs, default being fixed at one month's imprisonment.