Kaitaia Court

Northland Age, Volume XVI, Issue 22, 13 December 1946, Page 5

Kaitaia Court

There was a sitting of the Magistrates Court in the Kaitaia Courthouse on Tuesday when the visiting magistrate Mr. W. C. Harley presided. Charged with the theft of an 8 gallon drum of petrol valued at £1 17/-, ‘.he property of the New Zealand Government, Moses Pickery, 34, pleaded guilty. A married man with two children, Pickery at .he time of the offence was employed as a driver for the New Zealand Road Services, earning £l3 a fortnight. Sergeant H. J. Harrington informed the Court that on Saturday, December 7, an 8 gallon drum of petrol was left on the back of a truck in the Road Services depot. On Monday morning the drum and contents were missing. Defendant, Pickery, was interviewed and he later admitted taking the petrol. He was convicted and fined £5, and ordered to make restitution of the petrol to the value of 22/-. For driving a motor vehicle with wrongly adjusted headlights, Wiki Brass was fined 5/- with costs 15/-1 Charles Frederick Hutley was fined 10/- with 15/- costs for driving a truck with defective footbrake and hand brake. For not having a rear vision mirror in operation he was convicted and ordered to pay costs. The absence of good brakes on vehicles traversing the northern roads was a serious matter, commented Mr. Harley. It was an obligation to employers to see that vehicles driven by employees were in order. For the Northern Co-op. Carrying Association, Mr. R. Kelly pleaded guilty to the charge of exceeding their heavy traffic license and of exceeding the axle load. The vehicle in question, stated Mr. V. Kingdon, traffic inspector, was carrying 75 puriri posts and 5 strainers near Parapara junction on August 29th. It was travelling on roads where traffic restrictions had been in operation during the winter months. It was difficult for a driver to estimate the weight of puriri posts, said Mr. 'Kelly. A new body on the truck also added to the weight. Stating that experienced drivers should know the weight of loads carried, Mr. Harley convicted and fined the Carrying Association 20/-, with costs 10/- on the first charge and

10/- with costs 10/- on the second. For allowing three horses to wander on the No. 1 State Highway at Pamapuria, Jesse Ryder was fined 10/- with costs 10/-. ! Appearing for the Price Tribunal, : Mr. Kelly stated that Jack Roberts had committed four breaches of the price control regulations. Khaki drill overalls had been placed out for sale at 28/- a pair whereas the cost price was 12/6. Working shirts at a cost price if 9/8 were being sold at 17/6. Pending fixation of prices, said Mr. Kelly, a retailer was allowed to sell at 331/3 percent in excess of the cost price. Roberts who traded only in a small way, was evidently not conversant with the regulations, said Mr. Harley. He was convicted and fined 30/- with costs 12/-.