LAW AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11780, 9 October 1901, Page 7

LAW AND POLICE.

POLICE COURT NEWS. Yf.stebdat'B Bitting of the Police Court was presided over by Mr. H. W. Brabant S.M. Drunkenness: Three first offenders for drunkenness were dealt with in the usual way. Antonia Mathieson, on bail, against whom a previous conviction had been recorded, was fined 10s, with the option of going to prison for 48 hours. Theft: A seaman named John Walker was charged that he did steal a pair of trousers, valued at 13s M, the property of John Green. Accused pleaded not guilty. The evidence for the prosecution showed that the accused was noticed taking the trousers, which were exhibited outside Green's establishment, and later on the accused was arrested by Detective Matidern near the Queen-street Wharf. Accused, on making a statement, denied stealing the trousers, but said that he purchased them from a man for ss. His Worship sent the accused to gaol for two months with hard labour.

Vagrancy: Mary Walsh, a young woman, pleaded not guilty to a charge of being an idle and disorderly person, with insufficient visible means of support, and that she habitually consorted with reputed prostitutes. Mr. Reed defended the accused. Several members of the police force gave evidence in support of the prosecution, and each deposed that the accused had a bad record, and said that she was a frequent associate of undesirable characters. Sub-Inspector Mitchell stated that persons with bad reputations, of whom the accused was one, were becoming an intolerable nuisance to the community of Auckland, and he asked His Worship to make an example of the accused by imposing a lengthy term of imprisonment. His Worship sentenced the accused to one month's imprisonment with hard labour. A middle-aged man named John Hymns pleaded guilty to a charge of being an idle and disorderly person, with inadequate visible means of support. Chief Detective Grace said that the accused for a considerable period had been a, regular associate of notorious convicted thieves, and had never to his knowledge done any work. On the accused promising to quit the city within 24 hours. His Worship ordered him to come up for sentence when called upon. A Collision: The case against Francis Hill Creamer, who was charged at the court last week with failing to drive on the right side of the Great North Bond when passing a bicycle, and which case was adjourned, after evidence had been taken, to allow His Worship to visit the spot where the mishap occurred, was finally settled yesterday. The facts of the case wore that the prosecution alleged that it was in consequence of the defendant, who was driving a horse and trap along the road in question passing a lad who was on a bicycle on the wrong side, that the collision occurred, while the defendant alleged that he made efforts to pass on the proper side, and that the mishap resulted through the cyclist dodging and twisting about the road. In delivering judgment His Worship said there was a doubt as to who was responsible for the mishap, and tinder those circumstances the information would be dismissed.

Maintenance: For disobeying orders of the Court for the support of their sister, Alfred and Herbert Wallcn were each sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour, the warrant to be held over for 14 days to give defendants an opportunity to pay off the arrears. £6 and £5 17s respectively. An order for payment of 5s a week towards the maintenance of his illegitimate child was made against Sydney Wade.