POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12955, 26 August 1905, Page 7

POLICE COURT NEWS.

SELLING LIQUOR ON STEAMERS

WHILE IN PORT.

A CAPTAIN FINED £20.

Edward James Waxn, captain of the s.s. Kotili, was charged with having, while being the holder of a packet license in respect to the s.s. Kotiti, unlawfully sold liquor while the boat was berthed alongside the Waipu Wharf, a place where he was not by the license authorised to sell. Mr. Mays prosecuted on behalf of the Crown Prosecutor, and Mr. T. Cotter defended.

Mr. Colter pleaded guilty. He slated thai the bar was in charge of the steward, who had been given strict instructions that he should never in any circumstances sell liquor when in port. The captain, while legally responsible, was morally not responsible. The facts of the case were that there were two rival shipping companies— the Coastal Company and the McGregor Company. Negotiations were then in progress for amalgamating the two companies. The steward of the Rob Roy, then an opposition steamer, and others went on board the Kotiti to'drink success to the new company. The steward had been suspended by the company. Mr. Mays: The facts as given by Mr. Cotter are correct. There was, however, a large number of people at the bar, including a local justice of the peace. The Magistrate thought that although the captain could not be always down at the bar. he should be, given the charge of the keys while the boat was in port. It was necessary to put a stop to selling liquor alongside wharves, and he accordingly inflicted a fine of £20 and costs.

SEPARATION ORDER FOR CRUELTY.

Phcebe Bray applied for an order for separation from her husband, Thomas Geo. Bray, on. the ground of his persistent cruelty. Mr. Brookfield appeared for the complainant, and the defendant was unrepresented. The complainant said that on the night of August 4, as she was going home, she was met by her husband, who pulled her hair and threw her down. About a fortnight previous to this he lifted up a chair to strike her, but she ran from him, and he chased her round the table with the chair over his shoulders. On one occasion she had had to escape from him by means of a wir.dow. He had on several other occasions used bad language towards her, and ill-used her. The defendant protested against the order being made, but admitted that on one or two occasions he had used threatening language towards his wife. He asked the magistrate to give him a chance, but the magistrate told him that be was satisfied that he (defendant) bad ill-used bis wife. The application for the order was granted, the defendant to pay £1 per week for the maintenance of his wife and children.

A BREACH OF THE FACTORIES ACT.

Lena Scott Williams, dressmaker, pleaded guilty to a breach of the Factories Act, by employing three girls after one o'clock on Saturday, July 29. Mr. Ferguson, the inspector of factories, prosecuted. A. line of 30s and costs, 275, was inflicted. MISAPPROPRIATING MONEY. George Ward, collector, was charged with having received from Timothy Beelian O'Connor the sum of £3 5s 6d on terms requiring him to account for or return the same to Whittome, Stevenson, and Co., Limited, and with having fraudulently omitted to account for same, and thereby Lad committed theft. Ward was similarly charged in respect to 13s alleged to have been received by him from John Baker. Chief-Detective M'arsack applied for a further remand till Wednesday, owing to the principal witness being out of town. Mr. Hackett, accused's counsel, obtained bail at one surety of £50, and the accused in his own surety of £100. SMOKING IN A NON-SMOKING CARRIAGE. Vincent McGrath a young man, was charged with having smoked in a nonsmoking railway carriage at Henderson. Mr. Lundon pleaded guilty on behalf of the accused. Sub-Inspector Black said that defendant had been told by the guard to put his cigarette out Out he had refused. Mr. Lundon said he had been instructed that the defendant was with a football team going back to Henderson. They were all smoking. Sub-Inspector Black: That is so, Your Worship. The others, however, stopped when fold to do so. The sub-inspector pointed out that this was becoming rather too common an offence. The magistrate inflicted a- fine of Is and costs, 21s.' A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO CABMEN. Two cabdrivers, James Hunt and Edward Benhani, were charged with using threatening behaviour. The police, evidence showed that a stand-up fight was proceeding between them, when they were parted by the police. The defence was that it was a cold night, and they were having a friendly argument, pushing one another about. Benhani admitted that his nose was bleeding, hut he had knocked it against flic top of Hunt's head. The magistrate thought they had been lighting, but he would give them a chance, and a line, of 10s, and costs 9s each, was inflicted.

ALLEGED THEFT FROM THE DWELLING. Leonard Morrison, a young man, a cook, was charged with stealing a watch, valued at £5, from the dwelling of Robert Ellis. The accused pleaded not guilty. Chief-Detective Marsack said that Ellis and his wife left their house in Beach Road on July 6. file watch in question was left in the house. On Mr. Ellis' return he discovered the watch had gone. The house was not locked up. The watch was (raced to a second-hand shop, and it was discovered the accused had pawned it for 10s, When arrested the accused made an explanation to the police, to the effect that he had got the watch from another man. Detective Hollis said he hud been endeavouring to verify the accused's statement, but had been unable to rJo so. When he arrested the accused he said that a man named Bennett had given him the watch to pawn. . The accused, when finally charged, pleaded "not guilty." Ho said the statement given to the'police was a true and correct account of the affair. The accused was committed for trial, and bail was allowed in two .sureties of £30 each, and his own of £100. MISCELLANEOUS. Daniel Foitle pleaded guilty, and was fined £3 and costs, in default 14 days, for being found on the licensed premises of the Rising Sun Hole! during the currency of a prohibition order. Albert liroughton, charged with stealing an exhibit, two calves in a bottle, valued at £20. the property of John Murtagh, was admit! Ed to probation for 12 months. The magistrate also issued a prohibition order. .Tolm Kean _ was sentenced to two months' imprisonment for disobeying an order of the Court- for the maintenance of his twe children. The order was suspended so long as the defendant paid £1 a week off the arrears, £13 2s. A young lad, Sidney Brown, admitted that he had stowed away on the Sierra at Sydney. The magistral remanded him till Monday, when ho will he taken back to Sydney by the Sonoma. Julian Paitrv was charged with stealing a boat at Helensvillc, valued at £4, the property of James Stewart. Sub-Inspector Black obtained a. remand until Tuesday.