POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13202, 13 June 1906, Page 8

POLICE COURT NEWS.

STREET LOITERING. A BOOKMAKER FINED £10. - - At the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. R. W. Dyer, S.M., an elderly man named Leonard Adams, pleaded not guilty to wilfully obstructing the. footpath in Vulcan Lane. Sergeant Hendry prosecuted, and Mr. J. R. Reed defended. , / Constable J. Horan stated that on May 31, while he was on duty in Queen-street, ho saw the defendant, his son, and another man standing on the footpath in Vulcan Lane. They remained on the footpath for three minutes, but when they saw witness they moved on. The defendant followed the occupation of a bookmaker. Witness also saw Adams on the footpath on several other occasions during the day. An obstruction was caused by ' tile defendant remaining on the footpath. * Detective John Hollis said he knew that the defendant was a bookmaker, and,,had often seen him in Vulcan Lane.

Sergeant Hendry: Can you say what class of people congregate there? Mr. Reed: .1 object to that question. The question was "allowed. Sergeant Hendry: Has the defendant any other occupation? Witness: No. ; What class of people congregate there? Witness: Bookmakers, spielers, sporting men, and the general public. Continuing, witness said the defendant could .be found daily in Vulcan Lane with a number of other men, carrying on bookmaking. There was no doubt, that- through these men congregating there it made-other people do the same for tl\c purpose of book ma king.Mr. Reed, who said lie did not intend to call any evidence for the defence, submitted that the only facts the Court had to decide upon wwe, whether the defendant, while talking to his son, caused "any obstruction by standing on the footpath. Mr. Dyer said that if a man simply stopped in the street to shake hands with ' another man there was no obstruction, but if a man loitered in the street for the purpose of carrying- on a betting transaction it was a different matter. The question was whether the defendant, by loitering on the footpath talking to his son caused an obstruction. He held that it was so, and would convict, rightly or wrongly. In fining the defendant Mr. Dyer said he would fulfil the threat, he had made in the last street loitering prosecution, and fined defendant £10.

Mr. Reed formally gave notice of appeal, and asked that two other charges against Gciorse . Campbell and Alfred Adams for similar offences be adjourned until after the appeal was settled. Mr. Dyer and Sergeant Ilendrv raised no objections to the application, which was granted.

ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES. A young well-dressed man. named George McDonald, was charged with obtaining £2 from John Marshall by representing himself to be a jockey named Ashby in the employment of Jeremiah Driscoll. ' ; "Chief-Detective Msrsack, who prosecuted, applied for a remand for seven days, stating that there would probably be a number of other charges preferred against the accused The remand was granted. Bail was allowed, accused in £100, and two sureties of £50 each. MISCELLANEOUS. ■ . Thomas Rynolds, an elderly man, who was charged with drunkenness (a second offence), asked to be remanded for, medical treatment, as he said he was not able to plead. Sergeant Hendry: Rynolds is. a prohibited person, and he is fond of taking fits outsido hotels, so that he may obtain medical treatment. (Laughter.) Defendant ' then pleaded guilty, and was fined £2 10s, and costs 2s 6d, or in default seven days' imprisonment. ..... For disobeying an. order of the Court for the . maintenance of his illegitimate ; child, Peicy Da vies, who did not appear, was fined £2. . . "■ Norman Frost, who did not appear, was ordered to pay 10s- per week for the support of his child. - Ellen Gallagher applied for a maintenance order against her son, : William Gallagher. Defendant- stated that he was unable, to contribute anything as he had a wife.and two children to support, and was only recei £2 2s a week. The applicant stated that she received £2 5s per week from her. sons and daughters. The application was refused. A first, offender was fined lfs 6d, and 2s 6d costs, or in default 43 hours' imprisonment, for drunkenness. : t