POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13214, 27 June 1906, Page 7

POLICE COURT NEWS.

STEALING AN OVERCOAT,

A young man named Leonard Lotter was charged before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., at the Police Court yesterday, with stealing ail overcoat from the s.s. Manuka, raited at £4, the properly of Frederick Pat on.

Chief-Detective Marsack prosecuted, and Mr. Hackett defended.

Horace Elliot, chief steward of the s.s. Manuka, fluted that Mr. Paton, who was a passenger, made a complaint to him about the coat, and subsequently said to witness: " There is my coat," meaning the one accused was wearing. . Accused said the coat belonged to him. but afterwards said, "Take the coat," and then threw it on the deck. At presentMr. Paton was in Australia.

In answer to Mr. Hackett, witness said he knew that the accused went on board the Manuka for the purpose of cashing it postal note. • Accused was not drunk. I James Grim wood, chief clerk of the Union S.S. Company, said he heard Mr. i'aton accusing hotter of taking his coat. Accused said the coat belonged to him. Detective J. Miller stated that lie arrested the accused oil a warrant, and in answer to the charge he replied, "All right." Wilson Moses, a tobacconist, who employed the accused, said on the date in question Letter was under the influence of liquor. Several other witnesses gave evidence as to accused's condition. Mr. Riddeil said he did not consider that Lotter was in such a. state of drunkenness that lie did not know what he was doing. Accused, who had been previously convicted, Was sentenced to two months' imprisonment. A MAINTENANCE CASE. Mary A. Goldsmith, i'ot whom Mr. Burton appeared, applied for a summary separation order against her husband, Albert Edward Goldsmith. The complainant stated that she had five children. For the last seven years her husband had not been, in steady employment. owing to his drunken habits. During that period witness had received on an average about £5 per year from her husband. He had even sold her children's clothes to get money for drink. When 'witness went on a visit to her sister at Tnglewnod in February last her husband sold the furniture. lie had often been cruel to her and her children. In answer to the defendant, witness said she had been prompted to leave her husband by his actions. Defendant did not. give evidence, but admitted that ho was addicted to drink. He also said the landlord, and not lie, had sold the furniture, and that he (defendant) received £5 surplus from the sale. The application was granted, and the defendant was ordered to contribute 7s 6d per week for the support of his wife, and 2s 6d per week in respect of each of his five children. Mrs. Goldsmith was also given the legal custody of the children. CHARGE AGAINST A MAORI WOMAN. A Maori woman named Ngakerka Kailwliero, -who appeared in Court without hat or boots, was charged with having per- | sonated Mann Ngaoro 'J'npaca, with intent to defraud William Porlerson of £23. j Sub-Inspector Gordon applied for a, remand until Friday, which was granted. j VAGRANCY. Maud Travel's and Stella Marsden, both young women, were charged with being incorrigible rogues, Evidence for tho prosecution showed that the accused had come from Wellington, and were both women of bad character. Several complaints ' had reached the police concerning the accused's conduct while ii}, Auckland. They had treated disturbances in hotels and had been found in "the Streets"'-with' men at very late hours. Travers, who had been previously convicted for % similar offence, promised to return to Wellington immediately, if : permitted., - Mr. Riddeil said that if she did not return before Thursday ..she would be ordered to come up for sentence. Marsden, who said she was a- married woman and had. come up from Wellington to see. a child, was committed to the Salvation Army Homo for three months.

John August, nil . old mail, was charged with vagrancy. The constable -who arrested accused stated that, he hud found him wandering about the streets in the early hours of the morning, and shivering with the cold. Accused was convicted, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment. Richard Gumming was also charged with vagrancy. He pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. MISCELLANEOUS. William Payne applied for a, reduction to bo made in a maintenance order for the support of his father, Alfred Payne, The application was refused. William Burtenshaw was ordered to pay 5s per week for the support of his wife, and the same amount per week for his daughter'." maintenance. For "disobeying an order of the Court for the support of his wife George Marshall was sentenced to one month's imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended if the arrears, amounting to £10; were paid . off within 48 hours. ' William Thompson was lined 20s> and costs, for disobeying an order of the Court for the maintenance of his illegitimate child, while James Wheeler, charged with a. similar offence, was'fined 10s and costs. On the application of Thomas O'Neill ft maintenance order issued against himself for the support of his wife and five children was reduced from 10s to 7s per week in respect to bis wife, and from 20s to 16s per week in respect of the children. For disobeying an order of the Court for the maintenance of his wife John Kean was fined £1 and. costs. ' For a similat offence in respect to his mother John Walsh was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment, the order to .be suspended for 10 days, so as to give the defendant a chance of paying off the arrears, £2 10s. 1 A first offender was convicted and fined 10s, and 5s cost. 1 ?, or in default 48 hours' imprisonment, for drunkenness, and another first offender, who did not appear, was convicted and fined £1, or as an alternative 48 hours' imprisonment.