POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13482, 8 May 1907, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

, ALLEGED THEFT >OF DRAPERY. A yctrxG man, Fredk. .'■■'■ Win..-;; Barker, who had been arrested by Detectives Hollis and Shine, : was charged, before Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., at the Police Court yesterday, with stealing a quantity of drapery, valued at .£9 4s, the property of his employer, John Court. On the application of Chief-Detective Marsack, . accused was remanded until Friday. Bail was allowed. ; ' .^-' : " : - •.■:--'■'^' : / : .'<-■ TROUBLE OVER A CHILD. Emily Carter "was. charged; with assault•'ing Janet O'Mera and using provoking'language towards her, and Janet O'Mera, in turn, was- charged with assaulting Emily Carter. "Both" cases were heard together. Mr. Sharpies- appeared for- Mrs. O'Mera, and Mr. J. R. Lundon for Miss Carter. Mrs. O'Mera said that the troublo tcok place over a child belonging to witness, the latter being struck several times. on the face. : Bad language, it was alleged, had also been used. '-.- . . < _ Miss Carter said that on the day in question she went to the Nelson-street "school to get Mrs. O'Mera's child, and was attacked by Mrs. O'Mera. She did not use any provoking : language towards Mrs. O'Mera. ' . Y:: _- _ The magistrate reserved his decision.; .A BRUTAL HUSBAND. Abel Fletcher, who did not appear, was charged with disobeying an order, cf the Court for the maintenance of: his wife. Mr. , Brookfield, ,who; appeared for the com-: plainant, said that she was in a very low state of health, and was living with her, mother.' They had a very ; hard' struggle to obtain the necessaries of life, and the defendant had not been near his wife or even ' sent -her any money. * - - « ■ • ; Mr. Kettle said that defendant had treated his wife in a most, brutal manner, and sentenced him to three months' imprisonj ment. : : ■ - ■ . ~ CLAIM AGAINST A SHIPMASTER. J. R. Greenwood, master of the barque | Aldcbaran, was charged with having failed to pay a seaman named William Williams his wages upon his discharge from the vessel, and further with having failed to de- ; ; liver an account, to Williams showing all | money due to him .as wages and deducI tions therefrom; and also, that owing to Williams- being unable- to continue his engagement, on account'.of an accident, he, failed to deposit the full amount of wages I due to him tQgether with other money for medical attention. defendant. pleaded not guilty to: all the I charges. Mr. A. E. Skeiton appeared for j the . prosecution. 1 : :* ; ' 1;■ .. : •'--:''.,:; ■ The complainant said that on the 22nd uit. defendant engaged him to work on the I Aldebaran on the voyage from Auckland to Sydney. > Witness commenced work at once, and on the following day he sprained his ankle while " slinging timber." He remained on the barque until the nest .day, when the defendant instructed him, through the mate ,of the ship,; to return to the Sailors' : Home. -Witness had not received any wages from the defendant, who had discharged him. ..v -:- '■, Defendant said -that the. complainant had not been entered on the ship's articles, and j that if Williams had not met with the accident'he would have taken'him to Sydney. He then withdrew his • plea of not guilty, and entered? one of guilty. • > . v •! On the first charge he was ordered to I pay Williams his wages (£4 10s) and on the other charges he was fined ss. and costs. ' - . MISCELLANEOUS. ,t Thomas O'Brien, (; a young -man,, was charged with' threatening, behaviour in Al-bert-street. ... / It■ was 'explained . that • de- ' fendant and ; another, man were. engaged in fighting in Albert-street for',' about half-,an-hour,"a.nd when 'the'police came upon the 'scene the other : man ran away. Defendant; ■■'who''''said "ho was ; fighting in self"defence;' was fined ss. and costs. ' ''-';Mi?abe|,h; Lcoiiarq; for whom' Mr.' J, :R. ; Ltintlqn appeared, applied for a separation order from her husband, Mathew. Leonard. After hearing the evidence of both parties, tho,-magistrate adjourned the case for two weeks, in order to'•; see whether Ihe parties could come." to some agreement in the meantime. "'..,-' j ' Samuel Morgan,', alias Thos. Walker, and William Coleman, were' each fined Ss. and costs .for drunkenness. They .were so ! prohibited for 12 'months. - A first offender ! was ■' fined ...a,, similar: ; amount,, -;.' .. . ~;„':-. i INTERESTING .CASE AT MERCER. I,', '; rjFKOM'OTjR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] .:,;. :,,?;-,, ~.>: Mercer, Tuesday. - : Before ".Mr. -Northcrpft,-. S.M., a case' of ' general interest was brought by Clark against ',: Coullhard; sawmiller, of Mercer, ; -it- being alleged:: that defendant allowed j certain damage to be . done by logs owned I by him and in course of flotation to the Waikato River.' Mr. Tonka appeared for plaintiff,' and Mr.;: Cotter for defendant. Mr. Tonks " said that plaintiff had made an agreement with defendant giving him a cerI:tain right to allow an old dam to be used to "dump- logs. into, any damage done to be paid for by defendant. .-Certain damagehaving been done, * and defendant refusing to pav the amount claimed, - plaintiff was obliged to bring this action. The amount of the --whole • claim was - '£327 ; :.; some amounts had been paid hi by defendant; but only small sums. : Mr. Tonks suggested that His Worship should go to Pokeno and view this property, and then he would be more conversant with tho general? lay I of the country, and could see for himself the; amount of damage done. This was agr«ea , to, and the case was adjourned until May 30. ■ - ________