POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13453, 1 June 1907, Page 7

POLICE COURT NEWS.

CHARGES AGAINST GUMDIGGERS.

A youxi; man named William Lilly was charged-:before Mr. B. W. Dyer, S.M., at the ' -Police Court yesterday, that on March 2, at Swanson, within the Waiter" mata kauri gum district, he:; was in possession, of kauri gum, without being the holder of a special or ordinary license, under the Kauri Gum Industry Act, 1893. *He was also further charged on two similar informations in respect to February 23 and' 26.: : /■ .Mr. E. W. Burton appeared for the defendant, and pleaded guilty. He said that Lilly had given' the money to a storekeeper to take out "a license for him, but be had not done so. , Lilly was fined 20s, and costs 10s, on the first charge, and convicted and ordered to pay costs on the other counts. John Robertson, another young man, similarly charged, was fined 20s and costs, or in default 14 days' imprisonment. . Francisco R. Fequira, a . middle-aged mam, was charged on four informations with buying gum from William Lilly and John Robertson, neither of those persons being then an owner /or.": occupied of native or other land, nor the holder of a special or ordinary license. The cases wore adjourned 'until Friday next, so as to enable defendant to produce his license. THEFT OF A GLADSTONE BAG. Samuel H. Priestly, a middle-aged man, and a traveller by occupation, pleaded guilty to drunkenness and to committing a breach of his prohibition order, and not guilty to stealing a Gladstone bag, valued at £B,' the property of Thomas Richard Leech. * ." •■

Evidence was called to the effect that the complainant left his Gladstone bag on the Auckland railway station for a few minutes, and when he went to get it he found that it had been stolen. .On tho following day accused was arrested by Constable Christison with the bag in his possession. He was then under the influence of liquor. » Priestly said that h« had been drinking, and had. taken the complainant's bag from the railway station in mistake for his own. On the first charge he was fined 5s and costs; on the second, £2 and costs, or in default one month's imprisonment, and on the third he was sentenced to. two months' imprisonment, the sentences to be concur-, rent. ; ''

• ILL-TREATING A HORSE. Rudolph Allen, a young man, pleaded. guilty to ' cruelly ill-treating a horse at Epsom. . : Sub-Inspector Gordon said that the horse was thoroughly exhausted through having been beaten by Allen with a heavy whip. Its sides were covered with - blood and weals. J [ f- \• -. ■ ■• • * Mr. Dyer, who said that the case was a. very bad ' one, fined Allen £5, and costs &1 lis, or in default one month's imprisonment. THEFT OF MONEY. Edward John Mallett was charged with stealing 4s 6d, Is 3d, and 20s respectively, the moneys ,of Bertie and Ernest Cross and William Stonharm Accused pleaded guilty to the -first : two charges, and not guilty to the third. •' ;~ ; .'"■"'■ : With regard to the last charge, the complainant; a guindigger, residing :} at Hairy Flat', said that he invited the accused to his wharc, and during his (witness') absence the money disappeared. Mallet,; who "denied taking ; the 'money, , was sentenced to two months' imprisonment on each charge, the terms to be con- ■ current. '.',.;■ _ .' ~ ■', MISCELLANEOUS. Peter Green/a young man, who is at' present undergoing a 'term. of imprison-' ment for assault, was fined £2 and costs, or. jn. default, month's, imprisonment,for.:» committing.,a. : breach of his . prohibitiorx order, the. sentence to commence at the expiration of the present term. For; a'- similar offence Roger Lupton was fined £3 and costs.A fine of ss, and costs 15s, was imposed upon Bert Hodgson for driving . his horse and vehicle on the wrong side of the road iiv Customs-street. • Joseph' Thomas, a young man, pleaded guilty to attempting to board a traincar while in motion, and was fined 10s and cost It \ was explained ,that the defendant met' with a serious accident in endeavouring ;to board the iramcar. , Robert Goudie and John Ledwedce, second offenders, were each fined 10s and costs, or :in default 48 hours' imprisonment, for drunkenness. Two first offenders were each fined 5s and costs, and another, who did not appear, was ordered to forfeit the amount of bail (£l}.