POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14224, 22 November 1909, Page 8

POLICE COURT NEWS.

OLD SOLDIER'S LAPSE.

An old soldier, named William Manning, who is now in his eighties, appeared before. Sir. C. C. Kettle, S.M., at the Police Court on Saturday on a charge of having been found drunk in the Domain on November 12. It was stated he had fought in the Crimean war, had been one of those * engaged in the famous battle of Balaclava, had fought in the Indian Mutiny, and had eventually ended his interesting military career with the Waikato war. Though entitled to draw an old age pensiem he had been too proud to accept it. "Well," said the magistrate, "you deserve to be cared for in your old age at the country's expense." No conviction was entered against, the man, and arrangements are to be made for his admission to th© Whangarei Home.

David Foster, charged with drunkenness in Symor.ids-street, smilingly admitted that he had been out of town for four years and had on his return met too many friends. He was convicted and prohibited for 12 months. The keeper of a boardinghouse, named Mary Ann Masters, was also convicted for drunkenness and discharged. A gumdigger, named Jeremiah O'Sullivan, was fined 10s, in default 48 hours' imprisonment. Charles Frampton, who was recently convicted on a charge of assault, for throwing a pewter pot of beer at a barman, was charged with drunkenness and remanded for a week for medical treatment and observation. A first offender was fined 5s and costs. John Ansenne, on two charges of procuring liquor while prohibited, and with entering the Thistle Hotel on May 8 while prohibited, was convicted and fined £1, in default 6even days' imprisonment on each charge. Margaret Wilkie, charged with drunkenness, entering licensed premises, and procuring liquor while prohibited, and with being an idle and disorderly person, was sentenced to 12 mouths' imprisonment. Up to October last she had had 42 convictions for drunkenness recorded against her.

ON THE DOWNWARD GRADE. "You have been in better eircumstances," said Mr. Kettle to a refinedlooking man named William Black, charged with stealing two pairs of socks from Messrs. McFarlane and Co.'s shop in Queen-street on November 12. "It is very distressing to me," continued the magistrate, "having known you for many years when you were holding a good v< "tion in the Civil Service, to think that you have been brought to this by the dreadful curse of drink." Accused was remanded for a week in order that arrangements might be made to send him to Pakatoa Island. MISCELLANEOUS. Augustus Henry Winchester and Julia Winchester, his wife, were charged with having on November 17 stolen two coats, valued at £2 10s, the property of Miss Going, and remanded to appear at Whangarei on Thursday. George Onion, charged with assaulting a female on November 9, was remanded until Friday, bail being allowed in two sureties of £50 each. A middle-aged woman named Martha Jane Maxwell, charged with the unlawful use of an instrument, was remanded until Wednesday.