POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14971, 19 April 1912, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

THEFT OF BOOKS. A young man named Alfred Nottingham was charged at the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., with having stolen a couple of books, valued at 4s 6d, the property of William Moate, from the railway station bookstall. Mr. W. E. Hackett, who appeared for him, said the man suffered from some chronic disease, for which he had been five times operated upon in tho Auckland Hospital. His mental faculties, never very strong, had become greatly impaired, and in fact not long ago he had tried to shoot himself. Whenever ho took any liquor he became to a considerable extent irresponsible for his actions. He was convicted, and sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour. MISCELLANEOUS. William James Priest, licensee of the Albion Hotel, Hobson-street, was fined 0s with 7s costs for failing to keep the light over his front door burning. Andrew Crayden, for using obscene language in Vincent Road, Eemuera, was fined £3, or 14 days' imprisonment. William McKeen, who had allowed a horse to wander at One-tree Hill, was fined £1, with costs £l 16s, in default seven days' imprisonment. Three boys, whose ages run from seven to 10 years, were convicted on a charge of having taken a. sovereign from a smaller boy, who had been Kent on a message by his mother. Tho eldest was sent to the Weraroa Training Farm, and the other two to St. Mary's Industrial School, as His Worship was satisfied on tho evidence that they were beyond the control of their parents.

DRUNKENNESS.

Three first offenders were dealt with in the usual way. Arthur Potts and Walter Middleton, second offenders, were fined 10s, with the alternative of 48 hours' imprisonment. John Hunter and Bernard Moran were prohibited, and fined £1 each, or three days' imprisonment.