POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15646, 27 June 1914, Page 7

POLICE COURT NEWS.

ALEXANDRA HOTEL CASE.

BARMAN ANXIOUS TO APPEAL.

The pretention against the licensee anil a barman of the Alexandra Hotel was recalled at yesterday's sitting of the Police Court, when an application was made by the barman, John Hart (Mr. J. C. Martin) for a rehearing of his case. Mr. F. V. Frezex, S.M., presided.

Mr. Martin explained that Connelly, tho licensee of the hotel, had been fined £10, which gave him the right to appeal to tho Supreme Court, while Hart had been fined £5, and was therefore unable, to appeal against the decision. Hart desired to have the cafe against him reheard and his fine increased to onable him to appeal. Connelly's lease, it was explained, provided that if the licensee or any employee, committed a broach of the Licensing Act, tha landlord would be entitled to terminate the lease, so that even if Connelly succeeded in his appeal ho .would still be liable to tee his lease. As the facts were the same in tho charges against both men it followed that if Connelly was successful in his appeal, Hart, if give. 'a chance, would be equally successful, '.'he idea of the application was to prevent an injustice being done to Connelly. * The magistrate reminded coursel of the strong expression of opinion by Mr. Justice Williams that an application of this kind was to be discountenanced. ' Any application for a larger fine with a view to an appeal should have been made at tho original trial, but had there been any real merits in the case, ho might have been inclined to stretch a point. The evidence, however, had satisfied him that Connelly had not been at all careful in several matters He could not see his way to grant the application at the present time, but bo was quito willing to adjourn the matter until Connelly's appeal was heard. Should that appeal be successful he might be inclined to grant the present application. CHARGE OF VAGRANCY. John Hayes, whose age was given as 40 years, denied a charge of vagrancy and of soliciting alms. Constable Wade, in evidence, stated that Hayes stopped a man on Thursday night with the . question: " Can you help a poor bushmahr That man was not the only person, who had been spoken to in a similar way by Hayes on Thursday. Hayes said that he had left the gaol on Wednesday and that when the constable saw him he was teekint; information as to whon the Marsden Point boat left. He wont ou to remark that sinco Christmas lie had spent £50 and added that his downfall was tho result of drink. The Magistrate suggested that the police should take charge of Hayes until.his boat sailed. Therefore Haves was ordered to bo imprisoned for 24 hours and_ to be placed upon the boat before it sailed.

DISPUTE ABOUT A. DEBT. Trevor O'Brien appeared to answer a charge of assaulting Ernest Jones on June 3. Tho evidence was to the effect that the mcu went into an"hotel for a drink and began arguing, Jones stating that O'Brien owed him 2s. O'Brien resented this and struck Jones. The latter admitted in Court that the blow was not a hard one and that he had since learned that it was not O'Brien who owed him the money. The Magistrate convicted O'Brien and ordered him to pay costs amounting to 12s. MISCELLANEOUS. Two first offenders, on charges of drunkenness, were each fined ss, and one forfeited bail amounting to £1. A second offender, James Duncan, was fined 10s. The licensee of the Caledonian Hotel, William C. Dunmoro (Mr. J. R. Reed, K.C.), appeared to answer a charge of permitting drunkenness on his licensed premises. The charge was dismissed. Mr. Frazer remarked that the police were quite justified in bringing the case to Court, but he was quite prepared to accept the defendant's evidence. George Scott was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment with hard labour for stealing a pair of boots outside the shop of (W. D. McLeod, Victoria Street. j Three men, 'William Hick, C. F. Over, and J. McVigh, were each fined 53 for i driving across a Queen Street intersection lat more than a walking pace. For similar I offences William Clayton was fined Is, and Archie Haycock was convicted and discharged. Edward Clarke was remanded to appear at Opotiki on Friday on a charge of obtaining a pair of boots from an Opotiki firm by false pretences.