POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15916, 13 May 1915, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

MANY CASES HEARD.

FRAUDS BY A MAORI.

VALUELESS ■ CHEQUES PASSED.

A Maori named Hare Tareki, when charged in the Police Court yesterday, admitted having obtained six different sums of money by means of valueless cheques. The amounts involved varied from lis to £5, the total being £13 17s 6d.

The accused, it was stated, indulged in a bout of heavy drinking during April. It was then that he got rid of the cheques which had led to charges being laid against him. He was now on probation for a previous offence, but his license had been cancelled.

Three previous convictions for theft, one for horse-stealing, and one for false pretences having been proved against the accused, Mr. V. V. Frazer, S.M., remarked that drink was no excuse, and that the accused did not seem to have benefited by the reformative treatment which he had already undergone. He would, therefore, be sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour, to be followed by reformative detention for a period not exceeding two years. There was a further charge relating to an alleged valueless cheque for £24, and on this charge the accused was remanded to appear at Taumarumii.

ARRESTS AT MILFORD BEACH. As the result of a surprise visit to a house at Milfrfrd Beach by Detective Maguire three men and two young women and a girl 15 years of age came before the Court. The girl admitted having absconded from her home in Upper Queen Street with £25 worth of silver and plate. This property she took to the house at Milford. She said she had no idea that the characters of her five companions were as bad as alleged by the police. Convicted on the charge of theft and on. a charge of vagrancy, she was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, conditionally that she stays at the Door of Hope. Daisy Curtis, 20, Ida Lilian Roach. 23, George Alexander Powell, 39, Albert Edward Hon.an, 27, and Alfred Leonard Ford, 37, all of whom were charged with vagrancy, were remanded until this morning. Mr. W. E. Hackett appeared for the woman Curtis and for Homan, the former being allowed bail in £50, and the latter in £100.

SUGAR FOR TOFFEE. Whilst employed in unloading sugar at the Chelsea Sugar Works, Albert Hewlett scraped up some which had fallen on the floor from split bags. This he took away in a brief-bag, intending to give it to his landlady's children to make toffee with. Whilst on his way home in tie tram, Hewlett was asked by a detective to open his bag. This he did, and the sugar was revealed, Hewlett explaining that he did not think that he was doing any wronf in taking the scrapings off the floor. ° A charge against him. of having stolen sugar valued at Is 3d was dismissed, His Worship holding that a conviction would be out of all proportion tS the offence, the defendant having been indiscreet rather than dishonest.

SUNDAY LABOUR. "Me no workee; me only eatco watermelon * was aboilt all that could be understood of Wong Hoi's answer to a charge of having worked at' his trade, that of a market gardener, on a Sunday. A constable stated that on a recent Sunday in the neighbourhood of the Three Kings he observed Wong Hoi, Sin, and Cluing with hoes in their hands tending to their gardens. They disappeared on his nearer approach, but Wong Hoi was subsequently seen in a muddy condition that suggested recent delving in the ground. ' I suppose they d;, i, O understand," remarked Hi* Worship, "that Europeans may work in their gardens on Sundays for pleasure, but that market gardens may not be worked in for business." Wong Hoi was fii-H £1 an costs, being aS employ-'. S':i and Chung, being employees, were each fined 5s and costs.

BY-LAW CASES. # ' ' A youth named J. Wilson pleaded not guilty to having driven a vehicle on the wrong side ox Albert Street. A taxidriver said that the vehicle, which was on the wrong sid>, collided -with his car his •steering gear being damaged. The driver of the cart refused to give his name and address, and ;here seemed to be none on the vehicle. The defendant having denied that he was the driver, and the taxi-driver being unable to swear to his identity, (ho case was dismissed. Having cut the corner of Queen and W ellesley btroets in his motor by driving on the wrong side, J. N. Crowe was fined 5s with 7s costs.

Reginald Cecil Isaac admitted being tho owner of a horse which had been found wandering at large. As he had paid to redeem the horse from a stable where it was temporarily accommodated, he was let off with the payment of 7s costs.

STRONG LANGUAGE. On? recent evening a Maori named William Heta (Mr. J. R. Lundon) was being taken homo in a launch by his wife. When within the hearing of people standing on the Bayswater Wharf, Heta, who was under the influence of liquor, made use of some obscene language. For this offenco he was fined £2, with 32s costs, being allowed a week in which to pay. Hearing abusive language coming from a house, a constable waited outside. An old man named John Rergin soon appeared in the doorway, and in a loud voice used obscene language. "I have a bad knee and a broken chest and a job as a watchman to go to on Friday," pleaded Bergin. Warning the man not to speak so loudly as to be heard in the street, Lis Worship imposed a fine of £1, Bergin being given a fortnight during which to pay. "

INTEMPERANCE. Too much brandy taken as a medicine, according to her own story, resulted in the appearance of Amelia Sutc'iffe on a charge of drunkenness. This aeing her third recent offence, she was fined £1. and was prohibited. A fine of the same amount, with the addition of 7s costs was imposed upon Charlotte Campbell,' who. was convicted of a breach of her prohibition order.

Two first offenders, convicted of insobriety, were each fined ss, an absent first, offender forfeiting his bail. William James Kennedy was fined 10s for his second recent offence. Drunkenness, coupled with a breach of his prohibition order, resulted in John Watson being fined £2. the alter native being seven days in gaol. An old-age pensioner who had committed a nuisance whilst under the influence of liquor was discharged without penalty, in view of the fact .that his lapso may result in the loss of his pension.

MISCELLANEOUS CASES. There was no appearance of William G. Turner, who was charged with having failed to attend camp. It was stated that he had not been excused, and that he had given Ho reason for his absence. His Worship imposed a fine of £5, with 7s costs.

Thomas Albert Skellcy war sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment with hard labour for committing an indecent act in the street.

"A little too much drink on board was probably responsible for tifo episodo " was His Worship s comment in a case in which Luke Tomlinson was convicted of refusing to leave a tram, or to nay the excess fare- A fine of £1 with 26s costs was imposed. Alleged to have obtained the sum of £10 by means of' a valueless cheque, Ivor Thomas, alias Harvey, was remanded for eight clays. Bail was fixed at £100, with one surety of a similar amount. At was stated that other charge* are BPW |&. jig* y ■-■.■! ..,,~^ ; ' fl ■. ■' '"•■ ■ "■■ ■"". ■■"■•■