POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16123, 11 January 1916, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

CONVICTED OF VAGRANCY. "AN UNFORTUNATE INDIVIDUAL." "He is one of those unfortunate individuals who are constantly being made drank by other people," said Sub-Inspector Mcllveney in describing a charge of drunkenness and of being an idle and disorderly person against Thomas Calvert, an elderlv man, who appeared before Mr. E. C. Cutten, at the Police Court yesterday. He went on to say thafc Calvert had been an inmate of the Salvation Army Home at Epsom, having been sent there by an order of the Court. He had broken out of the home, however, and the present was his third offence for drunkenness. Calvert was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, and also ordered to be sent back to the home, the authorities of which were willing to take him back. The magistrate added that if Calvert illegally left the homo again he would be sent to prison for three months. UNPTJNCTUAL CLOSING OF SHOPS. A fine of £1 and costs, 7s, was imposed in the case in which W. H. Clark, mercer, of Broadway, Newmarket, was charged with failing to close his shop at one o'clock on the day of the statutory half-holiday, contrary to section 11 of the Shops and Offices Act. The offence took place on November 27, 1915. A similar fine was inflicted in the case against John H. Leach, bootmaker, of Karangahape Road, who was charged with failing to close his shop at the hour fixed by requisition under section 2 of the Act. He pleaded guilty, and said he had had a sudden rush of business following on the close of the patriotic carnival, and he had not noticed the time going by.

DRUNKENNESS. Three first offenders were each convicted and fined the amount of their bail, 10s. One was convicted and fined ss, and another was convicted and ordered to pay 7s 6d, cost of medical expenses incurred. Charles d'Arcy and Benjamin James Scott were each convicted and discharged, and prohibition orders issued against them. Archibald McNair appeared to answer two charges of drunkenness, including one of being found drunk in the Court. On one he was convicted and fined ss, and was convicted and discharged and made the subject of a prohibition order on the second. Claud Reilly was convicted and ordered to pay 10s, cost of medical expenses. He was also prohibited. MISCELLANEOUS. For taking a dog into the Western Park "without having the animal under lawful | control, Emma Crowther was convicted and ordered to pay costs, 9s. The police stated that the dog had torn some children's clothes, but the cost of repairing them had been paid by the defendant. On the application of the police a remand for one week was granted in the case against John Johnston, who was charged with a breach of his prohibition order and with being found by night without lawful excuse on the premises of T. D. Hamilton, 414, Queen Street. The hearing of the charges against Hugh Daniel Campbell Wilson, William Fraser, and John Morris, of assaulting James Beavan and with causing him actual bodily harm, was adjourned until this morning. John Turbull, alias Melva, described as an advertising agent, was remanded until to-morrow morning, the charge against him being that he obtained a sum of 5s from Herbert Snelling by means of false pretences, representing that he was compiling a menu card for the Kelvin Boardinghouse, and was canvassing for advertisements. Mr. Gregory appealed for the accused and asked for a light bail. This was allowed in tbe sum of £30, in the accused's own recognisances. On a charge of driving a vehicle at night without lights and with leaving the vehicle-unattended and failing to lock the wheel, Fred Cough was convicted and ordered to pay 14s 6d costs. On a charge of driving a motor-car at night without having a tail-light attached to the vehicle John Mercer was convicted and fined 5s with costs 7s. Arthur Martin was convicted and fined 5s and ordered to pay 7s costs in connection with a charge of driving a cab round the corner of Queen Street and Weilesley Street at greater than a walking pace.