POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16129, 18 January 1916, Page 7

POLICE COURT NEWS.

MISAPPROPRIATED MONEY. YOUNG MAN GIVEN A CHANCE. The story of a young man's offence was told to Mr. F." V. Frazer, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday morning, when lliomas John Higgins pleaded guiltv to converting to his own use various sums ot money amounting to £20, due to the Auckland Meat Company. Chief Detective McMahon stated that Higgins was a journeyman butcher who had taken out meat for" .-ale for the Auckland Meat Company. Instead of paving over the money received he retained" it. Drink had been the cause of his offence. He had enlisted for active service and had been accepted. I lie magistrate, in ordering Higgins to come up for sentence when called upon, said that he had to thank the war for mi. leniency. Mr. Frazer added that he was following the lead of the Supreme Court in giving him this chance. This decision was subject to the condition that accused joined the Expeditionary Force, and that an order was made on" his pay for repayment at the rate of 3s per week 'of the sums taken. A prohibition order I was also issued against him on his own ■ application.

INCORRIGIBLE YOUNG WOMAN. Ivy Hunter, alias Hill, aged 25. pleaded gujltv to being a rogue and a vagabond. Sub-Inspector Mcllveney, in asking for a substantial term of detention, said that accused had been sent to the Salvation Army Home for one year. She had been kindly treated at the home, every consideration being shown to her. Notwithstanding that she persuaded three oilier inmates to escape. The woman was incorrigible. The magistrate sentenced accused to one year's reformative detention, opportunity, however, to be given her to write to her father in Australia to see if ho would take her back if she showed signs of improvement. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. Joseph Noon, a young man, pleaded guilty to attempting to commit suicide at Warkworth on December 19 last. Sub-Inspector Mcllveney said that accused jumped into the Mahurangi River, and when a rescue was attempted accused asked to be allowed to drown. He was very much under tho influence of liquor. Accused expressed his willingness to enlist, and he was ordered to remain in custody until he could leave for Trent ham. He was ordered to pay £1 Is medical expenses. REMANDED FOR SENTENCE. Bernard Kelly, aged 45. pleaded guilty to stealing, on January 15, a rug, valued at £1. the property of Messrs. Bridgman and Bridgman. He. was remanded for sentence for a week. Frederick George Santos, who had pleaded guilty and had been remanded for sentence on a charge of being a rogue and a vagabond, in that he obtained goods valued at £5 l6s from the secretary of the Patriotic Society at Timaru by falsely representing that he was a returned soldier, now pleaded guilty to a second charge of obtaining £1 from James Dothel Mutton, of Christchuri h. Accused was again remanded for sentence until tomorrow. MISCELLANEOUS. John IVvere Mannion was fined £5 lor being drunk while in charge of a. motorcar in Broadway, Newmarket. The magistrate remarked that drunkenness while in charge of a motor-car opened up all sorts of horrible possibilities. John Grey Johnston, aged 62. was charged with procuring liquor while prohibited. Ac i used declared that he never knew that, lie was prohibited. He explained Ins action as due to his son-in-law being killed, and the fac t that he (accused) was not .ble to help the widow, who had 11 children. It was explained that accused was a dipsomaniac. Accused was ordered to pay 17s 6d medical expenses, or in default three days' imprisonment. Richard .7. New ell was fined 5s and 7s costs for leaving a motor in front of the Strand Arcade without a light on the night of December 22. Patrick McCarthy was lined 5s and costs for driving a horse in a cart at more than -a walking pace across the intersection of Queen and Victoria Streets on December 8. Peter McQuillan was fined a like sum for a similar offence committed on the same dav. A statutory first offender, who admitted haying been drunk m Queen Street on Saturday, last, was convicted and discharged. Herbert Conlam. aged 17. c barred with rai>o. was remanded until Thursday, bail being allowed.