POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13967, 28 September 1918, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

„—.i , .» . ~ .' i THEFT CHARGE DISMISSED. I A young seaman, Michael Quintan (Mr. i Moody), was charged in the Police Court ' yesterday before Hon. G. J. Garland and j Mr. W Gentil, J P.'s, with embezzling \ from the steamer Waipori two pairs of , boots valued at £2 6s 3d. Chief-Detcctivo j McMahon said that ■# case of footwear j which arrived at Auckland by the Waipori ] was found to have been broached and 11 pairs of boots were missing. When the i vessel was searched all hands were told ! what the police were looking for. Accused j said nothing, and thai boots in question A were found in his locker. He said he ] found them under the poop, and when '■] asked why he did not tell the police ho i made no reply, Accused had bjßen in'i charge of the hold which contained V. a ! "j boots. To avoid bringing witnesses froroi"'. Christchurch and the North, - coumsl 1 agreed to admit the chief-detective's state- " ment as evidence, but submitted that the j fact of the boots being found in accused ' i possession was no evidence that he stole ! them. Accused repeated his statement i that he had found tho boots. He could ; not explain why ho did not report his find j to the ship's officers. The Bench decided ; there was a reasonable doubt and dis- i missed the charge. / Charged with the theft of an overcoat, j George H. Brown was remanded for a J week. William J. Courtney pleaded guilty to a charge of vagrancy, and said liquor waa i his trouble. He said he was the last man to leave Gallipoli, and had been mentioned ; in despatches. He asked to bo allowed j to go to tho country. Accused was con- | victed and prohibited. Three first-offend-ing inebriates were dealt with, _ * Charges of being drunk, assaulting Jes&ia Martin, and breaking iwo bottles of ' whisky, were preferred against William. Mahoney. The evidence show' that whilo drunk the defendant v.ent into a hotel. On being refused liquor by the i barmaid, Miss Martin, he threw a glass mug at her. She evaded it, and the mug crashed into and broke two bottles of whisky on the shelf behind. Defendant ! was fined 5a and costs, in default 48 hours' imprisonment. ' '•' A charge against James Russell (Mr. Sullivan) of committing a breach of tho peace was withdrawn, it being shown that Russell was struggling with a man who had robbed him.