POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17347, 19 December 1919, Page 12

POLICE COURT NEWS.

FALSE DECLARATION MADE.

DELDIRI-Y MAN'S OFFENCE. j The wilful making of a false declara- 5 tion for the marriage .register-was alleged n against William Thomas Handle (Mr- Br § N. Moody), aged 71, before Mr. -J. E. ! Wilscrir S,M«s in the Police Court yester- | day. The police alleged that Handle de- | clared that be was 69 years of age, and | a widower, and that his former wife died | in February,- 1901. ■ , ._.. x \ 1 - Detective Sweeney said that in 'July last I he.saw the accused at Kaiw.aka, and.tpld | him .there had (been a complaint that he a had" ccaimitted "bigamy. In a statement I s the accuised said he was a storekeeper •at 1 Ilaiwaka.* "He first married at Adelaide * 1887, when he was 40 years of > age.. .! After some disagreements he deser- i ted lis wife in .1905, and came ,to. New ( Zealand. Prior to the first' marriage his I prospective wife told bim that she had | married^;-pn^ man, but had not seen ] him for severi years. In. 1918, < accused married an Auckland -woman. • He I described himself in the register as a I widower "because he considered his first I marriage invalid, as, he had no evidence J ■ that his firsV wife!s first husband was not I ' living, i: The false statement* in regard, to I his age 'was made in error. His Teal "age ' at £h.e second marriage was'7l. He. admitted that, though he> had not heard from, his fjufiVvife, he-ha.d„ every Teason to believe she was "alive. He' did not remember bavin -stated' -to the registTav that she was dead, but he- was not "pre-pi-rvd to dispute thai he had done s&V . Aft'er4orißt.l evidence had been given! by > the registrar of marriages, the ifccsed ' pleaded-gu'ity; and was "eommitatfi to '.!*? j Siprei.Ba"€el&fc for sentence.. ; ! N V. .t-r-: —. ,;■ . , -BIPPJSpNED FOR THEFT. i Patlvck-Gtant, a Seaman, who came up ' >. far sentence on a charge of having used . obscene language on the Queen's Wharf on ' Tuesday, denied a further charge of bavin" worth £4, the property of James"" "Davidson. Evidence' .was giiten by Davidson that on Tuesday evening., coming out .from a. visit to the. Waveiley Hor.el, he found that the Tug had been ittolen from- car." He -traced the rug to the Sailors' Home, Where the accused was., found" with it' under his arm. ~' newsboy said he saw the" accused remove j the fug .the car. The accused stated from the "dock that, he bought the rug from a Tniir 'standing outside the hotel for I^3 ; , Accused was „ sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard L-jbouc. On'the charge of obscene language he was discharged.'-' ■•■ AN -UNDESIRABLE WOMAN. Annie Oaddock, who was convicted earlier, ,ijy the week for having consorted vnth reputed prostitutes, came up for sentenee. .--j" •Sfe .is a dangeroas woman of a v_ bad tyDe, that is all I have to say," reN marked. .Subinspector Wohhnann. The magistrate imposed, a eentence of three months* imprisonment. DIPRISONED FOR DRUNKENNESS. , George > Hastings denied a charge of druHkeniK!3sC<' He said that a constable t deliberately struck him in the eye, and then arrested him. The constable denied the aesauhV-and the magistrate accepted the prosecution's version of th? incident, and -sentenced Hastings to seven davs' imprisonment with hard labour. * • BREACH OF BY-LAWS. • Charges that they affixed posters outside their theatres without permission from the City Council were preferred against JKobert Cleland (National) and Laurence -Speedy (Lyric). Mr. A. H. Johnstone, tor' the Gifcy Council, ctated that the council was of opinion that it seemed to pay picture theatre proprietors to break the law, and he asked for a penalty which should at least prove a deterrent. The defendant*, he said, could hiv o easily obtained permission to ere. the posters. Defendants were fined £2, with £1 163 costs in each case.