POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18275, 16 December 1922, Page 7

POLICE COURT NEWS.

ELECTION EXCITEMENT.

PROSECUTION FAILS.

An echo of the recent election excitement was heard in the Police Court yesterday, when Leonard C. Heilbron (Mr. Moody) appeared before. Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M., to answer .a. charge of assaulting tho police at a political meeting held at Parnell on November 22.

Constable Doree /said he was on plain clothes ditfty at the Parnell IPicture Theatre on the night in question, when the Prime Minister delivered a speech. When trying to entor, the defendant was standing by the" door, with his arm up. Witness tried to got under his arm and the accused then grabbed him by tho coat collar. Witness told tho man who he was. The accused said. "I don't caro if you are three constables," and then pusned him into a crowd, nearly knocking over some women. - The accused denied the Juccusations. The constable, he said, throw his arms around him, pulled him out of the place and dragged him down the_ path._ When the constable pulled out his police passwitness did not know what it was. It might have* been a race ticket for all ho knew. $

The magistrate said he did not feel satisfied that he could convict and the charge was dismissed.

THEFT WHEN INEBRIATED. To a charge of stealing a saddle, th'e Sroperty of some person unknown, John ''Brien pleaded guilty. Constable H. J. Marks aaid he saw the accused .in Grey Street on December 14, with the saddle. He admitted taking the sadtfTe but said he did not know where he had got jt from. He was under tho influence of drink. Asked by the - magistrate where he got money to get drunk on, tho accused said he had met a seafaring acquaintance and had had a few drinks with him. Accused was sentenced to one month'a imprisonment with hard labour.

TRAM RIDEf COSTS £3 14S. John Kelly, a sailor, was charged with having attempted to evade payment of his tram fare when travelling on a city-, bound Heme Bay tram. The conductor said he had gone through the car several times for fares, but defendant made no response. An inspector boarded the car and found the man without a ticket. Defendant's explanation was that he haa been looking out of the window and had not noticed the conductor come through the car. Defendant was convicted, the fine and costs amounting to £3 14s.

UNREGISTERED HOME. "This is a deliberate breach of the law," observed vhe magistrate, after hearing evidence against Eva MacGuirc, against whom was preferred a charge- of keeping an unregistered home for children. It was stated in evidence that.her license had been revoked, but in defknee of that' she had_ taken a child into the house. The magistrate fined the accused £5 and costs.

MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES.

A number of miscellaneous charges were dealt with'. For Sunday trading, Robert A. Caton was fined £1 and costs. Gerald Everett, for being in possession of an unregistered firearm, was fined 10s and costs. Another. breach of the Arms Act resulted in Charles Snow having to pay a similar fine. A lady, agairußtwhom a charge of permitting noxious weeds to exist on her property was preferred, was discharged upon payment of costs, but was told that if the weeds were not destroyed, and a fuither charge were made gainst her, she would not escape so lightly.