POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18949, 21 February 1925, Page 7

POLICE COURT NEWS.

CHARGED WITH VAGRANCY, DESERTER AND STOWAWAY. "PILGRIMAGE OF CRIMINALS." A long list of cases was dealt with in the Police Court yesterday by Mr, J. W. Poynton, S.M., and Messrs. L, J. Pegler and C. Norgrove, J.P.'s. "We treat our criminals so well that there will be quite a pilgrimage here," remarked Mr. Poynton during the hearing of a charge of vagrancy against two recent arrivals, Edward Hoar and Sydney James Joseph Barnes, both aged 22. Detective Mcllugh said Hoar deserted some time ago from the Canadian Traveller, but no steps had been taken by the shipping company to have him arrested. By deserting he evaded signing any declaration on entering the country. He said he suffered from asthma, and witness was satisfied the man could not have passed a medical test. Hoar had done little work, but not much, and said he could not stand heavy work. Both men were "cadging" food from ships. Continuing, the detective said Barnes stowed away on the Mabeno on a recent trip from Sydney. As shown in bis statement he was at present out of work, and had been sleeping out and getting food from ships. Chief-Detective Cummings said too many of these men were coming to the country—some of them had criminal records. Accused were remanded for a week for sentence, inquiries t-o be made in the meantime. FIGHTING AT A PICNIC. A disturbance at a picnic in the reserve at Point. Chevalier on a Sunday last month resulted in three men, Victor Rowe, Alfred Smith, and George Quinlan, iieing charged with fighting. Rowe, a professional boxer, did not appear, and it was stated he had gone to Sydney. At the time of the affair he was employed as a floor-walker at an Auckland hotel. The other two men pleaded not guilty. Considerable evidence was given regarding the occurrence. The Court held that Rowe war. the chief offender, the magistrate spying he. had behaved in a disgraceful manner. Rowe was fined £5, and Quinlan £2, while Smith was convicted and ordered to pay costs. LIQUOR WHILE PROHIBITED. For procuring liquor at Tc Awamutu while prohibited, Harold James Tierney was fined £lO, in default one month's imprisonment. A similar penalty was imposed on May Car.tell, aged 44, who was convicted of drunkenness in Myers Park, and procuring liquor while prohibited. A CASE FOR OBSERVATION. When Barnard Francis Dunn, an elderly man, was charged with vagrancy, he made no answer, a,nd did not speak during the brief proceedings. * Constable Anniss, of Kingsland, who had had accused under observation, said the man lived in a small hut at Edendale, and had been existing on flour and water for some time. The shanty was filthy, and was almost full of old "junk." Witness considered accused was hardly normal. Dunn was remanded for a week for medical examination. THEFT CHARGE DISMISSED. A charge against Walter James Jacob- ! sen of stealing a bicycle at Glen Eden, valued at. £ls, was dismissed. Tiie explanation given by accused, who was stated to be a foreman in the employ of the Glen Eden Town Board, was that some one had left the bicycle behind a shed near the hall for some time. He did not know who owned it, but borrowed it twice for his own convenience. On the second occasion he had to go to Avondale, and took the cycle so that he could ride back, as there 'was no suitable train by which he could return. The bicycle was claimed while he was at Avondale. He had no intention of keeping it. MISCELLANEO US CASES. For failure to comply with the terms of his release on probation, Andrew Hamilton was sentenced to one month's imprisonment. It was stated Hamilton was admitted to probation in 1922 on several charges of false pretences, and had not reported since April, 1923. "Can I go back on to the course, sir?" asked John Dungey Murton, after having been convicted of trespassing on the Ellerslie racecourse and ordered to come up for sentence if called on within a year. "No; that is what we are trying to stop," said Mr. Poynton, emphatically. Accused was warned that he would get the "limit" if he came before the Court again. For fighting in Customs Street, John Nugent, aged 28, and John McDonald, aged 45, were each fined £2, in default seven days' imprisonment.