MAGISTRATE’S COURT STATISTICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1507, 17 January 1901, Page 50

MAGISTRATE’S COURT STATISTICS.

The annual returns of the Wellington Magistrate’s Court for 190 show that a total number of 3548 civil plaints were entered and 2867 came to hearing. The aggregate amount claimed was £37,z-id 5s 7d, and the sum recovered was £22, 247 11s Bd. In the aggregate of criminal and kindred business (crimes against person .and reputation, law and justice, public order, morals, publio convenience, religion, and rights of property ; threats, conspiracies, attempts to commit crime; offences against Revenue Acts, Heaitn Acts and other Acts relating to the social economy of the colony) 2897 persons were taken into custody, summoned or apprehended, and 2030 of that number were summarily convicted. Of this total 1060 were charges of drunkenness. Convictions were entered in 1111 eases, 5 were dismissed for want of prosecution or evidence, and 1 was dismissed on its merits. Forty-nine neglected children were taken into custody, and 44 were summarily convicted and sent to homes. Fifty-eight prohibition orders were applied for and 47 were granted. Twentyone cases of resisting the police were brought and 20 were upheld. One charge was against a woman. Eight penalties inflicted under the Defence Act by officers of volunteer corps and battalions were registered on the books of the Court. Offences against the bylaws of several municipal bodies, INew Zealand Railways, and Wellington Harbour Board brought before the Court totalled 320, and 235 summary convictions were recorded. Four convictions were recorded out of five informations laid against persons for using trademarks tending to mislead. Three informations for failing to give employees the statutory half-holiday were laid against factory proprietors; a conviction being recorded on one charge. Five persons were before the Court for having unsuccessfully attempted suicide. One was bound over in sureties to be of future good behaviour, and in the other cases the prosecution was not proceeded with. A total of 229 distress warrants were executed by the bailiff and his assistants throughout the year.