Around and About The Courts

NZ Truth, Issue 1229, 20 June 1929, Page 2

Around and About The Courts

JUST a month or so before the expiry Of a prohibition order against him, Charles William Chapman, a young man of Dunedin, broke out and filled himself with Dutch courage. Just to let the world know all about his foolishness, he tripped around to Princes Street, where the usual Saturday night crowd had foregathered m the vicinity of the',Stocic:,Exchange. ;,:; ;,.;... \ A kindly policeman told' Chapman to head for home, but Chapman had other ideas of spending his evening. He .abused the constable, arid then, when asked to "come along," i*esis I ted arrest. At the city police court, Mr,' H. W. Bundle fined Chapman 20/- on a charge of breaking his prohibition order, a t J, 1 On a further charge of disorderly behavior. Chapman was convicted and ordered to come up for, sentence X called 'upon' within 12. months, this being the suggestion put to the S.M. by Mr. B. S; Irwin, who appeared for the defendant, ", 7 ■ There is to be no more liquor for Chapman for the next 12 months. . v : '' Vt 1 ' ' ' ' : #'• •' *• ■: •' * ' MAGISTRATE: How m?ny drinks have you had to-day. Brdwn? Brown: Only two. Magistrate: When did you have them? Brown: Two hours ago. Magistrate: You are sure it was only tvyp, because I am only trying to make some excuse for your . being a liar. You are a liar, you know, you must admit that. '•."'•' " V" j ■i •« .«, i WHEN Peter King, a native of Te Hoe, left home m his somewhat dilapidated old Ford car one Saturday morning, he did not realise that he was m for an adventure. Peter's first port of call was Taupiri, where it is understood he lingered too long a-quaffing of the nut brown ale. He next drove to Huntly, aft.d was im a somewhat hilarious state when the police collected him and his car and ordered an adjournment to the police station. x * After a week-end rest, a very repentant Maori appeared before Justices at the police, court and pleaded guilty. As he had been m custody since the Saturday, and the. police gave him a good character, the bench took a somewhat lenient view of matters and fined King £5, m default* one month's imprisonment. .'■•■.'•'.. •*..;. *A' nRUNKEN motorist (m Marton Court): If you gw me afair "burrell" I'M taU© out a prohibition order.' ': ? ...'"■-.'. \ The Magistrate: Fair burrell; what does that mean? Counsel: Perhaps it was a fair burial he wanted. $ And the court exploded.7 '

TT is a well-known fact that game is •*• most palatable when it is "high." The pukeko and five black swans Which Harry Retter "bagged" proved very high indeed, but not at all palatable for they .cost him m all the tidy little sum of £25/4/-. The pukeko is an absolutely protected bird and the black swans Retter shot out of season. Mr. E. -Page, S.M:, iri the Wellington Police' Court, inflicted fines and costs to the extent of the sum named. • • • ■DESCRIBED by Major Annie Gordon as? requj.rihg a long coursev of disciplinary treatment, Dorothy Bertha Alice Olive Gilbert admitted" m the Auckland Magistrate's Court, three charges of theft. These related to three frocks valued at £8 and a gramophone worth £11. The girl was leading a fast life, said Chief-detective Hammond, and Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., imposed a sentence of three years' Borstal treatment. • * » THE desire to stand well with a ■**■ couple of lady passengers who had travelled with him on the "Ulimaroa" led John Moore to listen to the "urging" Of Y/illiam Wilson Sutherland' and entrust him with a half-note

for the purchase of liquid refreshment. On Sutherland's non-appearance, Moore followed him' into the hotel, but could recover* neither lucre nor liquor. While scuffling on the pavement, both men were arrested and appeared subsequently at the Auckland Magistrate's Court on a charge of fighting. A plea of guilty Was entered by Sutherland, but Moore denied the soft impeachment and asserted that he was only holding the man with the glib tongue and sticky fingers until the police arrived. The "magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., accepted this exfflanation and discharged Moore, but Sutherland had to pay £2 Or go to prison for seven days. £OUNSEL (to witness m a Christ- • church affiliation case): What is your name?. Witness: Leh. Gilbert. Counsel: What do you do? Witness (with haste): I've got a clear conscience. I never did anything. When he realised that it was his occupation counsel was inquiring after, Gilbert said. he was a farmer. .'*-■" '* • "•' POMPLAINTS m maintenance cases *■*" are not usually of the weeping type; but an exception appeared m the Wellington Court on a recent morning. Bertha Ede had her husband, Benjamin Ede, arrested m Christchurch for failure to maintain and he was brought to Wellington to appear before the magistrate. Before the proceedings comrhenced Mrs. Ede showed no signs of emotion; m fact, she chatted cheerfully with the court officials. However, as soon as she saw her husband m the dock she wept loudly and copiously. She asked the "magistrate's leave to withdraw the information. Senior-sergeant: Both these people are known to us, sir, and I must ask that the costs of, arrest . and transport, amounting, to £4/3/-, be paid by the complainant. ; Mr. E. Page, S.M., made an order accordingly; and consented to the with-' drawal ot ".the 'inforptifttjo'n.; , ..

TWO lads, Lewis Edward Rohloff and William James Ashmore were charged m the Wellington Police Court with a series of crimes which would have done justice to the skill and cunning of hardened criminals. In : all, six charges of breaking, entering and theft were brought against them, the total value of the goods stolen being £54/7/6. One Of'- the houses -broken into was jiist across the road' from a police station, and only a short distance from the residence of a well-known detective. A Supreme Court judge will measure out their medicine. ■■■ ■'"•». * 7 # '•' '• ■■ j THE clerk of the Wellington Maintenance -Court is quickly qualifying for the record of being the most sworn witness m the Dominion. Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., has adopted the method of calling the clerk to prove failure to pay moneys under maintenance orders and on a recent morning th© clerk gave evidence m no fewer than eight cases. * * * TIMOTHY O'DGNNELL is an Irishman. In Dunedin, lhe other day, Tim took a trtste or , two more than was good' for vhim, and as the "dhrap" of ; gopd stuff warmed his old veinsj 7 ; the Tfighting- - spirit- •■ of his forefathers rose 'to the surface. Tim peeled off his coat and vest to a small audience m Maclaggan Street, when, there loomed into view the man m blue. "Oi've bin thurty-three years m New Zealand," old Tim told the bench, when m the city police court he* pleaded guilty to a charge 70f disoi-derly behavior, "an' this is the furrst toime a policeman has had ter.put a hand on me." The fine was 20/-. * .. '» .- # W/HBN a well-known TMarton farmer " was before the court recently charged with being drunk while m charge of his car some amusement was caused by a discussion as to accused's actual condition at the time of arrest. Counsel: How do you know he was intoxicated? The constable: His speech was such that he could hardly be understood. Counsel: Perhaps he had a potato m his mouth? The constable (with impatience): No, he was hopelessly drunk. Counsel: Then he couldn't have said "epicacuana." The constable! He certainly couldn't have said "agricultural and pastoral statistics." '■': 7 ;V . ,