MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10629, 5 December 1910, Page 4

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Messrs G. Brown Ice mul J. Cagnoy, Justices of the Peace.) —The Contents of a Truck.—

A. young man named Stanley Little pleaded' guilty at the Court tin's morning to a. charge that on August 18 he did commit a breach of the railway bylaws by making a false written statement with the object of obtaining a concession in freight in connection with a truck consigned on behalf of Robert Little, farmer, Hampden, from Strachan's to Hampden. The statement made was that the truck contained 140 bags of chaff whereas it contained 59 sacks of oats and wheat, one sack of potatoes, and 80 bags of chaff.

Mr Lucas, who prosecuted on behalf of the Railway Department, explained that defendant consigned some goods from Strachan's to Hampden on the date mentioned and made the false statement in doing so. Defendant stated that it was the first time he had consigned poods and that he did not know how it should be done. The prosecution had no reason to doubt that statement. The difference between The statement and the actual contents of the truck was only discovered at Hampden, where defendant's father received the goods and paid the extra charges. The actual concession in freight if the difference, had not been discovered would have amounted to £3 9s. Defendant said that he understood—evidently misrtnderstood—the guard to tell him that he should state as the contents of the truck the goods of which he had the most. The Department did not wish to press for a heavy penalty; hut it was necessary that the information -.should be. laid, as if the goods had been consigned to a side station instead of Hampden the breach would never have been discovered. After consultation the Bench announced that as the Department desired rather to make the matter known than to have a penalty inflicted, defendant would be. fined 5s and ordered to pay costs (£1 &s). —Drunk and Destructive.—

Timothy Twomcy entered plens of guilty this morning to three charges—(l) that lie was found drunk in Thames street on. December 4, (2) that ho did wilfully damage, property of the New Zealand Government valued at 12s Gd, (3) that he did damage the ceiling of the lock-up to the value of 10s. Sergeant Stagpoole said that this much could he said for the man, that a very little drink went to his head and made him destructive.

Mr Brownlee: All the more reason why lie should keep away- from it. The Sergeant stated further that though, convicted previously accused had kept out of trouble lately. The Bench took into consideration the fact that accused' had pleaded guilty .and dealt leniently with him. He was fined 5s in default 24 hours' for drunkenness and on the other charges ordered to pay the damage done.