CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9391, 2 April 1892, Page 6 (Supplement)

CITY POLICE COURT.

Friday, Ai>kil, 1.

(Before Messrs A. Mercer and J7 P. Jones, J.P.'s.) Dku.nkenness.—For this offence James Phillips was fined 10s or 48 hours' imprisonment ; Mary O'Neill (10 previous convictions), 40s or seven days' imprisonment; Mary M'Callum (40 previous convictions), 40s or seven days' imprisonment; and .1 ohn Ross (one previous conviction), os or 24 hours' imprisonment.

Stray Horses. —James Walsh pleaded guilty to a charge of allowing horses to wander at St. Kilda, but stated that he had exercised every care, and the horses got on to the road through the negligence of some person leaving the gate open.—Under these circumstance the case was dismissed.

Alleged Misconduct.—William Hammond, a youth, was charged with behaving in a manner whereby a breach of the peace might have been occasioned in George street on Saturday night last.—Accused, who was defended by Mr A. C. ■Hanlon, pleaded not guilty. — Sergeant-major Bevin said that about 10 o'clock on the night mentioned the accused and two other younger men were standing on the footpath talking to several young women. As it was Saturday night, and a large number of people were about, Constable Gleeson, who was on duty, asked them to move on. They did not do as they were requested, but as they were not behaving in a quiet manner, Constable Gleeson again asked that they should move on. The two other young men then went away, but the accused remained and commenced imitating the policeman, calling out to the young women to move on. His behaviour was the source of annoyance to passers-by, and the officer told the accused that if he did not go away he would have to take him to the "lock-up" Subsequently when he was asked his name he gave the name of Williams.—Constable Gleeson gave evidence corroborative of the opening statement of Sergeant-major Bevin.—Mr Hanlon said that the information against the accused should be dismissed. The young man and his comrades stopped and spoke to some lady friends for a few minutes in the street, and, for this he was summoned for obstructing the traffic. The thing was absurd, and if such a state of things were allowed to exist no one could converse in the streets at all. lie instanced a case where a person met his two sisters in Princes street one evening, and when they had conversed for a few minutes a constable came up and ordered them to move on.—The Bench observed that the constable had acted rightly if the persons were obstructing the traffic.—Mr Hanlon replied that the bunch might think so, but things had come to a pretty pass when respectable citizens were molested in this manner.— Defendant then gave evidence that he and his companions had merely conversed for a few minutes when the. policeman ordered them to move on. His instructions were immediately obeyed, and no such thing as disorderly behaviour took place.—After corroborative evidence had been tendered, the case wa.s dismissed. The Bench, however, stated that the constable had acted perfectly right in bringing the matter before the court.