CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10179, 13 October 1894, Page 8

CITY POLICE COURT.

Friday. October 12. (Before Messrß J. B. Thomson and W. A. Walton, J.P's.) Drunkenness.—Two first offenders and Lizzie Clisby. were convicted and discharged. Plying fob. Hire.—George Weir was charged with, on the;sth inst., plying for hire off an authorised stahd.—Defendant pleaded guilty, and was fined sa. Overloading, Tramcars. — James M'Cluskey was charged with that on the 4th inst, then being conductor of a tramcar, he suffered to 1 remain on the platform a greater number ef parsons than was allowable.—Mr Hanlon appeared for defendant, and pleaded not guilty.—lnspector Barron said the car left on its journey to Caversham- He stopped it at the corner .of Manor place and Princes street south, and found there were live passengers on the. front platform and six on the back. The corporation did not wish to get any large, lines in these cases, but the offences were of a kind that it was necessary the public and the Tram Company should know would uot be allowed. They were of a dangerous character.— Alfred Hawkins having given evidence, Mr Han. lon said it was a most extraordinary-case, as their Worships would admit when they heard the cvi" dence he had to call for the defence. The car was licensed to Cirry eight pir-ons'on tie. platforms, and he submitted tbat it would not matter, from a legal point of view, whether the whole eight were on the front or distributed over the front and back. * He would call the conductor and two citizens, who would say that Mr Barron was absolutely mistaken when he said there were five persons on the front platform. The circumstances connected with the back platform werethat when the car started two persons got on, and the con. ductor told them they must go inside. They demurred, but finally went, and while the con« ductor was going through the car collecting the fares they went back to the platform again. Two witnesses would swear to this.—Evidence was given by James M'Cluskey,, John Alfred Jackson, John Hood, W. R. Bendington, and George WiUiam Fraer, after which the case was dismissed.—Mr Hanlon asked for costs, pointing out thit the conductor, although found innocent of the offence, would "save to pay, between £2 and £%; and seeing his salary was not large, it meant swallowing,up two or three weeks'wages.—Their Worships thought the Tram Company might fairly pay the costs, but Mr Hanlon pointed out that the bench could compel the corporation^ do so, but not the company.—Costs were ultimately refused.