CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15553, 7 September 1912, Page 4

CITY POLICE COURT.

I'lllDAV, RKPIEMBCIt 6.

[Before Mr J. It. Bartholomew, 5.31.)

Drunkenness—A femalo lirst ollenilcr, who did not appear, was convicted and lined the amount ol her bail (10*). A Bottle Gatherer's MiMiike.-kphraiiii Frank While, 11 bottle gatherer, plwidwl '•Gltilly" t« stealing, on or about August 16, at Uuticdiii, a cast-iron box, of thu value of Is 6d, the property of the City Corporation.-Tliß Chief Detective paid that tho l»x was really tlwj framework of a watercock cover, and had been left ulong with other material in a yard by tho corporation employees. White {rot 2d lor the frame at a marine store. IU disapticarancu had been a nuisance- to the workincu.— While explained to the magistrate that ho had picked ilio framo tip in a hurry.--After advising the man to be more careful in future and not to be in such a hurry when picking up things, tho Magistrate, siiid he woulil be convicted and ordered to como up for sentence when called upon. 't'he Benefit of the Doubt.-Koberl M'Konzie and Edgar Ciroves were charged with, on August IT, at North-hast Valley, committing mischief by wilfully damaging two hurricane lamps, of tho valuo of fo, the proiicrty of tho Diuicdin Drainage Board; also by wilfully damaging a paling ienw, the property of John Coombs, to the extant 0 f ifjs.—Mr Scurr appeared for both tho accused, who pleaded "Not guilty." Senior Sergeant Kim; said that the accused worn seen going home after 10.30 on. tho nmht in question, both being considerably under the influence of druik. They were the only ones in the vicinity when a paling fence had been damaged, and they hiul afterwards damaged two hurricane lamp3.-Miss 31. Shaw staled that on the- night in question the heard some iwrawis pulling puling.? oil a fence. She did not sen who it was, but later on fihe saw the accused as they passed a lighted lamp. Sho saw tho aceiucd kick sonic briclis which stood in u heap on the load, and then the hurricane lamps' on top ot the heap went oul. She knew the accused, anil had recognised their voices.—John Coombs, William I'rasor (night watchman for tho Drainage Hoard), and John Watson Maxwell also gave evidence.—Counsel submitted that iho caso should be dismissed; the prosecution depended solely on Iho evidence of Jliw Shaw, wlk> claimed to bo able to recognise the men by their voices.—His Worship said that it was with regret that ho had to dismiss tho cases, but in view of iJio denial of the accused it was possible- that Miss Shaw

had been mistaken. By-law Cascs.—Victor Cringle, a youth,; pleaded " Guilty" In riding .1 hoi*o at a pace faster than a walk over the intersection of Castle and Albany streets, also to riding a hoiw furiously in Albany street.— Defendant was convicted and fined 20s, ami cost.=, on tho first charge, and convicted ami discharged on tho second. —James Bun was fined ss, and coste, for permitting cattlo to wander'st large at St. Leonards. In H IC ease of Henry (iiiyton, aji old offender in Ibis respect, who was charged with permitting a cow to wander at iiurkrs on two occasions, his Worship said that lbs nuisance, would have to be stopped, and inflicted a lino of 10s. and costs 7s), an tho first charge, and 20s, and costs (is), on the second charge.