CITY POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16594, 18 January 1916, Page 9

CITY POLICE COURT

MONDAT, Januaby 17. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) Drunkenness.—Fume Mather Beeby was fined 7s, in default 24 hours' imprisonment, for drunkenness in Walker street on Saturday —For a similar offenoe in Princes street, Daniel M'Bonnell was fined 12s, in default 48 hours' imprisonment, and John 10s, in default 46 hours' imprisonment, both the accused having been previously convicted within the past six months. 1 —Thomas Jeromo was fined 225, in default seven days' imprisonment, and for procuring liquor during the currency of a prohibition order he -was fined 40s, in default, 14 days' imprisonment. He was allowed a week in which to get the money. An Incorrigible Rogue.—Robert Green pleaded guilty to a charge of being an incorrigible rogue, he having been previously convicted as a rogue and a vagabond.— Sub-inspector Broberg pointed out that this man had been convicted focr times as a rogue and a vagabond, and also that he had been convicted "all over the country." —The defendant pleaded for an opportunity to go to the home for old men at Oamaru. He said he had never been convicted _ for theft or any similar offenoe, and if given a chance he would go right away by the first train to Oamaru. —The Magistrate gave him the ohaace asked for, and convicted and ordered him to oome up for sentence when called upon at any time within six months. A Grossly Indecent Act. —Norman Mason Hall waacnarged that on Saturday evening he did commit a grossly indecent act in Queen street, Mornington. — Constable M'Cartnoy gave evidence as to the offence, and said that there was a lady and a gentleman in the street at the time. —To Mr Sourr: The defendant was about 20 yards in front of him (witness) when he committed the offence. He had been told that defendant took round a petition, got up in Mornington to the Minister of for the purpose of having witness removed. He had never told the defendant that he "would get him yet." He respected -the defendant's parents, but he had had occasion to speak to him previously with regard to his conduct. When he saw the defendant after he had committed the "offence with which he was charged he said to him: "It is a filthy thing few yoa to do, and no one with a spark of decency in him would do it." —In reply to i&o magistrate, witness said be had received a letter from the Minister of Justice at Hie time the petition had been in circulation. He had replied to that letter, and had heard nothing further about it—The Magistrate: The result being that you are still at Mornington.— Mr Scurr stated that the defendant would deny the whole statement made by the constable. It would be suggested that because the defendant, at the request of some residents of Mornington, carried round a petition to the Minister of Justioo praying that Constable M'Cartney be removed from the district, he had incurred the fnmity of the constable, which Was only natural. The constable was seen following the defendant and his mates in Queen street, and at the foot of the street he arrested Hall, saying: " You did this; come with me." —Evidence in support of this statement was given by the defendant and by . Francis Hugh PJunkett.—The Magistrate said that the case for the prosecution rested upon the evidence of Constable M'Cartney. In a case like this it was necessary for him to examine the evidence given on 'both sides as critically as possible. He proceeded to review the evidence, pointing out that the defendant had corroborated a portion of the constable's evidence ia so far as remarks made at the time were concerned, and also that the evidence of the defendant's witness did cot coincide with the defendant's own in certain particulars. lie found it diffioult to believe their story about -he arrest, and he had no hesitation in accepting the evidence of Constable M'Cartney. He would, however, reduce the charge to one of casting offensive matter, and the defendant would be fined £3, in default 14 days' imprisonment. Witii regard to the petition which had been circulated against the constable he had nothing to 6ay, beyond this, that in some eases a petition against a constable was tho best recommendation he could have.—A week was allowed tihe defendant in which to pay the £ne. By-law Cases. —Archibald M'Gregor was fined ss, with cofib (7s), for cycling in Crawford street without a light cm December 17. —For cycling on the footpath in Royal crescent, St. Kflda. Charles Corbett was fined ss, with costs (2g).