CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16666, 11 April 1916, Page 9

CITY POLICE COURT.

.ITONDAT, APEIL 10.

(Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) Drunkenness.—One first offender was fined 6s, in default 24 hours' imprisonment, and a seoond, who did! not appear, was fined 10s or 48 hours' imprisonment.——Alfred Charles Cooper was .fined ss-or, 24- hours' imprisonment for a similar' offence. Remanded.—The charge of thoft against John Barrett, which had been previously before the court, was further adjourned for a w«eJ r owing to the accused still being an inmate of the Hospital. By-law Cases.—William Wilson was fined ' £2, with costs (7s), for driving a motor oar at a rato faster than a reasonable speed. along King Edward street. For driving cattle along the Main road, Vat ley, iuring prohibited hours, Henry Winter was fined ss, with costs (7s).- George KofcrKl (a lad) was convicted and discharged for riding a bicycle along tho Main road, ' North-East Valley, without having both his hands on the handle bars.—Sub-inspector Broberg informed the court that this lad had , previously been warned not .to ride in this manner. Alex. Hastie was fined , 10s, vith costs (7s), on each of two charges of falling to close his shop at the time ' prescribed by the Shops and Offices Act. Maintenance Cases.—Robert King con- ' sented to an order of 10s per week being made against him for the support of his child, an inmate of the Caversham Industrial School. Nellie Moulin applied for separa- ' tion, guardianship and maintenance orders against her husband, Francis Alexander Moulin, on the ground of persistent cruelty.—Mr Moore appeared for the complainant.—The facts were that the complainant was almost blind, and pretty weE deaf. She was married to the defendant in July, 1903, and they had six children. He knocked his wife about, and was igiven, very much to drunkenness, having been prohibited on three occasions. He did not give his wife sufficient money to maintain lierself or her children. If it had not been for the assistance of neighbours she would not have been able to clothe the family. He earned from £2 5s to £2 10s a wcok as a labourer. H*e also went out fishing, and earned additional money in that way.—The complainant and Margaret Sullivan gave evidence in support of counsel's statement.— Tho application was granted, an order for 30s a week, with costs (£1 Is), being mado against the defendant. On the application of Broberg, an order for tho payment of 5s per week towards the support of his illegitimate child was made against George Taylor. The defendant, who did not appear, was also ordered to pay £50 past maintenance. . . A Wages Dispute.—This was a case in' which Irvine and Stevenson (Mr Payne) had previously been convicted on a charge of failing to pay wages at not more than fortnightly periods, but the fixing o f the penalty liad been held over, partly' to enable defendants to pay the wages owing to one of their employees, and partly to enable counsel to look into the law quoted by tho magistrate in his written judgment, with ,■ the object of a probablo appeal.—Mr Payno intimated ,-that his olionts did not proposo going further into the. matter, and stated that the wages had been paid, and tho defendants had also paid for four holidays for ■which they had no need to pay. At the time this offonco was committed the defendants had large contracts with tho war authorities, and the man over which this case arose left their employ without giving a week's notice—The magistrate said the defendants acted- under a mistaken view of their legal position. As tho wages had since been paid, the case called only for a small fine. They would b© fined lbs.—lnspector Browatt, who prosecuted, asked for witness's expenses for the employee in question, but the application wns refused, the magistrate pointing out that tho man had acted wrongly in leaving the defendants' employ without giving a week's notice.

In order m some way to moot the demand for the training , of women in agriculture and kindred pursuits, tho New Sbirfh Wales Minister of Agriculture (Mr Grahame) has approved of a farm eohool for women being established at tho Government Demonstration Orchard, near Sydney. A syllabus of instruction has boon framed covering fruitgrowing, poultry farming, vegetable' and flower growing, bee-kooping, dairying, and pig-raising. For a start only six students can bo accommodated, and they will be charged a foe of £15 for tho 12 months' couree to cover instruction, board, and lodging. The minimum age of admission is 16 veaok