YESTERDAY’S COURTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18545, 4 May 1922, Page 4

YESTERDAY’S COURTS

CITY POLICE COURT. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) Drunkenness. —A first offender was fined 17s 6d (including cab hire), in default 48 hours’ imprisonment.—Accused asked till Friday to enable him to get the money.— Chief Detective Bishop said that the accused had got an axe and smashed in a door in a house at St. Clair, ile had then secured some kerosene and sprinkled it about, and was trying to set fire to the building.—His Worship declined to give the time asked for. The accused would be enabled to communicate with anyone if he desired to get the money. Chimney on Fire.—Charles Henry Morrell was fined Ss, with costs (7s), for allowing a chimney in his premises in Stafford street to catch fire. Charge of Theft. —Edward M'Ardle was charged with stealing three billiard balls, the property of Samuel Simmons —The Chief Detective asked for a remand to enable the police to discover who the accused was and where he aims from. He had tried to dispose of the balls at a secondhand shop.— The accused said that he was a sailor on shore leave. He had gone into the billiard room, and was too drunk to know what happened. He had money in "his pocket at the time. —The Chief Detective said that, the accused was not drunk when he was brought to the police station.— Accused was remanded till Saturday. A Callous Husband.—Alexander Allison was charged with failing to support his wife and family.—Sub-inspector Eccles said that the accused had, been remanded from Christchurch. The man had been wanted by iris wife on warrant for two and a-half months. - He had gone away and left his wife with seven children, whose ages ranged from four months to 10 years. The children had had to be committed to the Industrial School. The wife • was in the country, and he would ask for a remand to enable the police to get into communication with her.—The accused was remanded to appear on May 10, Idle and Disorderly.—Alfred Storm wan charged, on remand from the previous day, with being an idle and . disorderly person and with having insufficient lawful means of support.—Mr Wilkinson appeared for the accused.—Sergeant M'Entee said that his attention had been drawn to the man’s lowdown appearance, not only in regard to his dress biit also in respect_ to his demeanour. He had noticed him stick .up a man and get what was either a 2s piece or half a crown from him. Ho also saw him stick up three other men later on, but they passed on. Witness had later seen the accused in the arcade, but accused saw him and went away.. He was quite certain from what he saw that accused was doing nothing but cadging about the streets. —Chief • Detective Bishop said that he had been called bv telephone message, and had found the accused in the P.P.A. office. He admitted that he was there for the purpose of begging. He had Is 8d on hijn when arrested. The accused had 16 previons convictions on various charges.—Mr Wilkinson said that the accused had been a problem for some time. Ho got on, all right when ho was in the country working. He naked that he bo given a chance. That would bo better than putting him on the State, He had no relatives in the dominion. —His Worship said that he would give accused another chance. Jf the police found him loafing around ther would arrest him. Ho would be convicted and ordered to come np for sentence if called on within six months.

the lad was just under 16 years of age. He had been working at the Plaza Pictures for some weeks, cleaning up and that sort of thing. During that time he had taken small sums of money from a locker and spent it on lemonade, cigarettes, etc. The police had found a purse with 9s in it in the operating room of the theatre, and accused had admitted that it was his. The serious aspect, of the case ■was that other employees had been brought under suspicion. The boy’s ‘parents were respectable people.—The juvenile probation officer said that the boy’s character, apart from the nresent charge, was good.—The father said‘that the hov received a good wage, and that there was no reason why he should have stolen the money.—His Worship admonished the boy. He would the Case for six months, aiid place the lad under the supervision of the juvenile probation officer during that period. What happened to him depended on his future behaviour. _ , , Irresponsible nads.—Two boys, one aged just under 16 when the offence with which he was charged took place.-and the other aged where charged with scttmor lire to a fpur-roomed house at Flat and doing damage to the extent of £l2.—Mr Irwin .appeared for the younger boyThomas Smeaton, Mosgicl, said he used the house as a crib. It was partly furbished. The fire had destroyed bedding and a. spring mattress, and had burnt about sft of the flooring in the centre of the bedroom. A lamp which had been left on , the mantelpiece in the kitchen was standing in the middle of the floor in the bedroom. He discovered on April 3 that there had been a fire in his houee.-The evidence of the bovs was confliotinff as to which of ••them hail actually set fire to the place which they had left burning-His Worship said that ho had not got to consider what was the exact truth as regarded the. lighting of the matches used, because the ’acts showed that the two boys associated in the whole thing. If the elder hov had hud a father he would have impressed on him the advisability of. giving him a sound thrashing Ho woo'd give both lads another chance; Ho would adjourn the case and place them under the superv.sionoftho probation officer for 12 months The elder boy would have to pav £8 as his share of the damage caused, at, the rate of 5s per week, and the younger boy £4. also at the same rate. His Worship said that the lack of candour of the father of the younger hov was responsible for the lack of can. dour shown by his son. In the interests of the bov himself the father should have tried to clear up the matter at once. It seemed to him that the. father quite failed to appreciate the position as regards his boy. ' the supreme hupmobile. - First past the post in the race for Motor Supremacy comes the Hupmobile This popular car is the Creator of Comfort duo to its low centre of gravity, proper balance, scientific weight distribution, and its exceptionally long and resilient chrome vanadium steel springs, which make easy riding certain, no matter what the conditione of the road. There are other factors of comfort: The mental satisfaction on the wisdom of your choice, your confidence in the car, your pocketbook comfort at its economy of operation, and your pride in its appearance; These inclusive features have justly earned for the Hupp the title of the Car of Comfort. And when it comes to value for expenditure, length of life, and road efficiency, the Hupmobile is in a class alone. One demonstration trial will convince you of this. Agent: W. J, P, M'Oulloch, Dunedin. , —Advt.