CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19001, 25 October 1923, Page 13

CITY POLICE COURT.

Wednesday, October 24. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) Drunkenness.—A first offenedr who did -not appear was fined 20s, in default; 24 hours' imprisonment. Theft.—Jessie M/Kenzie appeared on remand to answer a charge of stealing a fluid’s lur coat, valued at £3 Bs, the property of Arthur Barnett. She was further charged with stealing a ladies’ silk juniper -ind a ladies’ silk knitted dress of a total ,-alue of £9.95. the property of some person m known.—On the application of Mr F. G. Bumming (probation officer) accused was lurther remanded for a week. Absconding.—Amy Lynn (19), Hazel Richirds (18), Vera Curtis (17), and Lizzie Breeze ■2O) appeared on remand to answer a charge -j[ absconding from the Caversham Indusnal School. They were also charged with the theft of three frock coats, valued at £6 6s, the property of the New Zealand Government. A further charge against Lynn of stealing a coat valued at £3 3s, the property of Leo Curtis, was withdrawn on the application of Senior-sergeant Mathie-son.-The Senior-sergeant stated that the four accused had absconded from the school an Sunday last. They were latter arrested by Constable Pratt, and they told him that they had hidden the coats in some gorse on a property adjoining the school. —After perusing the record of the accused, the .Magistrate said that it was clear that they must be subjected to institutional control for some time. Lynn, Richards, and Breeze would be ordered to be retained for reformative treatment for three years. Curtin would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called on within three years provided, accused to remain in the Salvation Army Home, Wellington, for that period. After Hours.—A charge of being found on licensed premises after hours was preferred against Joseph Richard Bryan,— Senior-sergeant Mathieson stated_ that accused was seen leaving the premises of an hotel in the city by constable Moore. When questioned by the constable, he said he had been to the'hotel to see a boarder named Wilson. There was nobody of that name staying at the hotel at that time, although there had been a man named Wilson staying at the hotel previously. Asked if ho had any explanation to make, accused remained silent.—A fine of 20s and costs (7s) was inflicted. A Ptupid Joke.—Alexander Barron (Mr Barrowclough) appeared on two cnarges of wilfully making a false statement when using a public telephone, to the substantial detriment of another person. —Chief-detec-tivo Lewis said that the complainant, Constantine Soumaras, was ,tho proprietor of the Tivoli tea rooms. He had had bad health some time ago and had to use a walking stick. On August 28 accused rang him up and suggested to complainant that he was suffering from venereal disease, and ordered him to go to the Hospital for treatment. The message purported to conio from the Hospital. , No questions as to the speaker’s identity were asked on the_ first occasion, but the second time complainant asked: "Who’s speaking?’’ Accused then mentioned the name of one of the Hospital authorities.—Mr Barrowclough said that there had been merely a certain amount of horse-play on the part of the accused. Accused and the complainant had suggested to each other in more or less of a joking spirit that they were suffering from the malady. Accused had recently sobered from a minor skin disease. The complainant, when he understood that his friend was charged with the offence, had wished to withdraw the information, but it had proceeded too far. The complainant had realised that it was only a friendly retaliation. Counsel would, in view of the cncumstances, ask for the suppression of accused’s name. Barron had lately received employment in a large firm in the city, and was, to a certain extent, the victim of misfortune.—The Magistrate: "Why? Because he was the perpetrator of a stupid joke?’’—The Chief-detective explained that Soumaras had complained to the police about the messages, and they had taken the matter np. When he receievd the second message he went to another telephone and ascertained from the exchange what number had been connected with him. Soumaras did not admit that he accused Barron of suffering from venereal disease. —The Magistrate said that if accused had not been a friend of the complainant he would have treated the case as a very serious one. It was more or loss of a stupid joke. Accused would he convicted and fined £2 (court costs 7s) on each charge. It was not a matter for which he could prohibit publication of accused’s name. Applications for Kxemption.—J. A. W. Smith was granted exemption from military drill on the ground that his evenings were occupied at work. J. G. Little applied for exemption from the annual territorial camp op the ground'that his absence would cause serious inconvenience to his employers. —The Magistrate refused to grant the applictaion, pointing out that by granting exemption in this case he would be establishing a precedent. Charles M. Barnett was granted partial exemption from the artillery section’s annual camp on the ground that he would be engaged in sitting for a law examination during part of the camp period.