CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19200, 17 June 1924, Page 11

CITY POLICE COURT.

Monday, June 16. (Before Mr 11. W. Bundle, S.M.) Chimney on Fire.—Wilmot Porter was convicted and discharged on a charge of allowing a chimney in the University buildings to catch lire. Cnlighted Motor Car. —John Gillies was lined 6a, with costs (7s), on a charge of leaving a motor car in Moray place between sunset and sunrise without proper lights.—The defendant explained that the car should have been put in his garage, but had been overlooked by one of his employees. Maintenance.—Frederick Ym. Stockdale, who was charged with disobeying a maintenance order, the arrears amounting to £5 3s, did not appear.--Mr Irwin, who appeared for the complainant, staled that the defendant had ignored the order altogether.—The defendant was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment at Paparua, to bo released on the payment of arrears. Unlawfully on Premises.—An old man named Win. Logan was charged with being a rogue and vagabond in that he was found by night without lawful excuse on the premises of Carter and Co., Castle street.— Suh-inspeclor Mathieson said the defendant had been found in Carter’s garage at 1.5 a.m. tie was over 70 years of age, land had been sleeping out for some time. He had been an inmate of Ihc Benevolent Institution, and the authorities were willing to take him hack provided he would stay there for not' less than six months. —The defendant undertook to comply with this condition, and on this understanding the case was adjourned for six months. By-I aw Cases. —Win. Ashton, jnn., was charged with having failed to notify the City Council of a change of ownership of a motor cycle when selling it to Cecil Andrew Needham Pringle, who was charged with failingto notify the council that the ownership of the cycle had changed when he purchased it from Ashton. —Pringle was also charged with having ridden a motor cycle at a speed greater than six miles per hour at North-East Valley.—Senior-ser-geant Mathieson stated that Pringle was seen riding the motor cycle at a speed of approximately 30 miles an hour. There was a good deal of traffic about at the time. Inquiries showed that the defendants had failed to noiify_ the authorities of the change of ownership.—Pringle was fined 30s, with costs (19s). for driving at an excessive speed and was convicted on the other charge. Ashton was fined 10s, with costs (7s). Theft of Postal Notes. —Leonard Chalmers Young, who was represented by Mr Allan, pleaded guilty to a charge of having, on or about April 2, 1923, while he was a postal official at Seacliffi, stolen a postal packet containing 6s 6d in postal notes, the property of the PostmasterGenera!.— Finlay Kenneth M‘Kay, staff clerk in the Railway Department. Dunedin, stated that the accused was stationed at Seaclift' as a cadet from February 7, 1922, till February 15, 1921.—John Felix Alexander gave evidence as to purchasing postal notes for 5s and Is 6d respectively from the accused. He put the postal notes in a letter addressed to S. Ross, 9 Cedric street, North Hobart, Tasmania, and posted the letter while the accused was on duty. As a result of later developments the accused admitted having opened the letter and taken the postal notes out. The accused paid him 6s 6d, the value of the notes. Witness and the accused were on very friendly terms.—Detective Hart read a statement made by the accused in which he admitted having opened the letter posted by Alexander. The accused was quite frank, and gave witness all the facts at once.—The accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was allowed in his own recognisance of £SO on condition that he reported to the probation officer as required. Breach of Licensing Act.—Ernest Didham, for whom Mr J. S. Sinclair appeared, pleaded not guilty to a charge of being found on licensed premises at a time when such premises were required to bo closed.— The evidence given by the police was to the effect that Sergeant Turner saw a motor car in front of the Crown Hotel about 1.45 a.m. on May 9. He met Constable Bhand a few minutes later and posted him outside, the door of the hotel, about 1.55 a.m. Constable Sfiand saw two men leave the hotel at 2.5 a.m. The constable spoke to the defendant, who stated that ho had gone into the hotel to fix up about board, as he often stayed there. The constable also stated that the defendant gave his name as Jack Didham, of 36 Main South road, Ca.vorsham.—Mr Sinclair stated that for some four years the defendant had acted as taxi driver for Mr Richardson, who had been licensee of the hotel until a day or two before the date mentioned. After midnight on May 8 the defendant executed ' two jobs for Mr Richardson. On his return to the rank he received a telephone message asking him to go to Metcalfe’s, and assuming that the message was from the licensee of the Crown Hotel ho went there. On arriving at the hotel he found that Mr Richardson and Mr Metcalfe were out, so he waited in the passage until they returned, when he asked Mr Metcalfe if he .had rung up, receiving an answer in the negative. He then left the hotel.—Evidence for the defence was given by the defendant, Wm. Ernest Metcalfe, and David M’Lennan (porter at the Crown Hotel). — The Magistrate said it was peculiar that the defendant should have gone to the hotel in response to a ring and then found that the licensee had gone out. In his opinion the porter would have known if the defendant had been rung up. He was not satisfied that the defendant had a lawful excuse for being on the premises, and a fine of 10s with costs (7s), would be imposed. Charges of Theft—Elizabeth May Appes did not appear to answer a charge of having stolen one pair of suede shoes, valued at £1 10s, the property of Kathleen Callaghan.—Ensign Coombs stated that the accused had gone back to her people in the country, and was giving no trouble whatever.—His Worship said he noticed that the report concerning the accused was very favourable. The case would be dismissed. A young man, who was represented by Mr Irwin, was charged with having stolen at, Kaitangata the sum of £3 in money, the property of Adam Meredith Crowe.—Subinspector Mathieson stated that the accused had gone to the police station on Saturday night after hearing that inquiries were being made for him. He asked for a remand to Kaitangata.—Mr Irwin said he strongly objected (o a remand to Kaitangata. The constable at Kaitangata had refused to have anything to do with the issue of a warrant. The accused went to Christchurch at the same time as the wife of the complainant. The husband apparently thought that the only way to get news about, his wife was to get a warrant issued for the arrest of the accused. The warrant was issued in Balclutha. The wife of the complainant said that any money taken from the house was taken by her. —-The .accused was remanded to appear in Dunedin on Friday, the police to make further inquiries in the meantime. The accused was bound over in his own recognisance of £5, and the publication of his name was prohibited until the facts are known. John Healv, who elected to be dealt with summarily, pleaded guilty to charges of having stolen one motor tyre, and one motor tyre rim, of n! total value of €6; the property of George Albert Lamb, and one motor tyre, one motor tyre rim, and one cover, valued at £5, the property of Fairbairn. Henderson, Ltd. —Chiefdetective Lewis stated that the accused took the tyros from different cars at the hack of His Majesty’s Tneatre. and had tried to dispose of them. At that time ho was keeping company with men of bad repute. —The accused said he worked in the country. During the last few weeks he had been stupefied with drink. When he took a little drink he did not know what he was doing.—The Magistrate said ho would like to hear the evidence of the man to whom accused tried to sell the tyres, and he would remand the accused till Friday to enable that statement to Ire obtained.