CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19218, 8 July 1924, Page 11

CITY POLICE COURT.

Monday, Jttxt 7. (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) < Drunkenness. —A first offender was fined 10s, with the alternative of 24 hours’ imprisonment for drunkenness. Henry Arthur Vivian, who did not appear, was fined the amount of his bail (20s), with the alternative of 24 hours’ imprisonment. Breaches of By-laws.—For cycling after dark without a light in St. Kilda, Thomas Richard Wills was fined ss. For allowing a horse to wander in Wilkie road, Peter M‘Bea Joss was also fined ss. False Pretences.- —A youth, aged 19 years, was charged with having, on Juno 25, with intent to defraud, obtained £6 in money from one William Percival Galbraith by means of a false pretence, by stating that ho was employed by William 11. Sims and Co., Crawford street, Dunedin, and that ho required the money as a deposit on a house which he was buying.—Mr Baron appeared for the accused, who elected to be dealt with summarily, and who pleaded not guilty.—Chief-detective Lewis said that in view of the statement made by the accused the police did not expect a plea of not guilty, and be would ask for a short adjournment.—Mr Baron said his chief reason for pleading not guilty was that he wished to hear exactly what the chief witness for the police had to say, but rather than have the case adjourned ho would plead guilty.-—Chief-detective Lewis stated that the accused called at the shop of Mr Galbraith, in Cargill road, about 9 p.m. and asked for the loan of £6 to pay as a deposit on a house. Tho accused admitted that that statement was false. The accused also stated that ho was employed by Sims and Co., anti that he could get the money from Mr Sims the next morning, but he wanted it that night. Other statements made by the accused were that he was to be married shortly, and that a Mr Toomor, who was well known to Mr Galbraith, had recommended him to call there. The money was lent because Mr Galbraith thought tho accused. was a friend of Mr Toomer, and that ho was employed by Sims and Go. The money would never have been lent if Mr Galbraith had known the full facts. Practically all the statements made by tho accused wore false. —Mr Baron said tho accused had performed a very foolish act, as boys sometimes did. He belonged to a very respectable family. It seemed to tho speaker that the man who advanced the money did a very silly thing, as ho did not take the trouble to prove a single item in the boy’s statement, and then brought him before the court on a criminal charge. Counsel believed it was a fact_ that the accused was going to be married. Flo asked if the lad could be placed on probation and put in the charge of some responsible person to keep him away from such foolish acts. Counsel also asked that the name of the accused bo suppressed.— Chief-detective Lewis said tho accused appeared to be beyond parental control. Ho had recently been living in a room unknown to his parents. Tho speaker understood that the accused had met his father since his arrest, and had “cheeked” him. He had no respect for his father. Apparently tho accused owed between £SO and £6O. He was urgently in need of some restriction, and the speaker thought his father required some assistance in the matter. His Worship said it was quite evident that the accused was out of control and that no mut be placed under strict supervision. It was an extremely foolish thing for Mr Galbraith to advance the money as a result of the statements made, which were deliberate lies. The accused would get a further chance, but it was not a case for a short term of probation. Tne accused would be placed on probation for three years, and if ho did not carry out the directions of the probation officer he would be liable to imnrisonment for a considerable period. Tho accused would bo prohibited from entering billiard rooms during the first 12 months of the term of probation, and the £6 advanced would have to b ■ refunded. The publication of the name of the accused was prohibited. Maintenance— Henry Patrick Waite was charged with being, on June 7, Iss in arreais on each of two maintenance orders for tho support of his illegitimate children in tho Caversbam Industrial School. Defer dent said he was a labourer, and had been out of work lately. Ho admitted he had paid nothing since the orders were made against him. He domed to Seniorsergeant Mathieaon that he intended, if libelated that morning, to clear out with the married woman who was the mother ot three children to him. She had had a third child to him since the order was made against him. —’The Magistrate said ho would be sentenced to six months imprisonment, tho warrant to bo suspended so long as he paid 30s a week, including 5s off arrears.—l he Senior-sergeant, said they had it on tho best of authority that if this man was liberated ho would pink up this woman and clear out that morning. The police regarded this aa a hopeless case, and a proper case for sending to gaol ;m----n cdiateJy. They considered him a. real waster, squandering his money in billiard i-ocms. —His Worship made it an express condition, that defendant report to the police and make his payment weekly, otherwise tho full sentence would be carried out.—-Later in the morning May Bell Miller applied for an affiliation and maintenance order for the support of her infant child against Waite.—Tho Applicant said she was living apart from her husband, and defendant was the father of her child born on May 27. She had paid half theconfinerncnb expenses, and had paid for the child being out at Karitane. Karitone was going to take the child back, phe was at work.—The Magistrate told her that if she liked to bring illegitimate children into the world it was as much a matter for herself as for the dedendant.An order was made adjudging _ the defendant tho father and fixing maintenance at 7s 6d a week. Penoival Harold Petrie was charged with being £221 17s fid in arrears on Juno 16 last with an order for 35s a week for the maintenance of his children.—Petrie said he was a waterside worker, and handed in a certified statement of his earnings.—The Rev V. G. B. King said defendant averaged considerably _ over £3 a week, and had paid only £3 in 15 months.—Petrie handed’ in a statement of his expenditure during the same period. He said he was a now hand at the wharves, and had to take what waS left of the work. —Mr King said the children were being kept in the Anglican Flame, and it was a most unsatisfactory feature of the law as at present that they could not get for their maintenance any of tho amount the father earned while in gaol. He asked that the order be made 30s a week for tho -two children.—His Worship remitted the arrears arid reduced ihem to £25. He reduced the order to 22s fid, and ordered the defendant to pay 25s weekly. He was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended as long as payments were made regularly. Christopher _ Thomas Morris was charged with being £9 in arrears on May 23 with an order for the support of his wife. —Mr O. Cooke said tho do , fondant never paid unless a warrant was issued againsr him. This was the fourth occasion on which a summons had been issued. —He was sentenced to two months' imprisonment in Auckland prison, to bo released on payment of £ls. the arrears up to July 4.