CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19350, 10 December 1924, Page 11

CITY POLICE COURT.

Tuesday, December 9. (Before Mr J. K. Bartholomew, S.M.)

Drunkenness. —A first offender for drunkenness was convicted and fined 12s, in default 2t hours' imprisonment. A day was allowed in which to pay.

Given :i Chance.—A dishevelled figure answering to the name of Alexander Campbell was charged with, on. December 12, being deemed to be an idle and disorderly person In that ho had insufficient visible lawful means of support.'—Accused said he had gone into the Police Station to ask where he could get a place to sleep.—The Magistrate: How do you plead?—Accused: Guilty, sir.—Senior-sergeant Mathieson said the man had approached a constable and stated that he had no place to go to. He had not eaten anything for two days, and had slept out. He had deserted from a ship about IS montths before, and since then had squandered his money, and wandered abort in various paHs of the country. The man had stated that he did not know he had the 5s found iu his possession.—Accused: If you will let me go, sir, I will go right out of the place, and get a job. I have been working on the wharf at Port Chalmers. If you give me a chance it won't happen again.—Seniorsergeant Mathieson said there was no doubt that the man had been drinking heavily.—Accused: Yes, sir, that is the whole trouble.—The Magistrate said he would give accused another chance. He would be convicted and discharged.—Accused was profuse in his thanks, and did not waste time in leaving the dock, his face wreathed ir. smiles.

“Too Lazy to Work.” —A young .nan named William Francis Weaver pleaded guilty to a charge of having, on. December 4, received the sum of 12s on terms requiring him to account for same to George Spain, and that ho did fraudulently omit to account for same, thereby committing theft.—Chief-detective Lewis said accused had been in the employ of Mr Spain, end was, at one time, given some small bakery goods to sell. He was also given 10s I'or loose change. Accused collected 2s and kept the 10g, He belonged to Roxburgh, and had arrived from Invercargill six Aveeks ago. Since he had been in the city he had done practically no Avork, and oAved fS for board. He seemed to be roaming about the place AVithout any object, and appeared to be too lazy to Avork. The day after he commenced Avork Avlth Mr Spain the bakehouse Avas broker, into and a small sum of money taken. That had started the present inquiry. He Avas 21 years of age, and Avas not trying to keep hlms-elf. —The Magistrate remanded accused until to-morroAV, the Probation Officer to supply a report. A Bad Record.—Victor Albert Dent, alias Albert Victor William Dent, alias Albert Harold William Williams, AA-as charged Avlth, on December 5, at Dunedin, stealing one suit of clothes valued at £8 Bs, the property of Christopher Vickers, and further with on the same date stealing one gold ring, valued at 30s, the property of Robert Westrnp. —Accused pleaded guilty to both charges.—Chief-detective LeAA-is said accused made a practice of going to houses whore students and others resided, and after collecting what he could, he Avould disappear. He had a very long list, and could almost be classed as an habitual criminal. As he wished to institute further inquiries he would ask that accused be remanded in custody.—The Magistrate: He certainly has a bad record. —Accused Avas remanded for one week. “Hounded from Hotels,”—Percy Frederick Galland pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking the terms of his probation order —Mr F. J. Gumming (Probation Officer) said accused avos admitted to probation on January 30, 1024, for a period of two years on a charge of theft. A condition had been that he must keep out of hotels, but he had not recognised that condition, having been hounded out of hotels. Since the order Avas made accused had reported on only tAvo occasions. Ha had got into the habit of hanging about, and his companions vtere.no good. It was a decidedly bad case.—Accused denied that he had been hounded out of hotels.—The Magistrate: Tou had no right to be in hotels.—Detective Beer said he had visited a hotel a fortnight ago, and accused was in the bar. When he saw Avltness he left his drink on the counter and made a hurried retreat.—Mr Cumin ing said no attempt had been made to make restitution. —The Magistrate said that Avhen accused Avas convicted of theft and admitted to probation it Avas on the understanding that he Avould obey the terms of the order. Instead he had flouted the order, and Avould be sentneed to lavo months' jmprisonmnt Avith hard labour.