CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20310, 19 January 1928, Page 2

CITY POLICE COURT.

Wednesday, January 18. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. A male first offender, charged with drunkenness, was fined 10s, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment. —Sergeant M -Entee said that the defendant had been found drunk on the railway line at Caversham. He was a bird of passage. The Defendant, who bore evidence of having been knocked about, told the bench that he had no money to pay the fine.—His Worship: Well, you will have to serve the 24 hOUIS ' A SERIOUS CHARGE. George Thomas Burgess was charged with committing an indecent assault on a girl aged 11 years at Green Island on December 27.—Mr Hanlon appeared for the accused—Evidence was given by the girl, who said that she went to the house of the accused to look after the two children of another woman who lived at the same place. She was in the bedroom with one of the children when the defendant came in. Witness then detailed what had happened—Evidence was given by the girl’s mother and by Detective Roycroft. The latter said that the accused had been quite frank and had signed a statement in which he admitted certain happenings. —The accused reserved his defence, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was fixed at £25 and one surety of £25, a condition being that he should report daily to the police. HUGE MAINTENANCE ARREARS. James Edwin King was charged with disobedience of a maintenance order made in respect of his wife. The warrant was one that had been issued seven years ago, -and the defendant had only recently been arrested in Christchurch.—Mr Irwin, for the wife, said that the defendant had been living under an assumed name, and that was why he had not been located. He understood that King had been living with another women, and had some children. The arrears were something like £9OO. “If I get another chance,” the defendant said, “ I will get work and do my best.”—His Worship asked what offer lie had to make.—The Defendant: Do you mean me to pay it all off? “That is impossible,” his Warship said, “what offer can you make?” The Defendant said that he would work and do his best. He was a labourer. He admitted that he had an obligation to a woman and three children, but added that he would not let that stand in the way.—He was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour, the warrant to be suspended so long as he paid £4 6s 8d a month and reported weekly to the police.