CITY POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21390, 18 July 1931, Page 17

CITY POLICE COURT

Friday, July 17. (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) UNLICENSED WIRELESS. For being-in possession of an unregistered wireless set, Thomas John Johnson was fined 10s, and costs (10s). A CHIMNEY FIRE. For allowing the chimney of her premises to catch fire, Agnes Woodhouse was fined ss, and costs (10s). UNREGISTERED FIREARM. Fo r having in his possession an unregistered firearm, William Hughes was convicted and was ordered to forfeit the rifle. SUNDAY TRADING. Frank Sherriff was fined AOs, and costs (10s), for exposing goods for sale on a Sunday. UNLIGHTED CYCLES. Charged with riding an unlighted bicycle. John Christopher Fogarty was fined 5s. —John Henry Simon, who was similarly charged, was fined a like amount. UNLAWFULLY ON PREMISES. Harold Boreham was fined 10s, and costs (10s), for being found unlawfully after hours on the licensed premises of tjie Gladstone Hotel.—Charlie Gray, who was charged with being found unlawfully after hours in Tattersall’s Hotel, was fined a like amount, and costs. TRAFFIC BREACHES. ' George B. Hill was fined 30s, and costs (10s), for driving in a dangerous manner. For holding on to motor vehicles while riding bicycles, Roger Gray, Allan Hardman, and Harrison Millard were each fined ss, and costs (10s). For operating a motor cycle without an efficient silencer, Julius K. Woolridgc was fined 20s, and costs. (10s). Thomas C. Stewart, an unlicensed motor driver, was also charged with carrying a pillion passenger on a motor cycle without footrests.—He was fined ss, and costs (10s), on the first charge, and 5s on the second.

Percy Powell Romeril, against whom two charges of being an unlicensed motor driver were preferred, was fined ss. and costs (10s), on the first charge, and 5s on the second.

For being in charge of an nnlighted motor car, John Wilson Ovens was fined ss, and costs (10s). Arthur Janies Rice was fined 5s for failing to leave his car parallel with the road. The following unlicensed motor drivers were each fined ss, and costs (10 s):— Albert V. Crombie, William E. Finnic, Alfred A. Fraser, Charles Green, Leslie John Hesford, Robert J. Loekhead, Bernard Cleveland, James Donaldson, Michael George Hayes, John Henderson, Ernest Adam Gunn, Walter Leslie Jefferson. Peter Johnston, David John Mason, John 11. Morrison, James M'Donald, Leyson Oben, Isabel F. Poole, Thomas C. Stewart, Frederick W. Summers, Walter Taylor, and Frank R. Walker.—Similarly charged, Jack Collier and Neville Lloyd Sickels were each fined 10s, and costs (10s), and Stuart Parker, sen., 20s, and costs (10s). THEFT OF PETROL. Arthur George Webber, who was represented by Mr White, appeared for sentence, on a charge of theft of four cases of petrol.—The magistrate, remarking that if the accused had been a juvenile he would have sent him to Borstal, ordered him to be detained for reformative purposes for a period not exceeding 12 months. A SERIOUS CHARGE.

William Stuart appeared for sentence on a charge of having harboured a girl knowing her to have escaped from the Anderson’s Bay Receiving Home, and also with having intimate relations with the girl whilst she was an inmate of the institution.—Mr J. S. Sinclair appeared for the accused, who, at the original hearing, had pleaded guilty.—Mr Sinclair submitted that the ease was one for probation. This was the accused’s only lapse, as he had always been a model husband, and there was nothing against his character, whereas that of the girl was bad. Counsel asked that the accused be given another chance for the sake of his wife as well as himself. —The magistrate said that the case was a difficult one to deal •with. Wards of State homes bad to be protected, but from the girl’s previous history it appeared that she was liable to invite and receive advances. The court, however, could not pass lightly over an offence such as harbouring a girl who had escaped from a State home. On this charge the accused would be convicted and sentenced to, 14 days’ imprisonment, the term to commence from the date of his arrest (July -6), and on the second charge, he would be admitted to probation for two years. It was only under the special circumstances of the case that he was not sent to prison for the maximum term, but in view of the history of the girl it would be improper to do so. «r THEFT OF BICYCLES.

Frederick Hugh Miller (Mr Baylee) and Robert Sinclair Robertson (Mr White) appeared on remand on charges of stealing three bicycles.—Both pleaded guilty.—Chief Detective Quartermain said that the accused had stolen a bicycle each, and had stolen another machine jointly. They had ridden to Tarras, where they had been arrested.—Air White said that Robertson was out of work, and was too young to benefit under the unemployment schemes. The youths had taken the' bicycles and had ridden practically all over Central Otago looking for work, and they had obtained positions just before they were arrested. He asked that leniency should be extended. —Mr Bayley also asked that his client should be admitted to , probation.—The magistrate admitted Cach accused to probation for a period of two years, a condition being made that Robertson should reside with some person approved by the probation officer. BREACHES OF GAMING ACT. John Milne, who was represented by Mr Neill, pleaded guilty to using premises at 58 Helena street, South Dunedin, as a common gaining house, and, in conjunction with him, Peter Meldrum (Mr P. S. Anderson) was charged with being found unlawfully on the premises.—Chief Detective Quartermain said that, accompanied by two detectives, he had entered the house on a search warrant. He had found a partly .burned book containing betting transactions. The wireless was going, and the defendant was listening to the race results from Wellington. He had been twice previously convicted of bookmaking. —Mr Neill said that very little evidence of betting had been obtained. The defendant was a returned soldier, and was in receipt of a pension as he was unable to work. The temptation to bet was very strong.—The defendant was convicted and fined £3o.—Meldrum pleaded not guilty.— Detective Taylor said that when he had interviewed the defendant the latter had said that he had brought two bottles of beer to Milne. The defendant was a barman at the Fitzroy Hotel, and Milne was known to frequent these premises. When arrested the defendant had £l7 in his possession but there was no evidence of betting on him—Evidence on similar lines was given by Detective Gibson.—The defendant, in evidence, stated that; in the course of his duty, he was sent to deliver two bottles of beer to Milne. He had never been to the house before, and had been there only a few moments when the police arrived. He did not have any betting transactions with Milne.—To the chief detective: He denied that he had been acting as Milne's agent.—Mrs Shaiul, wife of the licensee of the Fitzroy Hotel, said that she bad sent the defendant to Milne’s place with some beer. He was gone rather long, and she rang up for him.—A conviction was entered, and the question of penalty was held over until Monday at the request of Mr Anderson, .who stated that the defendant wished to consider the advisability of entering an appeal.