CUT POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21580, 27 February 1932, Page 21

CUT POLICE COURT

Friday, February 26. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) FURTHER CHARGES TO BE PREFERRED. James Watson MTvor pleaded guilty to a charge of, at Waihola, obtaining from Patrick Francis M'Carthy, with intent to defraud, £4 in money and goods valued at 10s, by falsely representing that a cheque drawn on the Bank of New Zealand at Tapanui for £4 10s, and signed by L. H. Graham, was a good ami valid order for that amount. —Detective Sergeant Nuttall said that a number of charges would be preferred against the accused, ranging from Christchurch to Invercargill and through Central Otago. He asked for a remand until March 7. —The remand was granted. SENTENCE OF * IMPRISONMENT. A young man, Eric William Lindon, alias Reid, was charged with, at Palmer ston, stealing a blazer, valued at £1 10s, the property of Robert Walker; at Drum mond, stealing goods and 5s in money, of a total value of £1 6s 6d, the property of Alfred Paul; at Invercargill, by falsely representing that he had authority from L. A. Shearer, of Drummond, to collect the sum of 10s, he attempted to obtain 10s from James Ronald Gilmour. There was a further charge of failing to comply with the terms of his release upon probation. —The accused pleaded guilty to all of the charges.—Detective Sergeant Nut tall said that the accused had been admitted to probation for a period of three years in November last. He had then gone to Drummond, and then to Invercargill, and later to Oamaru, where he had been sentenced to two months’ imprisonment for theft. He had never re-' ported to a probation officer. —The accused was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, with hard labour, on each of the first three charges. As there was not sufficient evidence before the court to enable it to deal with the breach of probation the charge was struck out. THEFT OF SUGAR. Robert' Morrison Davidson, aged IS, pleaded guilty to the theft of a bag of sugar, valued at 13s 4d, the property of J. A. M’Connell. —Sub-inspector Gameton said that the defendant was apprenticed to a baker. He had taken the bag of sugar from the bulk store of a grocer’s shop and had carried it into the bakery. He had later admitted taking the bag, which he had tried to disguise with flour. His explanation was that his mother had given him money to buy a bag of sugar from the bakery, and he had conceived this idea in the hope of making a few shillings.—Counsel made a plea for leniency on account of the defendant’s youth, and added that Davidson denied that he had tried to' disguise the bag. He received £2 a week, and his mother gave him 7s a week for pocket money. The theft had taken place a.t the end of the week, when he had had little money left. —The magistrate said that.this was a shabby case. An allowance of 7s was a liberal one. When he was the accused’s age he had not received 7d. The defendant would be fined £2. —An application for the suppression of the defendant’s name was refused, his Worship stating that in these cases, of petty theft the publicity -was the chief deterrent. UNLICENSED WIRELESS SETS. John Anges and Harold Lambeth Downing were each fined 10s and costs (10s) for being in possession of unlicensed wireless sets. REMAND GRANTED. Charles Macandrew was charged with attempting an indecent assault on a male under 14 years of age—Detective Sergeant Nuttall said that the accused had been arrested only that morning.—A remand for one week was granted. PROCURING LIQUOR. John M'Dowell was fined 20s and costs (10s) on each of two charges of procuring liquor while prohibited. CASTING OFFENSIVE MATTER. Robert Walter Gill and Thomas Albert Silva were each charged with casting offensive matter in a public place.—The former wag fined 10s and costs (10s) in default 24 hours’ imprisonment, and Silva was fined 20s and costs (12s). LICENSING OFFENCES. Herbert Charles Mountney, licensee of the Bay View Hotel, pleaded guilty to a charge of selling liquor after hours and was fined £5 and costs (10s). James Matheson, sen., James Matheson, jun., and Henry Hames were each fined '2os and costs (10s) for being unlawfully on licensed premises at the Bay View Hotel after hours. John Joseph Reynolds was fined 20s and costs 10s) for being unlawfully on licensed premises after hours. DISCHARGING FIREARM. Frederick George Duncan pleaded guilty to a charge of discharging a firearm near a public place.—Sub-inspector Cameron said that the defendant had come forward when he heard that a complaint had been made, and had saved the police some trouble.—He was convicted and ordered to pay court costs (10s). SUNDAY TRADING. James Stewart Algie pleaded not guilty lo a charge of Sunday trading.—Constable Shruffer gave evidence that he had seen a large number of people coming out of the defendant’s shop at St. Clair with ice creams. The defendant had told witness that it was impossible to stop the practice.—Evidence was also given by Constable Devcreux.—Counsel submitted that no offence had been disclosed by the police evidence. The defendant stated that he had endeavoured to make the people remain on the premises while consuming refreshments. There was a card on the counter stating that all refreshments should be consumed on the premises on Sunday.—The magistrate said that this was clearly a case of illegal Sunday trading. The defendant would be fined 20s and costs (10s). BREACH OF ARMS ACT. William Anderson was charged with failing to give notice of his change of address as required by the Arms Act, and with failing to produce a certificate under the Arms Act.—On the first charge the defendant was fined 10s. and costs (10s). and the second charge was struck out DISORDERLY BEHAVIOUR. William Clements, alias David Wilson, was fined 255, in default 48 hours’ imprisonment, on a charge of behaving in a disorderly manner, and £2, in default seven days’ imprisonment, on a charge of using obscene language. ' THREATENING BEHAVIOUR. John Charles Duke M‘Ara was charged with behaving in a threatening manner.— Sub-inspector Cameron asked leave to amend the charge to read “ within view of a public place.”—M‘Ara pleaded not guilty.—Harold Day, a porter at the railway goods shed at Dunedin, said that on the date in question he came into the good shed at about 4.30 p.m. Witness saw the defendant in a motor car in Wharf street. The defendant had been inquiring for witness, who went out. The defendant approached witness and said, “Well, I have come for a piece of you.” Witness did not give the defendant any provocation. There had previously been some dispute over some property, and the defendant had previously tried to get witness into a fight. When the defendant met witness at the goods shed.’ witness walked away, as he considered that if he were implicated in any trouble there he might be dismissed. The defendant followed witness and struck him, taking him unawares. He saw the police the same even-ing.-—Harold Thomas Anderson, a porter at the goods shed, said Day had asked him if he would stand by him (Day), who wanted to “ have M‘Ara on.” Witness saw all the fight except the first blow. He could not say whether there was one blow or more struck outside the hut.—Robert Hugh Logan, a porter, said he had heard say to M’Ara outside the hut that he would have nothing to do with him. —John Charles Duke M‘Ara said he had gone to Day’s place at Pine Hill to discuss matters concerning rent. There was some trouble, Day ordering witness and his mother away and telling witness to see him at the goods shed. Witness did so and Day used insulting language and invited witness to fight. There was a scuffle at the door of a hut. —David Gallagher, worker at the goods shed, said Day had come to him and asked him if he would stand by and see fair play. Witness had advised Day to come into the shed and get on xvith his work.— Elizabeth M'Ara, mother of the defendant, gave evidence regarding the visit to the farm at Pine Hill, Day having refused to listen to what she had to say.—Bernard Parker, who accompanied the defendant to the goods shed, gave evidence regarding what occurred at the railway yards. —The magistrate said that clearly on the defendant’s own showing he was guilty of

the charge named. His only defence had been that the other man had been as much to blame as himself. There was a good deal about the defendant’s evidence that was open to serious question. It was hardly likely that Hay would have invited the defendant down to the railway premises where he was working. The defendant would be convicted. —Counsel said that defendant had been in no previous trouble. He had been a prominent athlete in Dunedin and among the sporting fraternity had borne an excellent character. —“Against that,” replied his Worship. “ is the fact that it must seriously prejudice a Government servant for trouble to be created at his work.” —A fine of 20s, with costs (19s). and witnesses’ expenses (30s) was imposed. TRAFFIC BY-LAW OFFENCES. Herbert Heatherington Pietor for failing to give way to traffic on the right was fined 10s and costs (10s). Ernest Hutchen, who was stated to have driven across intersections in St. Hilda at 32 miles an hour, was fined £2 and costs (3s) on a charge of dangerous driving. Rudolph William Christenson, who was said to have driven put of a narrow street and across an intersection at an excessive speed, was fined 20s and costs (10s) on a charge of dangerous driving. George Brooks, jun., was fined 10s and costs (10s) for driving a motor lorry which was not equipped with a rear reflector. For leaving his car parked in such a manner as to cause an obstruction, James Thomas Dunn was fined 20s and costs (10s). Alfred Herring was fined 10s and cost (10s) for driving without a license. William Edward M'Dowell. who drove along George street and across the Moray place intersection at a speed estimated by a l , traffic inspector at 30 miles an hour, was charged with dangerous driving and was fined 20s and costs (10s). James Cranston and William James M'Faul were each fined 20s and costs (10s) for . driving past stationary tram cars. Raymond T. Padman was fined 10s and costs (10s) for having his ear insufficiently lighted. For using a motor cycle without a silencer George Lynn Barnett Brundell was fined 10s and costs (10s) .—On a similar charge William Edward Thomas Rendall was "fined 5s and costs (10s). On a charge of using a motor lorry without having procured a heavy traffic license, John William Smith was ordered to pay costs (10s). ( Alan Joseph Turnbull was fined 10s and costs (10s) on a charge of driving a motor cycle in a dangerous manner.— Inspector M’Nicoll said that the defendant had travelled along the Anderson's Bay road at a speed estimated at 35 miles an hour and when questioned by an inspector had admitted travelling at a speed of 40 miles an hour. On charges of leaving motor cars not parallel with the direction of the road William Henry Alen, William Borlace, James Robert Kedzlie, William Crammond Parsons, and Matthew T. Spence were each fined 10s and costs (10s), John W. H. Clarke and Russell Howard Stewart were each fined 5s and costs (10s) and William G. Rowlands was fined 5s and costs (12s). For leaving cars unattended for more than 15 minutes Winifred A. Blackie, Gordon K. Ramsay, and Geoffrey M. M. Reid were each fined 10s and costs (10s). —On a similar charge Charles S. Hunt was ordered to pay costs (10s). George Victor Murdoch was fined 10s and costs (3s) for failing to supply the name of a driver of a motor car to a traffic inspector. William Edward Greaves was fined 10s and costs f 12s) for having an unregistered motor trailer. Francis Edward O’Neill pleaded not guilty to a charge of dangerous driving. —Constable Timmins gave evidence concerning a collision with a post which had occurred at the intersection of King Edward road and Grosvenor street. — Constable Crawford produced a statement made by the accused in which he admitted having approached the corner at 30 nuph.—The defendant was fined £2 and costs (10s).