CITY POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21621, 16 April 1932, Page 20

CITY POLICE COURT

Friday, April 15. (Before Mr H. W. .Bundle, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. Charged with drunkenness, a first offender was fiped 20s, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment. Albert Joseph Bell, who admitted that a full newspaper would not contain his list of convictions and who launched, into a rambling explanation of his offence, also pleaded guilty to a charge of drunkenness, and was ordered to be remanded in custody until Monday. A CHIMNEY FIRE. James Bain was fined 5s and costs (10s) for allowing the chimney of his house to catch fire. HEAVY TRAFFIC LICENSE. John Fuller was ordered to pay fl 5s 6d in respect of n heavy traffic license. MOTOR OFFENCES. Cooke, Howlison, and Co. were charged with failing to notify'the change of ownership of a motor truck. —A fine of 40s and costa was imposed. Victor Tait, charged with motor cycling without a light, was fined 5s and costs. William Nervilie Cleveland, for leaving his motor car unlighted on a public street, was convicted, without fine.—For a similar offence Alfred Walmslcy was fined 5s and costs.

For allowing an unregistered motor car to be, driven, Ivo Carr was, fined 10s and costs (10s). ■ John Carlisle Beale, an unlicensed motor car driver, was fined 20s and costs. —For similar offences James Irwin Miller was fined 10s and costs and Redmond James Mnrtagh ss. Ivdn Smart pleaded not' guilty to charges of using a motor truck without having-received a license, and with using a motor truck at night without the prescribed lights.—Defendant said he had received permission from the City Corporation To place the truck where it was found, and it was clear of traffic.—-Eric John Smart and Sydney Smart were also charged with using a motor truck at night without lights.—Sub-inspector Cameron said that inquiries at the Town .Hall did not confirm the defendant’s statement.His Worship said' there was a genuine doubt about the matter, and the_ charges of unlighted vehicles.would be dismissed. On the charge of using an unlicensed motor truck Ivan Smart. was convicted without penalty.

ALLEGED DANGEROUS DRIVING. William Walker was charged with driving a motor cycle in a manner dangerous to the public. He pleaded not guilty.—-Sub-inspector Cameron said that the defendant was riding south, and when passing a tramcar at the Caversham terminus he seemed to lose control of his machine and collided with another man.—Defendant said his cycle locked in the head and he could not turn the handle bars. — The defendant elected to alter hie plea, and was convicted and ordered .to come up for sentence if called on within six months. He was also ordered not to use the cycle without the permission of the police, UNEMPLOYMENT TAX. \ George Edward Strange was charged with failing to pay the unemployment tax. He pleaded guilty,—Mr Ligntfoot, of the Labour Department, said that some young fellows seemed to treat the Act_ very lightly, and if they did not pay it was not fair to those who did pay. ' Men on relief work had to pay or they got no work.—His Worship said the Acf must be observed. —The case was adjourned for six weeks to give the defendant an opportunity to pay. John White, similarly charged, was ordered to pay court costs (10s). THEFT OF GRAPES. , A youth, publication of whose name was prohibited, pleaded guilty to stealing grapes valued at 3s, the property of Harman Sonntag.—Sub-inspector Cameron stated that the accused, in company with another youth, had broken into the complainant’s glasshouse on the previous day and had stolen a quantity of grapes. The complainant had been troubled a good; deal by such thefts, and had been put to a good deal of expense through his glasshouses being damaged.—The accused denied that he had broken the glass, and said that he had merely reached through a hole and taken the grapes.—ln view of the accused’s youth, the magistrate adjourned the case for six months, conditional on his paying the. value of the grapes forthwith, CONVERSION. OF MOTOR CAR. Noah Ernest Legg pleaded guilty to converting unlawfully to his own use a motor car valued at £25, the property of John Henry Nedd. —Sub-inspector Cameron stated that the owner of the car had left it in a locked garage at noon on the previous day. On going to get the car in the evening he found a strange lock on the door, and investigation revealed the fact that the car had been taken. ■ The accused was found in possession of it about 1 a.m., and on being asked to explain, ,he maintained that the owner had lent it to him. The accused was a young waster, and although the leniency of the court had been extended to him on previous occasions, he had failed to benefit by the*lessons. —The probation officer (Mr Garbutt) stated that he had found the accused to be quite incorrigible.—The magistrate remarked that it was obvious that the accused needed a sharp lesson, and imposed a sentence of two months’ imprisonment.