CITY POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22723, 8 November 1935, Page 3

CITY POLICE COURT

Thursday, November 7. (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.)

DRUNKENNESS. Charged with drunkenness, Hugh Goodlet was fined 12s 6d, in default 48 hours’ imprisonment. MOTORIST CHARGED. Alfred Edward Arundale, who was represented by Mr 0. G. Stevens, appeared on two charges of being drunk while in charge of a motor car. He was also charged with using obscene language in a public place. —He pleaded guilty to one count of being drunk in charge, but on the other and on the charge of using obscene language he entered a plea of not guilty.—Senior Sergeant Packer said that about 5.55 p.m. on October 25 the accused was seen by Constable Shaughnessy driving a converted motor truck across the intersection of High and Cumberland streets. The manner in which he took the corner attracted the constable’s attention, and the latter signalled him to stop. The accused ignored the signal, and he w'as later found in Rattray street at 6.45 the same evening, after a complaint had been received regarding bad language being used. A man who was with the accused drove him away in the truck, but about an hour later a further quarrel broke out in Rattray street, and the accused was again found to be involved. On this occasion he was arrested for being drunk in charge of a oar, and, in conjunction with two other men, was charged with using obscene language. He appeared before the court on the former charge, but pleaded not guilty and was remanded, and it was while he ■was on remand that he was again arrested on a similar count. At 0.15 a.m. on November 3 Constable Elraes saw the same truck stationary in King Edward street, and on going to it found the accused asleep behind the wheel. When wakened, he was found to be very drunk, and threatened that he would “ fix ” the constable if he could get him in a quiet place. —Evidence as to the accused’s condition when in Rattray street was given by Constables Wadsworth and Tulloch. —Jack M'Gregor Saunders tendered evidence as to the language used, but stated that when he saw the accused he was trying to get away from the other two men, who appeared to be the authors of the disturbance. —Mr Stevens submitted that the other man who was in the truck with Arundale, and who was perfectly sober, was in charge of it, and that the accused was not driving it, and at this stage the hearing was adjourned until the following afternoon. FORGERY AND UTTERING. Stanley Henry Anderson, for whom Mr C. A. Hamer appeared, was charged with having forged a cheque for £l2, purporting to be signed by J. Fleming, with intent that it should be acted upon as genuine, and further with having attempted to pass a cheque which he knew to be forged.—James Alexander Fleming said that he had met the accused whilst he was staying at an hotel in the city. The accused was staying at the same hotel under the name of° Stanley George Tomkins, and had visited witness’s room on several occasions. After one of these visits witness discovered that a blank form had been taken from his cheque book. Previous to this the accused had given witness an envelope with his name and address on it, and in return witness had given the accused a slip of paper with his name and address, the signature on the slip being the same as he used on his cheques. The cheque produced, purporting to be signed by him, did not bear his signature, and the accused had no authority to sign it.—To Mr Hamer, the accused had indicated to him that he was short of money, and witness had first given him 10s and then a further 10s to-get seats at a picture theatre.—David Graham Wylie, ledgerkeeper at the National Bank of New Zealand, Dunedin, said that on November 1 he received notification that a cheque form from the complainant’s book was missing. In the afternoon it was handed to him filled in, but on comparing the signature he found it to be a forgery, and when he turned to the counter again he found that the person who presented the cheque had left the bank—Evidence of an admission of the offences by the accused w’as tendered by Detective Wells. The accused pleaded guilty to both charges, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.