CITY POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23885, 12 August 1939, Page 3

CITY POLICE COURT

Friday, August 11 (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) Drunkenness A female first offender, charged with drunkenness, was fined 10s, in default 24 hours' imprisonment. Cyclist Fined Ronald David Hansen was fined 5s and costs (10s) for cycling without a light. A Chimney Fire For allowing the chimney of his house to catch fire, James Kirkpatrick was fined 5s and costs (10s). A Dangerous Dog George Lewis Brooke pleaded guilty to keeping a dangerous dog. —Senior Sergeant Claasen explained that the dog had bitten a little girl, and he suggested that the case be adjourned to allow the police to ascertain if the dog had been placed under restraint. —An adjournment for a fortnight was granted. Unlawfully on Premises Charged with being unlawfully after hours on licensed premises, John Robert Sheddan, James Sizemore, and Peter Garden were each fined 10s and costs (10s). Motorists Charged Roger Sidney Grant, whose car was stated to have narrowly missed striking two pedestrians oh a footpath in Rattray street, was charged with negligent driving.—The case was adjourned for three months, the defendant to pay costs (10s), and in the meantime to attend such classes in driving as instructed by the chief traffic inspector. For driving without due care and attention, Farquhar Mcßae was fined £3 and costs (10s). Theo Allen was fined court costs (3s) for parking his motor car on the wrong side of a street. —Similarly charged, Cyril Dean was also fined costs (3p). For exceeding the speed limit of 30 miles an hour within a restricted area, William Parkinson, whose case had been adjourned to allow him to attend a driving school, was convicted and discharged.—Similarly charged, Frank Kitto was fined £1 5s and costs (10s). Raa' Thomson was fined 5s and costs (10s) for being an unlicensed motor driver. Conversion of Car Frank Penna Potter and Warren Merewood Gardiner, aged respectively 20 and 19 years, pleaded guilty to having, at Christchurch, unlawfully converted to their own use, but not sa as to be guilty of theft, a motor car belonging to Dominion Rental Cars, Ltd.—Outlining the charge. Chief Detective Holmes stated that the two accused had been together for a week or two in Christchurch. On August 4 they decided to come to Dunedin to look for work, and with this end in view they went to the complainant company and hired a rental car for four hours. Their intention, however, was to drive it to Dunedin and abandon it, and this they did. On the following morning they were apprehended by Detective Brown and admitted the offence. Potter, who was an Australian, had been in the Dominion only a month, but Gardiner was a native of New Zealand. Neither of them had been before the court previously.—Potter explained to the magistrate that he and Gardiner had intended, on reaching Dunedin, to telephone the complainant company and make arrangements to have the car returned and to pay for the hire.—The magistrate said that in some ways he was unable to look on the case as one of unlawful conversion. In the first place, the two accused had, in a sense, obtained the car lawfully, and the case seemed to be on the borderline between civil and criminal liability. There was no doubt, however, that they had made false representations, and they would be admitted to probation for 12 months, a condition being that they make restitution of the amount due for hire of the car (£7 12s 9d), as directed by the probation officer.