POLICE COURT

Southland Times, Issue 17469, 25 March 1915, Page 2

POLICE COURT

At the Police Court yesterday, before Mr T. Hutchison, S.M., three prosecutions took place under the Dogs Registration Act, 1908, Peter Robertson, Michael Welsh and W. T. Connor being fined Is, Bs and costs and Is respectively. Percy Sefton was fined Is for riding a bicycle on a footpath in Invercargill South. •, OPIUM SMOKING. Loo Lee, a Chinaman, was charged on two informations with smoking opium and having opium in his'possession in a form suitabl for smoking. Mr A. B. Haggitt appeared for accused, who pleaded guilty. Counsel staled that at the time of the arrival of the police there were implements in the house used for the smoking of opium, also wiiat were called scrapings. The opium was actually alight, hr; understood. The accused was sixtyseyen years of ago. and had smoked opium for fifty years. At one lime he was addicted to the drug, but of late had indulged only on very rare occasions. He was before the Court about twelve months ago, and Dr Pottinger gave evidence that it would be cruelly to prevent the accused from smoking opium on occasions, because lie had been so long at the habit. That was no excuse, as the law was there and had to be obeyed, still counsel asked the Court to give consideration to Hie circumstance.—Mr Hawley, Collector of Customs, stated that in May last the accused was fined £lO. —His Worship fined the accused £lO for smoking opium, and £2O for having H in his possession, the costs being Its. He was allowed a fortnight in which to pay. ALLEGED CRUELTY TO A HORSE. A. Xeilson was charged with on March 1 being guilty of cruelty to animals, by driving a horse while lame. Mr H. A. Macdonald for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelly to Animals, and Mr J. E. Lilllcrap for defendant, who pleaded not guilty.—.Mr Macdonald said Inspector Robson saw defendant, an employee of the Bread Distributing Co., driving the horse along Tyne street, the animal at tlie time limping badly. Xeilson admitted that it was lame. The Inspector had previously warned the company in regard to the same horse. The inspector gave evidence. Mr Lillicrup stated that (he iiorse had had a wound in its hoof, but tills had been carefully attended to before the date referred to in the information. The horse was not now lame. John Kerse, blacksmith, gave evidence that about the middle of February lie had dressed a wound in the hoof of the horse in question, pulling a leather sole on it. it would have done the horse no harm if it had been put to light work straight off. Witness did not consider that there had been any cruelty in working the horse under the circumstances. Cross-examined by Mr Macdonald: The wound had not yet healed, and would take some time. The hoof would have to grow down. A, Xeilson, driver for Iho Bread Distributing Company, staled that when lie set out on the morning of Mareli 1, his horse appeared quite sound. The first signs of limping were seen in Tyne .street, which is rough and stony. The liorse had not limped after leaving Tyne street. The delivery made had been within a small area. Thomas Albert Henry, manager of the Invercargill Broad Distributing Company, also gave evidence for the defence. He stated that March I was the first day on which the liorse had been used since the wound had been attended to. The information was dismissed, costs 27s being allowed defendants. ANOTHER OPIUM CASE. George Yep Yin was charged with having on March 2 having had in his possession opium in a form suitable for smoking and with having on the same date having permitted smoking on lii.s premises.—Sergeant Bingham gave evidence that on .March 2 he, in company witii some other constables, had gone in accused's promises in Tay street. A constable had been stationed at each door ami witness himself had entered the inner part of the place by the slide door through which the public pass their parcels. Accused had opened the door of another apartment and looked in. On seeing witness ho had returned to the room from which lie had emerged, had shut the dour, and a sound of crashing glass had immediately followed. On hurrying forward witness was met by accused, who said. "What for? To out of this!" Witness had replied. “No fear," and indicated that lie was raiding the premises for opium. On entering the room in question witness had found two other Cliine.se named Yep .Alan and A'oiing Wall. There were broken glasses on the floor, and they were hot. There were also a slush-lamp and an opium pipe, both Hot. and a knife smelling of opium, A tin containing a small quantity of what appeared to lie opium, a pipe-scraper, and another knife were later found. There were opium Quines in tlie air. On being asked who was smoking, accused replied "Nobody." Boih tho other Chinese had denied smoking.— To Mr Armstead Sergeant Bingham said (hat lie thought tlie contents of the pipe and fin contained opium, as they smell very strongly of it. Mr Armstead staled that there was nothing incriminating in the articles seized by the police. The contents of tlio tin was not opium at till, anti accused had not been smoking the pipe. Accused had been trying for months to break himself off the opium-smoking habit and tho method lie had adopted was to run Hot water through his old pipe and drink the mixture. Accused had not smoked for months. There was no Chinese lint that did not contain an opium pipe, and one could find as mueh or more of the paraphernalia of the opium smoker in any Chinese habitation as had been discovered in this case.— Accused gave evidence that the contents of tho tin seized consisted of a preparation for the cure of asthma by the inhalation of its fumes. U had been made up by the U.F.S. Dispensary. At tliis stage proceedings wore adjourned till 10 a.m. to-day. ALLEGED ASSAULT. Charges of having used threatening language and of assault were preferred against William John Cockbnrn anti Louis Fosbendcr. Air 11. AI. .Macdonald appeared on behalf of the informant (Arthur Desehler) and Air Eustace Russell for defendant. An adjournment, for one week was applied for and granted.