MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Southland Times, Issue 18937, 10 May 1923, Page 6

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

YESTERDAY’S PROCEEDINGS A sitting of the Magistrate’s Court was held yesterday morning before Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M. John Christopher Collins, on a charge in connection with the injury to Geoffrey Blanks at Branxhblme on April 28, was further remanded till May 10. Albert John Gribble pleaded guilty to a charge of procuring liquor during the currency of a prohibition order. Senior-Ser-geant Scandrett said a prohibition order had been issued against the accused, but the same day he procured liquor and got drunk. Defendant, who had four or five convictions within the last week or two, had been given a month at the Borstal Institute by the presiding Justice on the drunkenness charge, but the charge in connection with the prohibition order had to be dealt with before a Magistrate. The defandant was convicted and discharged. SITTING AT BLUFF. At the Bluff Police Court yesterday before Mr S. Nichol, J.P., and Mr R. A. Cruickshank, J.P., Frederick George Taylor, of the Joan Craig, was charged with being a rogue and vagabond in that he was found without reasonable excuse on the private property of a Bluff resident at about 11.30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 8. A female member of the household noticed accused standing outside her bedroom window and informed her brother and a friend who were spending the evening at the home. When approached, the accused fled, but after a stiff run, during which he negotiated a picket fence, he was captured and detained until the arrival of Constable Cooper. The accused pleaded that he had had liquor and, in order to work off the effects of it, he went for a long walk which brought him to the vicinity of the house. He walked round the house and, noticing a light, he paused and looked into the room. He did not know that it was a bedroom and anything that he had done during, the evening in question was innocent of any evil intent.

Captain Thirlaway, Master of the Joan Craig, testified to the accused’s previous good character and his capabilities as a seaman. He stated that it came as a great surprise to him to learn that Taylor had been arrested on such a charge. On only one previous occasion had he known him to be under the influence of liquor, and he would be very sorry to lose him through such an escapade. The Bench admonished the accused and stated that in consideration of the circumstances and the Captain’s good report they would take a lenient view of the case and impose a conviction, with a fine -of 10/-.