MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Southland Times, Issue 19170, 14 February 1924, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

YESTERDAY’S BUSINESS. A LENGTHY LIST. The sitting of the Magistrate's Court yesterday was presided over by Mr Geo. Cruickshank, S.M. EXEMPTION FROM CAMP. Application was made by George E. Laffey and A. Small for exemption from attendance at the military camp at Winton. Both applications opposed by the Department. His Worship after hearing the reasons put forward by each applicant, which were substantially that the work of their employers would be materially affected if they attended camp, stated that every employer was well aware of his responsibilities in regard to the Defence Act and should arrange to relieve their employees for military purposes. Under the circumstances he could not grant an exemption in either case and if any hardship was inflicted on the firms concerned they Would have to carry on as best they could for the short period while their employees were attending camp. A similar application by Oswald Lister which was not opposed by the Department on account of the fact that he was the sole representative of his firm in Southland and also because some personal hardship would be imposed on applicant, who, unlike the other applicants was a regular attendant at parades and was willing to make up the deficiency. The application was accordingly granted. CHARGE OF ASSAULT. Thomas O’Halloran for assaulting Arthur Diack on the night of December 31 last was fined £3 and witness expenses Ils 4d. ILKTREATMENT OF FOWLS. David Hillas, for cruelly ill-treating 28 young fowls by confining them inside a small case while transporting them from Thornbury to the auction rooms in Invercargill was convicted and fined £3 and costs 9s.

PASSING VALUELESS CHEQUES. John Ronald Stevens, a young man who is at present serving a sentence of two years’ reformative treatment for passing valueless cheques appeared to answer four charges of obtaining sums of money totalling £6 10s from William A. Prince by falsely representing that he had a banking account at Kurow, was convicted and discharged, the offences really having been part of the series for which he was already undergoing detention. BREACHES OF TRAFFIC BY-LAW. Alfred Tapper, for riding a motor cycle along Dee street at a dangerous speed was fined 45s and costs 2s. For negligently driving a motor car on the main road between Thornbury and Waimutuku, William Dixon was fined £lO and costs. A. E. J. Timpany for driving a motor car across the intersection of Dee and Eek streets on the wrong side of the roadway was fined £1 and costs 7s. Peter Alex. McDonald for permitting a motor car to remain in Layard street without lights was convicted and fined 20s and costs. Stanley Hodgson for driving a motor car in a negligent manner in Dee street and also with having failed to remain to give particulars of an accident as required by the Motor Regulations was convicted and fined 10s and costs £2 3s on the first charge and convicted and discharged on the second. M. J. Kilkelly who pleaded guilty to a charge of having driven a motor car in a negligent manner in Conon street was convicted and fined £4 and costs. William Henry Irons on charges of cycling on a footpath and with having done so without a light was convicted and fined 10s. A companion named David Birch, who has since the night in question left the district and whose whereabouts is not known was convicted and discharged. A charge of driving a motor car past a stationary tram car in the Post Office Square was preferred against John Bryan. After hearing the evidence for the prosecution His Worship' said that he would* give a Written decision regarding the case because there was apparently some misconception as to the effect of the by-laws involved.

A collision on the North Road on the second day of the recent A. and P. Show between a motor car driven by Geo. Carmichael of Thornbury and a butcher’s cart driven by lan Alister McKay, employed by J. L. Hannon and Company, led to both drivers being charged with negligent driving. After hearing the evidence His Worship said that the responsibility for the collision appeared to rest with Carmichael who would be convicted and fined with costs 7s, while the information against McKay would be dismissed. MINOR CASES. Caroline Ballantync for allowing a chimney in her residence in Leet street to catch on fire was fined 10s. Peter Duff Ross for being in possession of two unregistered fire arms was convicted and discharged. John Grant for failing to take steps to register his apiary as required by the regulations was convicted and fined 10s.