POLICE COURT

Southland Times, Issue 21835, 12 October 1932, Page 4

POLICE COURT

SITTING AT GORE. At a sitting of the Gore Police Court, yesterday morning, Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M., presided. Motorists Fined. Gordon Campbell (Mr Bannerman) pleaded guilty to haying attached borrowed number plate's to a motor vehicle. Mr Bannerman said that the defendant and a lad named Mackie had received the loan of an unregistered car and ha<j borrowed number plates to go to Wyndham. Campbell was ignorant of the law and did not know that he was committing an offence. Alexander Mackie pleaded guilty, to a similar charge, each of the : defendants being convicted and fined 20/- with costs 10/-. David Jacobs, who supplied the number plates to Campbell and Mackie, was also convicted and fined 20/-, with costs 10/-.

A. W. Gutschlag, who pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to take out a heavy traffic licence in respect of a motor truck, was convicted and fined 40/-, with costs 12/-. Thomas McKay, charged with operating a motor lorry carrying a greater load than the maximum load it was licensed to carry, was convicted and fined 20/-, with costs 10/-. On a further charge of failing to have his name and the weight of his truck plainly shown on the vehicle, he was convicted and ordered to pay costs 10/-. For cycling without a light Gordon A. Ashton was convicted and fined 5/—, with costs 10/-. ■ Wandering Cattle. For allowing cattle to wander in Devon street, Noel Green was convicted and fined 15/-, with costs 12/-. Maintenance. Charged with being £3 5/- in arrears in respect of a maintenance order, Joseph Thomas .McAuliffe, was convicted and sentenced to four days’ imprisonment at Invercargill, to be released upon the payment of 15/-. Alleged Negligent Driving. As a result of the motor accident which occurred near Otamita c September 7, John R. Keown, of Cattle Flat, Balfour, was charged with negligent driving, thereby causing the death of Matilda Keown. Mr D. L. Poppelwell, appeared for the accused and in applying for a remand said the circumstances were somewhat unusual in that the person killed as the result of the collision was the wife of the accused. Already the accused had suffered to a far greater extent than he would by any punishment which the Court might inflict upon him, and under the circumstances it appeared to be a case which could be more effectively dealt with by the Lower Court than by a jury. He desired to suggest therefore that as the charge in its present form was not one which could finally be dealt with by the Lower Court, the police might take steps to modify the charge and bring it under section 28 which, in the event of a conviction following, would allow of adequate punishment. In order that the matter could be considered by the police, the accused was prepared to meet any expenses incurred by the adjournment. Sergeant Fryer did not oppose the application and the accused was remanded until the next sitting of the Court. Assault Charge. William Harrison Woodward, who pleaded guilty at the last sitting of the Court to a charge of aioaulting a married woman at Edendale on September 25 and who was remanded for medical supervision appeared for sentence. In asking that the accused he admitted to probation, Mr F. G. O'Beime said that prior to the present offence Woodward had borne a good chaiacter. This was shown by testimonials which he had received from those by i horn he had been employed. Woodward had admitted the offence which had been committed under the influence of liquor. He egretted what he had done and was prepared to comply to any terms which his admission to probation might incur. He was also willing to make good any damage caused by his act. The Magistrate said that the offence had been a serious one and from the actions of the accused a much .lore serious view might have been taken of the matter. However he had been kept in custody for 14 days and this might have had the effect of making him realize his position. Woodward was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon within two years and to pay £2 17/6 costs.