MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 43, 27 March 1914, Page 5

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.) The following, judgments by default were entered for plaintiffs yesterday:— Bell Bros. v. Thomas Johnston, £3 5/-; Waimairi County Council v. Arthur Bailey, £l3 ,12/7; skme v. Francis Caverhill, £4 3/11; same v»" Emily G. Abraham, £1 5/-; same v. Edwin S. Barnett, £4 4/9; John Hall and Co., Ltd., v. Charles Taylor, £2 8/5; John Edmond Congreve v. R. T. Buchanan, £1 3/-; William I. Salkeld v. F. P. Moorhouse, 12/4; Bowron Bros., Ltd. v, Mrs" T. J. Sopp, £l2 15/1; same v. A. Williamson £7 ,5/11; International Harvester Co. v. William Rasleigh, £5 12/6; L.' J. Blake v. William Hamilton Shaw,. £3" 18/-; Pritchard, Jones, and Maitland v. "J. Eckhoff, £2l 7/-; Strange and Co. v. Louis Mills, £6 12/10; Canterbury Drivers' Union v. A. Genet, £1 11/-; same v. John Douglas," £1 16/-; same v. Joseph Brown, £1 11/6; same v. W. James, £2 3/-; same v. ID. Crew, 15/9.

(Before Messrs E. R. Good and H. Boyd, J.P.'s.

James Burns was fined 20/-, or seven days' imprisonment, for using obscene language. (Before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M.) VALUELESS CHEQUES. William Henry Edwards was charged with obtaining from Thomas Henry Cahill sums amounting to £9 by means of valueless cheques presented on March 16 and 17. He pleaded guilty to each charge. Detective-Sergeant Cox explained that accused had represented himself to Cahill as a farmer, and Cahill had cashed his cheques for him. Unfortunately for accused, he had a record, and he was sentenced to three mouths' imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to be cumulative. CHARGE OF THEFt.

James Edward Rundle, charged with theft of £lls 3/- from Barlow Bros., was further remanded until this day week, .bail,,being allowed as before in one surety of £IOO.

INDECENT PUBLICATION. The (Bases of Charles Macarthy and Mary Knox, charged with selling an indecent book, "Tie Adventures of John Johns," were called again. Mr Cassidy, appearing for defendants, said that the point he had raised at last hearing with regard to the informality of the instructions to prosecute, had been upheld. The police therefore withdrew both charges, but Detective Cox explained that two new ones had been brought, and would come up for hearing in a week. The authority of the Attorney-General had now been obtained regularly, and proceedings were quite in order.

DRUNKS. Walter Begg Cummock was fined 10/for drunkenness. John Mitehell, charged with being drunk and- an idle and disorderly person, was remanded for a week to allow him to get counsel. George Brown, charged with being helplessly drunk, was. also remanded for a week, for medical examination. Joseph Pearson was charged with breaking his prohibition order, and was fined 10/-. He was convicted and discharged for drunkenness.

MAINTENANCE. , Horatio Wood (Mr Johnson) applied for permission to leave New Zealand without making surety for the support of his five children. He wished to go to New South Wales, and when there would pay the £1 per week for their maintenance. It was the surety He 1 wished to. avoid. Mr Bailey reduced the order to 10/- per week, and ordered that Wood should -report himself fort-, nightly, to the New South Wales police. He would also have to enter into a bond of £IOO before he left. The arrears were suspended for twelve months to enable Wood to make a fresh start in Australia.

Alfred Edward Morgan was charged with breaking the conditions of a niaintenance order and with attempting to leave New Zealand without making provision for his mother. He pleaded guilty to the first charge, but denied the second. He said that he never intended to leave New Zealand at all, but only ' 1 bluffed'' to throw his mother off the scent. -He was ordered to find surety of £25 that he would not leave the Dominion. "I can't get it,V said the accused. "Then you'll have to stay in gaol till you do,'' responded the magistrate shortly.

• DEFENCE CASES. For failing to render personal service the following Territorials were dealt with:—Arthur William Lockwood, fined 7/- on each of six charges; George Cheviot • Osborne, 10/- and costs; Thomas A. Rolton, £3 and costs on one charge, and convicted and discharged on six similar charges; Edward C. Tozer, £5 and costs, deprived of civil rights for three years on one charge, and convicted and discharged on six similar charges; Alexander Noel Whitcoijibe, 5/- and costs, and convicted and discharged on a second charge; Douglas J. Whitcombe, 10/- and costs; Bernard Edward Keeper and Wm. Redmayne were convicted and discharged. BROKEN BY-LAWS. . For leaving a vehicle -unattended in Lichfield Street, to the obstruction of the traffic, Charles Edward Radcliffe was fined-5/- without costs. On a similar charge, Samuel Hocking was fined a similar amount. For having identification mark not easily guishable, a motorist named John M 'Cullouglr was fined 5/- and costs. TRUANCY. C. Keate was fined 2/- and costs on each of two charges of failing to send a child to school. . (Before Messrs T. Wallace and John Clarke, J.P's.) FORGERY AND UTTERING. Ernest Edward Needham, alias Peter M'Cracken, was charged that on March 5, 1914, at Christchurch, he forged a cheque on the Bank of New Zealand, Rangiora, purporting to. be signed by one Peter M 'Cracken,. and uttered the same, to Thomas Henry Watts.

Detective-Sergeant Cox prosecuted. Thomas William Watts, son of the licensee of the Empire Hotel, and manager of that house for his father, said that the accused presented a cheque at his office. There was an alteration in the body of the cheque, and witness pointed out that it was not initialled. The accused said he was "Peter M'Cracken," and initialled it. Witness then cashed the cheque, handing over four sovereigns and 16/- in

silver. The cheque was subsequently returned, marked, "no account." - v Peter M'Crkckeri, sheep farmer, v Bangiora, said he had no account at the Bank of New Zealand at Bangiora. It was not his signature on the\eheque. } : Accused pleaded, guilty, ani was committed to the Supreme Gouri for sen--tence. • : - i

AWAED* CASES. (Before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.)

Don Bowen was charged with failing to pay wages weekly, and was fined £5. T. Henshall was" fined £3 on each of four similar charges. Herbert Gibbs was charged with failing to keep a: proper wages and overtime book. He was fined 5/- for this offence, and 5/* for failing to pay the award rate of wages to an employee. F. A. Cook was, fined 5/- for failing to notify the employment of a non-unionist. .