MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 561, 26 November 1915, Page 11

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

TO-DAY'S CASES. Messrs W. Barrett and E. O. Duncan, J.P 's, presided over a sitting of the j Magistrate J s Court this morning. I DRUNKENNESS. : j One male first offender and ptte female first offender were each fined 5/-, with the usual alternative, for being found drunk in Colombo Street and Fitzgerald Avenue respectively. Another male first offender, charged with being found helplessly drunk in Manchester Street, was convicted and discharged. The. Senior-Sergeant said he had been under treatment for a week. Annie Fraser pleaded guilty to a fourth offence of drunkenness. Senior-Sergeant Mathieson: She has got a very bad record.; • Accused; I am going to Dunedin, your Worship." ~ Senior-Sergeant Mathieson: She gives that excuse every time. ■ The accused was convicted' and ordered toy come up for sentence when called upon, : provided that she left for Dunedin at 12 o'clock. BY-LAW BREACHES. -; For cycling on. the footpath "the following fines .w,ere imposed:. —Logan Burgess, 7/-. .and costs; Frederick Dickie, 7/- and costs; Leslie Hamilton, 7/- and easts; Geoffrey Jaflaes Hpllis, 7/- and costs; John Kirk, 7/- and costs; James Mankwell McEweri, 5/- and costs; Edward James c Painter,. 7/- ■;■ and costs. . The following' fines were imposed for cycling at night without lights:—Ernest Cordery, 5/ and costs;" James O'Connor, 10/- and costs; Frederick Dickie^7/and costs'. A charge against Joseph Bedford was dismissed. TOO FAST. W. B. Cowlishaw (Mr Cassidy) was charged with driving a motor car at an excessive speed over the intersection of Oxford Terrace and Montreal Street. Mr Cassidy said that the offence was "admitted, but he submitted that the bylaw was very inconsistent and repugnant. The council had. a by-law in j force whieh stated that no hired vehicle [was. to traverse the city at • a less average speed than 12 miles an hour, but. a [new by-law enforced the rule that~y«*-. hieles must not pass the intersection at a speed of more than six miles an hour. It was impossible to comply with both by-laws. It would require an exceptionally skilled mathematician to.do this, and he considered the whole matter was ridiculous. The Bench: He will be fined 20/- and costs. Mr Cassidy:. Isn't that rather harsh? The Bench: The penalties are likely to be increased. v ~ «:■'■••■'' OTHER CASES. For similar offences the following fines were •. imposed:—Ernest Adcock, 20/- and costs; John Cleveland Benge, 20/- and costs; Arthur R. Fear, 20/- and costs; George Scott, 20/- and costs; Jas. S. Mander, 20/- and costs. George Frith appeared on two charges. He was fined 20/- and costs on one charge, and ordered to pay costs on the otheri Joseph W. McClintock, James W. Mcintosh, Ernest W. Oldridge, Ernest Rowe, William Sanders Dominic Ballantyne Grant, and Bernard B. Wood were also fined 20/- and costs for driving at excessive speed. WANDERING HORSE. L. R. Wilson pleaded guilty to a charge of allowing a horse to wander at i large at Bromley. He was fined 5/!and costs. j (Before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.) " Donald Ailwyn Stiles, of Akaroa, was [charged on seven informations with intent to defraud by obtaining from EdIward John Massey, of Christehurch, various sums of money totalling £37 18/-, by valueless cheques. The offences were alleged to have been committed ! between November 6 and November 13. Mr M. Donnelly appeared for the accused. Chief-Detective Herbert applied for a remand till Wednesday. This was granted, bail being allowed —self in £IOO and one surety of £IOO. MAINTENANCE. .; _. ' George Mason was charged with failing to provide for the maintenance of his wife. The wife applied for; -a maintenance 1 'and separation order; ' Mr ; Mosley appeared for the complainant. Mr Mosley. said that Mason had been a night porter in the Dominion. Hotely and had teen earning 30/-. a week with his keep. The last three weeks he had given nothing to his wife, and had threatened to desert her. His wife had one child, and it Was consumptive. They had been married for 24 years, and had lived happily until a few months ago. ; Mr Bishop: I will make an order for 25/-. a week, and will grant a separation order, the defendant to find security in the sum of £IOO. A man who, deserts his wife and treats her in this fashion is entitled to no consideration. :