MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 64, Issue 4529, 28 January 1942, Page 5

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

TE AWAMUTU SITTING POLICE AND MOTOR CASE A sitting of the Magistrate’s Court was held in Te Awamutu on Monday, when Messrs G. A. Empson and L. G. Armstrong were the presiding Justices of the Peace. A first offender for drunkenness was convicted and fined the amount of his bail, 10s. RESISTING THE POLICE A Maori, Thomas Tepaea, charged with drunkenness and resisting the Police, admitted tile offences. Sergeant S. G. Clist stated that on Saturday Constable Findlater saw two Maoris lying on the footpath in Arawata Street. He arrested both, and was taking them to the Police Station when accused broke away. The Constable let the other man go, caught Tepaea and threw him. He then got him on his feet again, but he still resisted arrest. Mr Barham, an officer of the Waikeria Reformatory, went to the Constable’s assistance. The officer then took charge of one Maori and the Constable the other. The Bench convicted and discharged accused on the charge of drunkenness, and for resisting the Police he was convicted and fined £2. The Bench stated that they regarded resisting the Police in the execution of their duty as a serious offence. They were letting accused off lightly on this' occasion, but future cases would be more seriously dealt withNO BICYCLE LIGHTS Harold Raymond Cossill, charged with having no light on his bicycle, was fined 10s and costs (12s). The Sergeant stated that this class of offence was very prevalent in Te Awamutu, and from this on such offenders would receive more attention from the Police on account of the increased dangers such a practice presented during the black-out. The Bench stated that they would impose a small fine on this occasion, but should there be any similar charges in the future they would be more severely dealt with. SEQUEL TO COLLISION Alan Shirtcliffe was charged with driving a motor vehicle without being the holder of a license. The Sergeant stated that on the day in question there had been a collision at the intersection of Arawata Street and Mahoe Street, and it was then ascertained that defandant was not the holder of a driver’s license. The Bench stated that on account of defendant’s youth it had been decided not to inflict a heavy penalty, which would be 5s and’ss costs. Rose Ellen Merrin was charged with failing to possess a warrant of fitness for a motor vehicle. The Sergeant explained that defendant was the driver of the other vehicle involved in the collision, and it was then ascertained that she had no warrant of fitness. The Bench imposed a fine of 5s and costs (12s).