ELTHAM NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 September 1924, Page 7

ELTHAM NEWS.

MAGISTRATE’S COURT. THEFT OF A BICYCLE, (From Our Own Correspondent.) Eltham, Sept. 16. The Magistrate’s Court sat in Eltham to-day, Mr. A. M. Mowlem, S.M., presiding. Robert S. Death pleaded guilty to stealing a bicycle from a stable at Elrham, the property of A, L. Wetheriby, a factory hand at Mangatoki. Constable Townsend outlined the circumstances of the -theft, and further mentioned that about £2 worth of damage had 'been done to the bicycle through it having been left out in the rain. The defendant had agreed to make good. The magistrate, in admitting defendant to probation, said he was well aware that magistrates in other parts of. the country were sending men, guilty of similar offences, to gaol without the option. If the practice of bicycle stealing became common in his district ho also would not hesitate to impose imprisonment. Accused was admitted to probation for twelve months. He was ordered to pay £2 damages and to return the bicycle to its owner. LAND AND INCOME TAX.

“I just neglected the matter,” said Michael McMahon, a farmer of Lowgart/h, in admitting a charge of failing to make returns of land and. income for taxation purposes. Mr. J. Sheat, prosecuting, said the case was brought in view of the opinion generally held that the Taxation Department did not look seriously upon such offences when no tax would be payable, even if the returns had been forwarded. There were thousands of such cases in New Zealand at the present time, continued Mr. Sheat, and the department was often put to the trouble and expense of making default assessments. In the present case there was no suggestion that defendant had tried to avoid payment of due taxes. In fining McMahon £2, costs £1 Bs, the magistrate said the department was taking steps against all cases of a similar nature. The question of whether the land was taxable or not, or the length of occupation, did not enter* into the matter at all. If a man owned land to the value of £5OO or over he was liable to send in returns each successive year for purposes of taxation. BY-LAW BREACHES. “With pleasure, I plead guilty,” wrote a native, Taki Williams, to the court when charged with owning and riding a motor-cycle without having registration numbers affixed. Williams was fined 10s, costs 7s. For riding a (bicycle without a light at Kaponga, Hugh Wilson was fined 10s, costs 7s. CIVIL CASES. Judgment for plaintiff bv default was given in the following undefended civil cases: Taranaki Power Board v. Joseph Dombroski, £2 16s lOd (costs £1 8s 6d); same v. Fred H. Barnett, costs only 17s; same v. Robert Buckley, £1 9s 5d (8s): same v. George R. Buchanan, £1 3s ]od (9s); same v. Thomas Henry Gooch, £2 (£1 12s 6d); same v. Margaret Boyd, costs only 13s; same v. James Kent Silby. £2 13s lOd (£1 5s (kl); same v. James McDonald. £2 (£1 3s 6d); same v. H. McKay, £1 Os lOd (14s); same v. Fergus Ferguson, costs only 10s; same v. Henry Zimmerman, £1 7s 3d (£1 6s); same v. George Sleeman, £2 17s Id (£1 9s (kl); same v. John Wallis, £0» 19r 2d ( £1 10s fid); same v. Samuel A. Paynter and Sydney Paynter, £3 2s 3d (£1 8s 6d); Hallenstein Bros. v. Gordon McLean, £lB Is Id (£2 14s); J. Taylor v. Gordon Lett, 3s (8s).