MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144050, 20 March 1913, Page 7

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

TO-DAY’S SITTING. In the Magistrate’s Court to-day, before Mr. it. Page, S.M., the Inspector of Machinery U'lrM. 0. W. 11. Suisted) charged Thomas Bransgrove, J. C. Smith and William Tweedle with having failed to take out a certificate for a 60 .horse-power suction gas engine, used by them at the ironsand works at Moturoa.

The inspector said that defendants had not complied with the provisions of the Act in making use of the machinery without a ccrtmcate. Tile department had no wish to press the charge, but asked for a nominal jienalty. T'Ue Parapara Company, of Christchurch, had, lie said, leased tire machinery to a local syndicate, who wore, however, responsible, they nor being m the position of employees of the company. The defendants, said the inspector, were under the impression that they had no liability in the matter.

Smith said they had worked the plant for one month, and had no idea that they were obliged to take out a certificate, but were willing to do so.

His Worship adjourned the matter to the next sitting of the court, stating that it in the meantime defendants rook out a certificate they would then bo Convicted and discharged. The Borough Inspector (Mr. B. Pippins) charged Michael Jones with having driven horses without their being tied together. Michael Jones explained that the horses had been tied together, , but some of them had broken loose. Had the inspector obtained the facts of the case from him mere would have been no information laid.

Inspector Pippins said that he had to say something diiferent to Jones. On February 28 he was on the Avenue Road. He found a horse there and brought it towards town with him. About a mile from where ho found tho first horse he found two others, and when ho got near town he was met by tho man who had had charge of them. He told this mail that Jones could have tho horses out of pound on payment of pound fees. He saw Jones later, but ,he refused to pay anything, hence the ’information.

His Worship fined defendant 20s and costs'7s, ordering that the expenses of a witness (7s) should be deducted from the tine.

The inspector charged Helen Eva with having driven a vehicle without lights a little past seven o'clock on February 23. Defendant, who made no appearance, was fined 10s and costs 7s. Harold Abbott was charged with having ridden his bicycle without a light. He pleaded guilty and was convicted and lined 5s and costs 7s.

Ernest Johnson, who made no appearance, was brought up on a similar charge, and was, on the evidence of the inspector, fined 15s and_ costs 7s. The inspector of Dairies (Mr. J. Johnston) D. K. Cooper with seling milk from other than a registered dairy. This was, ho said, the first case of tlie kind to come before the local court for five years. Defendant made no appearance and was, on the evidence of the inspector, fined £3 and costs 7s. The Inspector of Noxious Weeds (Mr. R. E. F. Cholmeley) charged Louisa Crozier with having failed to clear her land of noxious weeds. The inspector said that defendant had done a good deal of work in clearing blackberry, but had neglected to clear the ragwort, and he had ordered her to see to this at once, as -it was nearly ready to seed. This was not done,'hence the prosecution. -Mrs. Crozier said that the weed had been cleared off now.' His Worship fined defendant 20s and Tlie inspector charged Robert Roebuck with having failed to clear his farm of blackberries. He stated that the farm was the only one which had many weeds on it in the district where his land lay and in these circumstances he would ask for a severe penalty, as it was a very different thing allowing blackberry to grow in a clean district to what it was in one infested with the pest. Roebuck said that he had a largo number of horses to look after, so could not do the work himself, and found it difficult to hire labour to got it done. His Worship convicted defendant and fined him £3 and costs 7s. The inspector charged Joseph West, who pleaded not guilty, witn haring failed to .destroy weeds on his property. The weeds, he said, had seeded and blown.

Joseph West said that he had not received any notice in February. The only notice he had received was on March 3 giving him one day to clear the ragwort. He went up and cut the weed at once, and any that wore left must have been very small. It had cost him £l2O already to clear tho weeds. Had he been able to procure labour he would have had the weeds cut.

His Worship convicted him and fined him £2 and costs 7s-

The stock inspector (Mr. H. Munro) charged H. M. Rae with haying attempted to sell sheep affected with lice. Defendant made no appearance and was, on the evidence of the inspector, fined £2 and costs 7s. D. S. Hobbs was charged with a similar offence, and was fined £2 and costs 7s. The inspector said that warning was given by the auctioneers, 'at his request, against farmers bringing infected stock to tho yards for sale, and that the department would prosecute in such cases. It was very difficult, he said, to obtain evidence of breaches of the regulations. POLICE CASE. Henry Francis Smith was charged with having broken his probationary license in that, he had since March 15 resided in a place other than one sanctioned bv the probation officer. Accused pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment.