MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16038, 24 January 1918, Page 3

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

THIS MORNING’S SITTING. The usual sitting of the New Phf- , tnouth Magistrate’s Court was held this morning, Mr. A. Crooks, S.M., presiding. CHARGE OF FALSE PRETENCES. Angus Cameron Garner, for whom Mr. F E. Wilson appeared, pleaded guilty to a charge of obtaining £3, the property of some person unknown,. on January 5, 1918, by a .false pretence, namely, hy the insertion of a certain , advertisement in the Taranaki Herald on December 27, 1917. Mr. Wilson said the facts, as the young man instructed him, were that on Christmas Eve he lost a small sum of money in the town. The same night another sum, the £3 in question was picked up in a shop by a girl who was in the company of her mother and accused’s mother. Accused advertised for his missing money and got no response. Hearing at home that the girl had picked up £3 and as he was sorely in need of his money he thought of getting this and again advertised in the Herald and the £3 was paid in at the , office. Having obtained the money, however, he did not like to make use of it and it was refunded to the police that morning. Accused was 18. years of age, belonging to thoroughly respectable parents, and was working on the morning run for the News. , Sub-Inspector Hutton sard that the li o v told a number of falsehoods to his mother. Also at the Herald Offioe he said lie was advertising on hehalf of Mr. James Lobb, who had lost the money aud: who owed him some money. He made other statements utterly false and eventually the matter was put in the hands of the police. . Garner elected to be dealt with by the Magistrate. His Worship said there was too muen of this pilfering and dishonest conduct i .prevalent. However he took into account that accused was a young fellow t in his teens, that this was his first or•fenco, that ho came of respectable parents and that the money had been refunded. Accused was convicted and ordered to come ap for sentence if calledl upon within six months. - -FACTORIES AND SHOPS ACTS. W. R. T'.dghton, cabinet-maker, was prosecuted hy Mr. W- J. Wakelfn inspoctor of factories, on a charge or rauin<r on December 20 to allow a boy undot* 18 vears in his en>nloy to have a half-holiday as pronded by the Fa^tones Act, IMS. Defendant pleaded gU Mr y ’ A. H. Johnstone who appeared on his behalf explained that fhe hoy had had time off in the previous week and came hack for part of this afternoon as tlxey'were very busy. The inspector said the law was very strict that an employee should have his half-day each week. A fine of 5s was imposed wntli is costs. On hehalf of Janies Corrigall. sta< tioner. Mr. F. E. Wilson entered <, • plea of guilty to a charge of employing, an assistant on December 20, the statutory half-holi,day. . A fine of 5s (costs 7s) was imposed*In answer to a charge of keeping his shop open after 1 o’clock on Thursday. January 3, C. W. Waldock pleaded guilty, but explained that he did so under a misapprehension, thinking as he closed for part of. the Wednesday that he could, under the Act. keep open on the Thursday.—A fine of 10s (costs 7s) was imposed. REGISTRATION OF MOTOR-CYCLES , . The borough inspector prosecuted Stephen Chitanovitch for a breach of the Motor Kecpilations Act, 1908, hy failing to notify the change of ownership of a motor-cyclo. Mr. Day explained that cycles frequent ly changed' ownership and were not re-rcgifitcred. Consequently, when an accident or breach of by-law occurred, the number did not give them the owner. This -vase was brought as a warning to other motorists. The fine was 5s (costs 9s). ( COUNTY BY-LAW CASES. On the information of the County Council inspector (Mr. 0. D. Grant) fines were imposed aq follows: Walto, Rudkin (allowing horse to stray oi Tajik! Road) Ss (costs £1 8s); Leslie Payne (straying horse on Mouuta.iT Jloadl.Ss icosts £J. Ssi, ;