TO-DAY'S COURTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12067, 24 July 1917, Page 6

TO-DAY'S COURTS.

POLICE BUSINESS. (Before ]\!r T. A. B. Bailey, S.M.) DRUNK ENNESS. Three Hr.st offenders for drunkenness were each lined os. Another was con-' victed find discharged. AX INCORRIGIBLE ROGUE. jSlnr_v Harding, a respectable-looking woman, pleaded guilty to a charge that she iva.-! an incorrigible rogue, in that she had escaped from legal custody. Tho police stated that she. was serving a sentence of two years' imprisonment imposed by the Supreme Court and five years' reformative treatment. She had climbed over a fence at Addington gaol yesterday afternoon, and had been arrested in the town 111 the evening. The accused said that she considered her sentence! was too hard, and wanted it reduced.

The Magistrate, in sentencing her to , c ix months' imprisonment, said that she would not improve her case by breaking gaol. She should appeal to the Prisons Board. A STRANGE CHARGE.

On the complaint of Elizabeth Annie Beckett, Doris Helen M'Cullough, a young woman, was charged with tho theft of a butter-dish, valued at os, and clothing v;-.'ued at 30s. Mr Hunt, who appeared for the accused, entered a plea of not guilty. He said that the young woman had prosecuted her husband recently for maintenance, and both husband and wife on oath had sworn that the home) was broken up by the mother-in-law, the complainant. The accused had been in service in Nelson, but her mother had induced her to come home. Thit girl had left, taking some of her own things, and the mother had had her arrested in the middle of the nigh'U "We will hear the evidence, - ' said the Magistrate. "' It is not our ease at all," said tho police. "The girl is arrested on warrant. We know nothing about it." The mother, on oath, said that her daughter had broken a hamper open and evidently taken away some articles, but sin-, could not trace them.

'" How do you know she took* them?" asked the Magistrate.

"There has been no one else in tho house, - ' said the mother. Mr Hunt remarked that the mother was not responsible for what she said or wrote.

The accused, whom the police said had been arrested in Lichfield Street at lO.'io on the previous evening, said that "she had stolen nothing, but had merely taken some of her own nightdresses, which were locked up by her mother. She intended to get a position.

" What is the caMsr- of the trouhilo between you and your mother?'' said the Magistrate. '•' She is jealous of me.'' said tho accused. "' She wants me to go to Aulsehrook's and work with her, but 1 won't."

"The old ladv is jealous of the husband.' - said Mr Hunt, "because ho did not marry her."

After further questions, and a conference between tlio Magistrate and ■> Salvation Army offieer, tho Magistrate held the case over for a week, committint: the accused meanwhile to the Salvation Arniv Home. MAIXTEXAXCE. Tn the case of Lucy Cheeseman v. Edwin Thomas Choesoman, a provisional maintenance order was made for £1 10s a week, subject to review. LYTTELTOX. Captain Hntchwell. J.P.. and Mr "W. C. Cleary, J.V., presided at tho Lyttelton Magistrates' Court this morning. DRUNKENNESS. Knur Olson, a second offender, for drunkenness, was lined 10s. THEFT. Montague Henry Yates, seventeen years of age, was charged, that>on July 4, at Rakaia, he did sbt al a rug and coat valued at €-, the property of Patrick M Carthy. Ho was convicted and sen'toiiced to one month's imprisonment. IS ANCHOR A CASES. Mr \V. Wilson. S.M., and Mr W. G. "Whiteside, ,1.1'., were on the Bench at the llangiora Court to-day. W. Trotter was fined 20s and costs for allowing a horse to be at large. M. 11. - Maindonald, for a breach of the kowhai County Council*!-; heavy traffic by-law in conveying a traction engine load along a country road without, a permit, was convicted and ordered to pay costs. '.John Mills, on a similar charge, was fined 10s and costs. Reid and Gray claimed from V. J. Home £l9 "s (id for a plough supplied; judgment for amount and costs. Home made a counter-claim against the firm for £lo lor damages in consequence, as it was alleged, of the plough not doing it,-; work .satisfactorily. Judgment was given for £3 for alterations made, and £5 damages and costs for time lost in working the plough.