TO-DAY'S COURTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12068, 25 July 1917, Page 6

TO-DAY'S COURTS.

POLICE BUSINESS. (Before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. Two men, first, offenders, were each fined ss. FAILING TO NOTIFY CHANGE OF ADDRESS. Edward Murphy, a young married man, pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to notify tho authorities of a chango of address, stating that lie had intended to go hack to his old address at 140, Durham Stroet K Sydenham. A fine of 20s was imposed. FALSE PRETENCES. Benjamin Bronkhurst, a young man, pleaded guilty to three charges of false pretences, namely, that he had obtained a. watcli valued at I.'.'} J6s from Lewis and Anderson by falsely representing that it was for a presentation to an employee of Chandler and Co. ; that he had obtained from A. E. Young a ring valued at £ll, and two other rings valued at £IU 10s, by representing that they were for a man from tho Bays, who was about to be married, and bad placed an order with Strange! and Co. for furniture. A further ebargo of obtaining £27 v.as withdrawn. Chief-Detective Herbert said that immediately on getting the goods the accused had pawned I hem, getting £8 in all for the rings. He had been convicted in Fketahuua ii; 1914 for keeping liquor for sale, and in Wellington in IDlli for false pretences. He had married a widow Avith children, but had no children of his own.

Mr Goodman, on hehall' of the accused, said that the main trouble was drink, and the previous offence had been committed while- drunk.

The accused was sontenced to three months' imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to run cumulatively.

Mr Hunter, in applying thai, the rings should be returned to Mr Young without any payment i<> the pawnbroker, mi id that llio crime was cunningly carried out, and tho. accused was not under the influence of drink. Ho had come in several times, and Mr Young liad known him us. a traveller for Chandler and Co.

Thn chief-detective said that, it, was unfair that the pawnbroker slio\ild lose the whole sum, as he had hern victimised through Young's action. At; Mr Hunter's request, Mr Young was sworn, and described the process bv which 7ironkliurst had get. the rings, promising to come hack for other wedding presents.

An order was made as requested hv Mr Hunter.

E-XI'JRKT) TRAM TICK FT

Mary W. Young was charged, on the information of the Tramway Hoard, with using an expired [Jenny concession tram ticket on June 27 01. the Papattui car. »Sho pleaded, not guiltv. Mr Doii£ili appeared for the hoard'and Mr Louglman for the defendant. The conductor said th.it between o and I) p.m. on the Papanui car the defendant presented the expired ticket produced. Ho wa,s in a hurry at. the time, and punched it, but ]|' o noticed Hull it was expired in October. Two days later the same woman presented the same card, and ho thereupon took her name and address. For the defence Mr Lotighnan said that the defendant had several tickets not fully used, and had intended to go to the office, to see about, an allowance. As sho wa.s short-sighted, she could not see the dates. The defendant, in evidence, said that she had several cards, and had asked her neighbour to look at the date of the one she intended to prevent. As ii was too dark, they could not see the date. She had a current, ticket with her. The Magistrate convicted the defendant and ordered her to pay costs and solicitor's fee, 28s in all.' remarking that anyone in doubt about the date o? a ticket should consult ihe conductor. CHARGF OF TRESPASS. Frederick George Mrittlifi'o and Albert, George .Jackson (Mr Kmvc) pleaded not guilty to a charge of trespassing on June .10 on private, laud on the lake front at Lake Ellestnerc in pursuit of native game. Mr .Johnston said thai; the informant was the occupier of the property under leasee from the AYairewa County Council, and was in actual occupation of the land, which was fenced except on ono nide, which was pegged. The, men were old offenders, and Mr Price had only been able to catch them by a ruse. Charles Blooinfield Price, the informant, fanner at Kinlneh, .said that hehad occupied the land for thirty years. He had seen the two men on his land several times, and they had once taken his boat away, but lie had refrained from summoning them, although pressed by the police to do so. On June 1.0, when he saw them, he pretended to be going away with the cattle, hut made a detour, and cut one of the men off from the boat, tie had previously warned the men.

Tho witness was. cross-examined by Mr Rowo regarding tho liouwlnry pegs in Uio w:\lvr. aiifl replied that the defendants know his land as wc.-U as ho know it lu'm.solf.

A. 10. Riidling gave evidence regardin« tho boundaries-, adding (|, ; ,f HrittlifTe should have known the boundaries well. On .'June 10 it would have been impossible to shoot except on Price's land, as* tho other water was too deen .rackson had told him that he. had shot a duck, and ho went after it. hut did think he was on Price's land. For the defence 'Mr Rowo submitted that there were only three peps in an irregular water boundary of two miles and a quarter, and the 'defendants- did not know they wore over it. After hearing tho defendants' evidence the Magistrate imposed a fine of 20s and costs in each case, with travelling expenses for two witnesses. REMANDED.

(Before MrAV. Barrett, .T.l*., and Mr J. Reynolds, J.V.) Henry Mathews, charged with indecent assault on a male, was further remanded til! August 1.