TO-DAY'S COURTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12082, 10 August 1917, Page 6

TO-DAY'S COURTS.

Mr T. A. B. Bnilcy. S.M.. presided over a sitting of the. Police Court this morn inc. DRUNKENNESS. Two first offenders were each fined m. Archibald M'Donald, who had been arroste/1 at Oxford the previous day, was charged with helpless drunkenness, and was remanded for a week. Senior Sergeant, Wohlman stated that, the mar. had been drinking ver.y heavily and behaving peculiarly, being practically in a state of delirium tremens. ALLEGED THEFT OF TIN. John Griffon appeared on rema.nd, charged with having stolen a quantitv of i'ngotl tin, valued at £l5O, the property of some person or persons unknown.

Doieetive-Sergeant MMlvenoy, without tondo.riiijr evidence, asked for :v further remand for a week. Mr Donnelly, fo r tho acrtised. objected to the remand, and moved for the prisoner's discharge, unless th» police wero prepared to tender evidence of the loss of tin, that a theft had been committed. n r that the man could bin associated with some, theft. He was the foreman in one of the leading firms in Christchureh, and had boon in their employ for twenty years. His employers, who made no suggestion of theft from their promises, had a vorv High opinion of him. Continuing, Mr Donnelly pointed out that the man had been i n for nearly a week, and without, any justification. The police had no right to put pressure on him to compel him to make a statement a,* to how he came into possession of tho tin.

The Magistrate said that they might reasonably ask for a statement.

Mr Donnelly: Tho police may adopt third degree methods at the police, station, but they have no right £« ask you to do it. hero. sir.

Detective M'llvoney said that tho man was found in possession of a quantity of tin in circumstances' rendering it advisable for the police to obtain a istatememt a.s to how ho came bv it., Ho submitted that the man might'reasonably make a statement. . The accused was further remanded, bail in one surety of £IOO being tortfv coming. ;- BY-LAW CASES. Robert Jeal, for failure to notify change of ownership of a motor-cycle, was lined ss, and for pillion riding 10s with costs. Frank Spencer was fined 10e and costs for pillion riding on a motor-cycle. For motor-cycling at night: without lights, linos of 10s and costs wero inflicted on Fred. J. Pullar. Wm. Milroy and John Mack.

For cycling without lights, the following were fined 10s and costs: -Robert Hrosuan and John Were. :

For cycling on footpaths, Fred. Wm. Helmore and Sydney Cox were convicted and discharged. Richard R. Radham and Frank Schmidt were fined 7s and costs. Horace Sbaw.Tor ridinc his motor-cycle on the footpath, was fined 10s ami costs.

.Mrs "Wilson was convicted and ordered to pay costs on a. charge of driving her motor-car across the High-Manche.s-ter-Lichuold Streets intersection without sounding a warning as she approached. Evidence was given that a man was knocked down by the car. Lancelot. Walker was fined 20h Mid costs for driving cattle along Moorhouse Avenue during prohibited hours; and Leslie Fairbairn, for a similar offence in Whiteley Avenue, was fined 10s and costs. ALLEGED HECKLERS DRIVING. Edward Hruco was charged with driving a motor-cycle in Papanui Road at a speed dangerous to the public. SeniorSergeant Wohlnian gave evidence that; rlie detcudant drove bis cycle at a terrific rate, flashed past a motor-car and wave.l his arms as though to challenge him to ;i race, and dashed into a baker's cart, throwing the occupant-out and so damaging the horse that it had to bo destroyed. On the application of the police, a remand was granted till the "J-ith hist. FAILURE TO NOTIFY. Robert. M. Johnston (.Mr W. Bate?) wa.s •■barged with failure to notify change oi address, ho being a reservist. As t.lio offence had boon ivmmitted over six mouths ago, and in view of counsel's explanation ot the circumstances, the case -vxa-s dismissed.

A snular charge against Isaac Karst was dismissed. MOTORING RY-LAWS.

Daniel Mulholland was charged by the police with driving his motor-car on tho wrong side of the road at the junction of Oxford Terrace and Montreal Street. A young man named Miller gave evidence that defendant's car, on tho wrong side of the road, had Ktruek him when ho was cycling homo from work just after five o'clock on July 11. Ho wns on his right side of tho road, and it was myt then dark. Ho was injured and spent several days in hospital. Eye-witnesses gavo evidence that tho motorist crossed: the street on th 0 bridgo on his wrong side, and turned the corner within incites of the kerb. The oar's speed was ]imirt> od at eight to twelvo miles an hour. .Evidence was given by Constable

Johnston. Mr Johnston sa.id that Miilhollnnd. was driving slowly and was particularly careful. Ito tried to avoid a, collision, which was caused by. tho cyclist dashing along at. dusk. The defendant said that ilus car vm slight I v to the left of the middle of the middle of the bridge when he saw the cyclist in front of him. Ho swerved, thinking that the cyclist intended to swerve also. 'Die cyclist was going faster than the -witness* .who cut m m order to avoid the cyclist. He believed that if ho had not swerved he might have had to stand before tho Magistrate on a ciii'.rge of manslaughter. The charge was dismissed.