MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16470, 5 July 1921, Page 8

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

~0-DAY'S CASES. CHRISTCHURCH. (Before Mr S. B. M’Cartliy, S.M.* drunkenness. A first offender was fined se, with costs. BAD LANGUAGE. “ According to -.ir Justice Sim, this is indecent rather than obscene,” said the Magistrate, concerning the utterances of Edward John Cotton, charged with having u>ed obscene .language. <£ It outrages decency.” Accused was fined 20s, with costs. “ THE NEXT TIME! ” Robert John Boyd (Mr C. S. Thomas) pleaded guilty to having broken hits prohibition order on two occasions. Senior-Sergeant Kelly said that Boyd had b tie n to'“the Island,” but he was not cured of the drink habit. Mr Thomas said that Boyd’s daughter had taken him into her home, and' was hopeful of keeping him all right. , __ Tile Magistrate to Boyd: The next time you come before me I will give you such a fine that it will he necessary for you to go to gaol. MAINTENANCE. .Richard Blanchard Wright was ordered to pay 7s 6d a week for the maintenance of a child in an industrial school. Frederick John Davidson was ordered to pay 45s a week for the maintenance of Daisy Esther Davidson (Mr A. J. Malley). Separation and guardianship orders were made in favour of Mrs Davidson. For disobedience of a mauitenance order Robert Wilson was prtwisionally sentenced to a month's imprisonment. Mr H. H. Hanna appeared for the plainantJames Roderick Ayers (Mr W. J. Hunter) was provisionally sentenced to fourteen days’ imprisonment for disobedience of a maintenance order, Mr K. M. Gre3son appeared for thp complainant. LYTTELTON. (Before Mr W. T. Lester, J.P.) DRUNKENNESS. Thomas Meyrich was charged with drunkenness. At the request of the police, he was remanded for a week to allow him to recover from a drinking bout. William Murphy, charged with drunkenness and committing a nuisance, was convicted and discharged on the first and lined 10s on the second information.

RANGIORA. (Before Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M.) A BROKEN ORDER. Arthur Griggs was fined 20s and costs for a breach of his prohibition order. DRUNKENNESS AND A COLLISION. Harry Murfitt pleaded guilty to being drunk while in charge of a horse and cart, driving without lights and on the wrong aide of the road. Sergeant Roach stated that defendant was returning home from the races at Rangiora at the time of the offences. He collided with a motorcycle ridden by Hoy Mehrtens, doing considerable damage to the machine but no injury to the rider. Defendant stated that his vehicle was damaged and his horse injured. ' The Magistrate inflicted a fine of £1 and costs £2 18s on the first charge, and convicted and discharged defendant on the other two informations, remarking that Murfitt had suffered damage to his own property and would no doubt have to i>ay for repairs to the motor-cycle. fight'at a rescue. Robert L. Karaitiana was charged with assaulting John Doherty on June 25 and with using threatening behaviour on the Lineside Road, Flaxton, whereby a breach of the peace was caused. In connection with these charges Peter Doherty (Mr Van Aseh) was charged with committing a breach of the peace. The alleged offences arose out of an accident which occurred to the Doherty brothers when on their way home from the Rangiora races. Their horse fell into a ditch and could not get out. Kariatiana arrived on the scene with a motor-car party and took charge of the rescue operations. Eventually his behaviour was resented by Peter Doherty, who told him to stand on one side. Karaitiana said he had been in the German war and .could “ use his docks.” Doherty/ replied that he was an Irishman and was not afraid of a black man. The altercation ended in a fisticuffs, the Maori striking the first blow. John Doherty was also attacked by Karaitiana. The Magistrate fined Karaitiana £2 on each charge with £1 4.y costs and dismissed the charge against Doherty. DEFENCE CASES. Hector M* Schmidt for failing to attend drill was lined £2 and costs. On a similar charge Walter L. Cunningham was convicted and ordered to pawoosts. N CIVIL CASE. The Railway Department (Mr H. C. Truman) claimed IBs 2d from John Forbes (Mr Van A sell) for demurrage and cost of unloading a truck of timber ut Balcairn. The evidence went to show that the delay and the subsequent unloading charge was due to a mistake made by a porter and the Magistrate gave judgment for defendant in equity and good conscience as against the Railway Regulation under which the claim was made, allowing costs 16s.