MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16942, 17 January 1923, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

TO-DAY’S CASES. CHRISTCHURCH. (Before Messrs K. Matliieson. J.P., and G. E. Franklin. J.P.) BREACHES OF ARMS ACT. Hector Brien, charged with being in possession of an unregistered firearm and with having delivered a pe-s rifle to a person not entitled to it, was fined 20s and costs on each charge. William George Haliham pleaded guilty to being in possession of an unregistered firearm and to procuring a pea rifle without the necessary permit. He was fined 10s .on each charge. ALLEGED ASSAULT. John Thomas William Jackson was charged with having assaulted Albert Edward Hunt so as to cause him bodily 1 harm. A remand for seven days was granted ! as Hunt is still undergoing medical ; treatment. An application by Mr C. S. Thomas on behalr of accused for bail was granted. the amounts being fixed in self £SO, and one surety of £so. REMANDED. William Priest was charged Avith having stolen four Rhode Island Red fowls valued at £2 2s, the property of Herbert M’Kay, of Hornby. A remand to February 7 was granted. James Andrew Jones (Mr P. P. J. Amodeo) was charged with stealing two bicycles, valued at £l9 and £6 respectively. On the application of defence a remand for one week was granted. ILLEGALLY ON RACECOURSE. William Amos Smith was charged with being illegally on the New 7 Brighton racecourse. Detective Sheehan gave evidence that Smith had been convicted of being a bookmaker in 3920. Senior-Detective Gibson informed the Bench that Smith had been before the Court in November last on a similar charge. Smith was fined £3 and costs. COLLECTING THE TAN Thomas Fox was charged that he admitted a person for payment to an entertainment, whore the payment was subject to amusement tax. otherwise than Avith a ticket stamped to denote that the proper tax had been paid. Mr A. T. Donnelly, for the Commissioner of Stamps, said that Fox had been running a show - called the “ monkey zoo” at the Waimate Agricultural Show’. An officer of the Stamp Department went into the show but received no ticket nor were tickets issued to a i number of otlier people who paid for admission. Defendant was fined £2 and costs. A • TOTE ” TICKET. Arthur M’Keever admitted being illegally on the New Brighton racecourse, but pleaded not guilty to a charge of purchasing a ticket for an infant. Evidence called by the police showed that Fox had purchased a ticket for a youth aged nineteen. Mr Amodeo, for accused, urged that the appearance of the boy -would justify M’Keever in belie\ r ing that he was l wenty-one years of age. Accused was fined 40s on the first charge and £5 on the charge of purchasing a ticket. FINED FOR ASSAULT. Charles Gordon Malzard was charged with assaulting a young woman at South Hagley Park on November 23 Accused pleaded not guilty and conducted his own defence. Police evidence was to the effect that Malzard accosted a young woman in ihe park about eight o'clock in the. morning. A complaint was made to the police and a few mornings later the anused ay as pointed out to Constable Roberts. Accused, giving evidence, said that on November 23 he left home and walked to the Square, where he caught the 8.3 a.m. car for Riccarton. Malzard. asked by the Bench if he had been in Court before, said be had. The Bench : What for? Accused : Assault. The accused also told the Court that lie was a married man with one child. In z-eply to the Bench, vSeni’or Sergeant Lowin said, accused was fined £5 in March last for stopping a young lady who was riding a bicycle and assaulting her. Tlie Bench considered that the case was a bad one. but in view 7 of the fact that accused Avas a married man they had decided to be lenient. He would fie fined £o and costs. RULES OF THE ROAD. William Service Peters was charged Avith being drunk while in charge of a horse and vehicle in Wainoni Road. New Brighton : with using indecent language; committing an assault, and passing another vehicle on the wrong side. Re pleaded not guilty and was represented by Mr C. S. Thomas. -brands Lee Hutchinson said that on November i he was returning from the. Avondale golf links in company with 1 • W. Green and Avitness’s son. They wore cycling. Taa t o men in a. trap passed them 'on the wrong side. They proj tested, and the men said they would show witness and his companions the right side of the road, at the same time using bad language. The trap pulled in behind them and again bored in on the left side. Fn witness’s opinion ■he two were under the influence of arink. They repeated the performance of pushing the cyclists out on to the load. Peters at the same time making ;; blow at witness w ith a whip. Peters Avas fined 40s and costs for being drunk Avjiile in charge of the trap and the remaining charges were dismissed. LYTTELTON. (Before Mr H. Y. Widdowson. S.M > DR UN KEN NESS. John M’Neil, on a charge of procuring liquor from some person unknown, aa'sis fined £3 and 7s costs. The Magistrate warned defendant of tho fact tht a* he had three previous convictions for breaches of his prohibition order during the past year, ire would have to pay heavy penalties if Vic persisted in breaking the order. BREACH OF THE PEACE. George Tborndem and William East were charged with a. breach of the peace. Sergeant M’Holm stated that the accused East had been hailed out am was not appearing. Constable Bayne gave evidence that lie arrested the accused yesterday after noon. The men had been having a ptand-up fight and were covered in blood. Sergeant MTlolm r.dded that "East was a first offender, but that Thor.' dene had previous convictions igair.s:

default ten days’ imprisonment, on each of the accused. TTNREGIST ERF,II FIREARM. Leslie Satchel! was charged that being a person other than a licensed dealer within the meaning of the Arms Act, 1920, he was i.i possession for a longer period than seven days, of a firearm. to Arit, a revolver, without being registered untlvr the Act. The Bccusea. who did not appear, sent in a letter to the Bench stating he AA*as not 7 ware that he possessed such a weapon until he found it im a trunk. On finding it he immediately took it for registration to the police. Sergeant M’Holm said be believed the facts as stated were correct, but he wished to state that the accused Iv-id previously registered oiflier firearms and should ha a 7 © fcnoAVfi that he had the re\*olA r er in his possession. The Bench, under section 24 of tho Arms Act. had the power of ordering the forfeiture of the revolver. A fine of £1 was imposed, and the revolver was ordered tc be forfeited. ASSAULT. Benjamin Beeby. charged with anlawful assaulting John Davidson, plead, e i not guilty Constable Man nix stated that a disturbance occurred at the hack of the British Hotel. On his proceeding there Davidson said he had been assaulted. Later Davidson identified Beebv a. c * tlie man I>a- whom he had been 'assaulted. At the Police Station Beeby stated that he had struck Davi ?- Ron in self defence. Sergeant M’Holm at this juncture pointed out that the defendant, David pon, was not appearing, giving as a rteason that he did not wish to be made a marked man. The accused stated that lie was proceeding along Norwich Quay when a man approached him and told him “ he was tho man he wanted to see.” Witness proceeded along the street with the man. whom he had never seen ho fore, thinking lie might have some information for him. To his surprise when he got around the corner the man made for him and struck out at him. hitting him on the shoulder. Witness then struck the man several blows in self defence. To Sergeant M’Holm : There were two other men present. A. Campbell, a seaman, stated that fief Avas working in an office at the hack of the British Hotel when !w strike out at the man Davidson. The man Davidson seemed to he the first aggressor. Beehv was told to be quiet after he had struck the defendant. To Sergeant M’Holm: He was a seaman He did not know the man Davidson or what occupation he followed. The Magistrate stated that the accused had admitted the assault, but pleaded that it- was committed uncle." provocation. Provocation was. how-CA-er. not a defence, though it might seive to lessen ihd penalty inflict-© 1 The accused would be fined £l. in default seven days’ imprisonment.