CAMBRIDGE COURT

Waikato Independent, Volume XLIII, Issue 3999, 7 June 1944, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE COURT

TWO SERIOUS CHARGES FINES INFLICTED Messrs Edgar James and R. S. Entwistle were the presiding J.’sP. at the Cambridge Courthouse yesterday when three Karapiro workers were before the court on various charges. Edward Charles Sadler pleaded guilty to a charge of using obscene language in Victoria Street on Saturday last. William Taylor, a ’bus driver said that Sadler asked him if he was taking his ’bus to Karapiro, and on the driver’s replying that '“he was not sure if that particular ’bus was going bn to Karapiro, Sadler used some rather bad language to the driver. In Mr Taylor’s opinion, Sadler was the worse for liquor. Constable C. H. Maisey said that while on duty near the ’bus, he heard Sadler use obscene language. He was the worse for liquor, although not drunk. Defendant was a decent fellow when sober, but drink was his trouble. Both the police and drivers of ’buses were concerned at the bad language used often in the presence of women and children. For his defence, Sadler said that he was not in the habit of using obscene language, but he thought that he must have been annoyed with the ’bus driver when he could not get the information that he wanted. He was convicted and fined £3. Tuku Amo, also a Karapiro worker pleaded guilty to a charge of obstructing Constable Maisey while in the execution of his duty. Constable Maisey said that when he was on the point of arresting Sadler, that Amo interfered and tried to drag Sadler away from the Constable. The upshot was that both Sadler and Amo were taken to the police station, where they were later released on bail of £5 each. Amo was quite a decent Maori. After hearing the evidence the Justices retired to discuss both cases, and on their return to the courtroom, Mr James, in addressing both Sadler and Amo said that the police had a “tough enough job” as it was and it was the duty of every citizen to help, and not to obstruct them in the course of their duty. It would make the work of the police much easier if they could have the co-operation of all. In the opinion of the Bench, the charges were very serious indeed, and it was hard to decide which of the two charges was the more serious. On the one hand, the charge of using obscene language was in itself serious, as it would probably be heard bv a number of people, including women and possibly children. On the, other hand, the charge of obstructing a police constable was extremely serious, as an event of far greater seriousness might arise from this hinderance to the police. After warning Amo to assist the police in every way in future, Mr James said that a tine of £5 would be imposed. In both cases, they were liable to a term of imprisonment, but the Bench did not want to interfere with the men’s‘work at Karapiro, and so fines were imposed. John Duncan Balfour Campbell, of Karapiro, spent the night in the local lock-up on Saturday night, .being released next morning on bail of £1 on each of the following charges: Of being found drunk in Victoria Street, and of using abusive language in the main street. Constable C .H. Maisey read a statement in which Campbell pleaded guilty to both charges. Constable Maisey said that Campbell was a carpenter employed at Karapiro, and that in response to a tomplaint received he found the defendant very drunk and using abusive language. He was convicted and fined the amount of bail.