MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XLV, Issue 23, 9 November 1923, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

YESTERDAY. (Before Mr R. W. DyCy/S.M.) , SERIOUS OFFENCES. Thomas Joseph Spalding was charged on three informations witli taking intoxicating liquor into the Te Aute pa, and also oil four informations with supplying liquor to certain natives. Defendant did not appear. Sergeant Hogan stated that on tlie dates in question defendant bought whisky and five gallon jars of beer in Hustings and took them to the pa. Constable O’Halloran, in evidence, stated that Spalding was known to the Maoris as Charlie Smith. When taxed with the offence he denied taking liquor into the pa, hut said he had some liquor with the natives. A native gave evidence as to helping Spalding to carry the beer from the railway station lo the pa and also to receiving several drinks from him. The Sergeant put in a long list of previous convictions recorded against the defendant. The Magistrate imposed a line of £lll on the first charge, with witnesses’ expenses £7 9s 4d and Court costs 19s. On the second and third charges lie was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. On the fourth charge, that of supplying liquor to a native, defendant was lined £3O and costs 7s, whilst on the remainder of the informations he was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. The alternative was fixed at two months’ imprisonment on the first count and three months oil the second, the terms to he concurrent. THE OPEN BAR. John Albert McCarthy, licensee of the Te Aute Hotel, was charged (hat on the 18th October lie did expose liquor for sale. Mr Wedde, for defendant, pleaded guilty. Sergeant Hogan stated that on the day in question Constable O’Halloran, returning from Hastings about (>.20 p.in,, found the bar of the hotel open and the wife of the licensee behind the counter. There was no one else in the bar. Mr Wedde admitted the facts, but pleaded in mitigation that the date was People’s Day at the Show and there had been a considerable amount of traffic on the road and the licensee had overlooked the fact that it was past six o’clock. As a matter of fact the clock in the bar showed three minutes to six. The Magistrate admitted the possibility of time being overlooked in the face of a. rush of business, and it might have been excusable for a lew minutes, hut when the constable called it was 0.20 p.m. A fine of £lO with costs 7s was imposed. WANDERING STOCK. Morrison Bros, were fined £5 and costs £1 16s for permitting cattle to he at large on a County road, and A. D. Stewart was fined £1 15s with costs £1 8s for permitting horses to he at large. CIVIL CASES. Judgment was entered for plaintiffs by default in the following civil cases: —Greg. Nielsen v. J. MeQuilkan, £l7 15s and costs £2 ,14s; Commissioner of Taxes v. Wilson Tipene, £3 9s Bd, and costs 14s; L. W. Simpson and Son v. F. Turfrev, £l9, and costs £3 Ills; Hood Bros. v. Wilson Tipene, £1 7s, and costs 14s; Coles Bros. v. —. Gray, £1 10s, and costs 13s; J. Ruddick v. A. Middleton, £2 ss, and costs £1 3s (id.