MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19842, 17 May 1927, Page 9

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

POLICE PROSECUTIONS LEVEL CROOSSING CASES At the Wanganui Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr J. S. Barton, S.M., police prosecution cases were dealt with. CROSSING CASES Alexander Ross Munro diid; not appear to answer a charge of failing to slacken the speed of his motor car when approaching a railroad crossing at Utiku. He was fined £1 amd, costs. It was stated that C. A. Couchman barely cleared a level crossing in his motor lorry, and he was fined £3 with costs. Defence Breaches A. L. Jackson, a territorial, was fined 10s and costs for failing to notify his change of address. For failing to attnetd idjrill, H. M. King was fined £5 and costs, and deprived of civil rights for three years. Non-Efficient Brakes R. Aitken was fined £2 and costs for having non-efficicnt brakes on his motor car. A Frequent Offence Senior-Sergeant Lopdell said; that demonstrating- cars on Sunday was a frequent offence, when F. Freeman, a motor dealer, was fined 20s and costs for this breach. Anzac Day Offences Four Chinamen who worked in their garden on Anzac Day were defended; by Mr Lloyd, who contended that the offence did not come within the Statute. He submitted that a gand>encr was not a tradesman, and quoted a case in England where a farmer who was fined for haymaking on a Sunday appealed, and his appeal was upheutfc Senior-Sergeant Lopdcll said the case quoted may have come within the meaning of “works of necessity,” but the calling of a gardener who worked on a Sabbath could not be termed a work of necessity. The Magistrate said that the New Zealand Act stated that every pergnn who worke.il, at his calling on a Sunday committed a breach of the Act. There was no doubt that the Chinamen did come within the Act. The celestials, whose names weiyj Ah Fong, Ah Low, Shane Yee and Sevan Yan, were convicted and ordered to pay costs 10s each. A vemdjor of chipped potatoes who sold the tasty morsels in Dublin Street on Anzac Day was fined 7s and 13s costs. Six Months Goal Martin Lopez came before the Court for sentence for theft of a lady’s gold watch. The decision of the Bench was that he be sent to gaol for six months with hard labour.