POLIC COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 263, 10 November 1906, Page 6

POLIC COURT.

THIS DAY. Before Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M. Maintenance.— The case in which Alice Porter applied for a £p«3£ order against her husband, Alfred Proc orfr J , with a maintenance w-fs fwt thC , C, ; StOd: T of hCT children, . Court to-day by Mr. C. C. Kettle, who , "werved >c decision on. conclusion of . the hwnng of the evidence last week. i ■Vγ. Kettle said that he had come to ■ tie conclusion that tho evidence showed , that defendant's conduct towards his wife was of the most brutal and cruel ■ J ust before the birth of the "st child he broke up the home and took the children away from bis wife. De endant did i allege that his wife ■ had been unfaithful to him, but stated . that she was lazy and would not look after the children as he desired. The , question was that of the custody of the children. He was satisfied that defendant was not a proper person to have control of the children, and thought , that the mother should have control. , The mother had not forfeited her right to the children., and was entitled to have the custody of them. He further adjourned the matter until Friday, with tho object of the parties conferrma and seeing whether a home could not be established. Uncontrolled Boys.—Norman and Henry Gordon, two boys who had been adjudged guilty of the theft of a quantity of lead, certain tools, and five tins of jam. of a total value of £2 16/4, came up for sentence. The probation oiTicer, after full inquiries, reported that the boys should be sent to an industrial school, this being their only chance of reform. The mother objected to this course, on the, ground that the boys assisted to support her, but his Worship decided to follow the. recommendation of the probation officer, and committed both boys to the Burnhatn Industrial Home. Thf> Drunkards.—One first offender, who did not appear, forfeited his bail of £1. Four others were fined 5/ and 2/6 costs. James Brett, a second offend er. was rincd 10/. and was made the subject of a prohibition order. David Munro. a third offender, was fined 20/ and costs 2/fl. A first offender, charged with being drunk while in charge of a horse, was fined 10/ and costs. David Sutherland, a deaf mute, about 40 years of age. was sent to gaol, without hard labour, for seven days, and on a second charge of procuring liquor while the subject of ,i prohibition order, was ordered to come up for sentence when called unon. Threatening Behaviour.' —John MonagliHii, for using threatening language, challenging a msn to fight, and abusing his wife, was fined £2. in default a week's hard labour. Arrears of Maintenance. —Geo. H. Busby, who paid £30 off the arrears of a j maintenance order for the support of his j illegitimate child, and w;;s given a month to pay the balance of £5 12/. was sentenced to two months' hard labour for failure to pay off the nrrenrs. th? w:;rrant being suspended for seven days to give the defendant s chance to meet his liability. . Alleged Falsr Pretences. —A young j man named Henry Brown pleaded not guilty to obtaining £1 15/ from John Murray Molloy by means of a vnlueleis cheque. Mr. McGregor defended. Erideuce naa given by Molloy, licensee of j the Albion Hotel, to the effect that I Brown had boarded at his hotel, and on leaving had given a cheque for £-4 for his beard, receiving £1 13/ change. The chtque, which was drawn on the National Bank, Dargaville, was returned marked I "no account." Detective Marsack stated J that accused's acvount in the bank had been closed in February, 190.3, Mr. McGregor admitting that he had not since had sufficient funds in the. bank to m?et the cheque. Mr. McGregor contended that no false representation had been di3closcd. Brown owned a team of bullocks and was owed money on a sub-contract! for bush-fall inc. He expected that tho I money would be paid in and that he would be able to meet the chsque. His Worship held that there was no criminal ; intent, and believed that he intended to ' pay money into the bank to meet the cheque. Brown had been grossly care- j less in giving the cheque when not satisfied that he would be able to meet it. The police were quite justified in bring- i ing the charge. His Worship then dismissed the charge. I Beginning Youmr- —A trn-year-old la-d named Archie Turner pleaded not guilty to stealing a silver Waltham lever, the property of Chas. Olwen, Onehungu. Olesen stated that the watch was taken from a. box under his bed. The accused showed him where lie bad taken tho watch from. Tho watch, which was \-alued at £4, bad not been recovered, and the boy stated that he had lost it. Con- ' stable MeG-lone stated that the boy ad- i mitted stealing the watch to him, and f.'nowfvi him where he took it from. The ' moth".- was a hard-working '.voman. but had no control of the boy, who was running wild. For his own sake the boy shouM be committed to a home. Hie Worship remanded the ease, for a wee-k for the report of the Probation Officer. Vajrrancy. —John Dunn, alias James Dunn, pleaded not guilty to a charge of being nn incorrigible rogue, in tltat hi* had insufiuwit lawful means of sunport. and had been previously convicted as a rogue and a vagabond. Evidence as to the habits of accused was given by ser- I eral constables. A sentence of three I months' hard labour was imposed. j