THE COURTS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16148, 28 February 1918, Page 4

THE COURTS.

SUPREME COURT. PJRIS.OX.ERs SENTENCED. Two prisoners appeared ior sentence before his Honour Mr Justice Chapman at the Sup'reine Court yesterday. ARSON. Geardon Francis'W alls (.Mr Helniore), who had admitted a charge of attempted arson at Rangiora, had been detained for a few days to allow his Honour to consider his decision. His Honour' said that he had had considerable difficulty in deciding what to do with the prisoner, but had decided that the case was one which could be met by a term ol probation. It appeared that prisoner, in a spirit of mischief, had been led on to set fire to an empty building, which was, perhaps, not so serious as to an inhabited house. Prisoner had previously borne an excellent character, and drink appeared to bo his' chief 1 ailing. Prisoner agreed to abstain altogether from the use of intoxicants during his term of probation, and on that condition was admitted to probation lor three years, being also ordered to pay £5 towards the expenses of the case m monthly instalments of 10s. AX HABITUAL CRIMINAL. Harold John Edward Barrett appeared io; sentence tor the tnett or a motor-cycle, valued ai Uo0 ; the proj periv oj L. C. I'cnlingVon. ; The police report snowed that pni soner had iirst born convicted ol tnert in 1910, ami had been in continual trouble since. Jle was a man of very intemperate habits.. Prisoner was sentenced io two years' imprisonment with hard labour, and was declared an habitual enminal. CIVIL SJTTIXtJS. . CLAIM i'OK DAMAGES. .1 Jac iic.i. nip i. »<i me ease in miicii »« iiudiu ilviiiv juiiiCu, co»itr..c(.ur, oi iioiiiuy, u.i.ii- • allU io.) lt>3 likuli'ili lApUiiccS iioin J-iaxid soiieuor, oi cnuicii, .i.i tue oi a collision uelueen ui'iciiuujii s Jjiotoi-tar auu piamtitt s iiiuwji-i yuie oil vue -'iiuuiu IjlUcoiii load, on 'juiv 22nu last, 111 wnien piamtiii iccoived alien liijiiuia tnat ins ijgul leg nuu io Oe aiupu lut<eci at liic nip. xiic case was heard before his HonOvU- .»ir Jiisuce ana a jury oi iuci\i.-, .ur (jrreaaou appealing ior tno plaintiti, and -Mr S. u. liayjuond, JV..C., wjtn nini Mr JaowOj lor vne uolendant. J* urtner evidence lor the defence was given l»y George AleUiiinncss, clerk to tnc Panama County Council, Hector Mclntosn, a lad or 15 years, and Charles E. Wright, foreman mechanic to the Canterbury Mo a tor Co., whose evidence was chietly as to the locality of the accident, and the position of the various tracks after the accident, ind Isabel Bates, sister of the defendant, wiio, with the defendant, saw the plaintiff when he was an inmate of the Hospital. At the conclusion of the evidence for the defence, the jury went out to view the scene of tile accident, and counsel's addresses were heard on resuming in the afternoon. The jury, after a lengthy retirement, returned with a verdict, that the accident was causcd by the negligence of the defendant.- Bates,_ in driving his motor-car on t. e wrong side of the road. Damages we, \od for the plaintiff at £800, and 18s medical expenses. A verdict was therefore given for the plaintiff for the amount named, with witnesses' expenses and disbursements to be fixed by the Registrar, and costs according to scale. IN BANKRUPTCY. Sitting in bankruptcy, John George Grant McLaehlan (.Fr Gresson), contractor, of Ashburton, who filed nis petition in February, 191.3, and Arthur William Hills (Mr Hunt), hotclkeeper, Christchurch, who was adjudicated a bankrupt on April 20th, 1917, applied for their discharge. Both applications were granted, notwithstanding opposition by one creditor, for whom Mr Rowe appeared in the case of McLaehlan. A petition was presented by Davis and Wauehop (Mr Beswick) to have Edward Boocoek, formerly a storekeeper. of Annat. but now a member of the. Expeditionary Force, adjudged a bankrupt. Mr McConnell appeared for the debtor. After hearing argument as to debtor's present status, his Honour adjourned the matter till next sitting, anil made a suspensory order authorising the official assignee to act a? receiver in tlie meantime. MAGISTERIAL. (Before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. Two first offenders were each fined os for drunkenness. Another first offender was convicted and a prohibition order was issued against him at his own request. INCORRIGIBLE ROGUE. . Mary A'aughan i\.as charged with being an incorrigible rogue, in that she had no visible means -of support, having previously been convicted of being a rogue and vagabond. She was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. SUNDAY TRADING. Harold Jones was charged with Sunday trading. Senior-Sergeant Citnimings stated that the man sold peaches on a .Sunday. Defendant pleaded that he sold the fruit at his private residence, and was ignorant that in doing so lie was committing a breach of the law. He was fined 10s and costs. Jolm Whettle was similarly charged. Senior-Sergeant C'ummings stated that the man sold ice-cream on a Sunday. His plea was that lie had experienced hard luck in business, and had to keep his shop open on Sunday in order to remain on the right side of the ledger. He was fined os, without costs. INDUSTUIAL BREACHES. J. T. Souper (Mr J. A. Cassidy) charged with failing to keep a wages and time book, was fined 10s. E. Iloare, failing to sign a holiday book, was fined ss.

Four counts against tnc Empire Express Company (Mr Ward) of failing to pay overtime rates to drivers tor work on Boxing Day were dismissed, the inen stating that- they were paid the extra money within about a week. L. Hodgson, W. Dallwood, A. Black, and J- Somerville, drivers in the employ of the Empire Express Company, were each fined 2s for to enter up daily in the time book the/hours lor which they were entitled, with overtime if any. _ G. W. Wat-kins was fined os on each of ten counts, six of failing to pay employees overtime and four of failing to allow employees a full half-hour for meals. BETTING CASES. (PRESS ASSOCIATION" TELEGRAMS WELLINGTON, February 27. At the Magistrate's. Court to-day Clarence Adolphus Le Sueur was fined £10 or publishing a double chart and £20 for laying totalisator odds. The penalty in default of payment.was fixed at one and two months' imprisonment respectively. AUCKLAND, February 27. Peter Hisson, who admitted keeping a common gaming house, was fined' £100. • AX INDECENT DOCUMENT. (TRESS ASSOCIATION - TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, February 27. A yotsnjr married man named William Samuel Beehve was sentenced to | three inontlis' imprisonment, the maxi- 1 mum penalty, for knowingly delivering an indecent document to a fourteen- | year-old girl, the daughter of his landlady, while his wife and child were away on a holiday. The Magistrate (Mr McCarthy) said it was a deliberate I attempt to corrupt the girl.