THE COURTS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16437, 3 February 1919, Page 4

THE COURTS.

MAGISTERIAL. before Mv T. A. B. Bailey. S.M.) DRUNKENXKS?. 'EtlvrsrcS Stephens McAuulty, ? accoiid. 01fea'Jer, v.ks fined 10b. Jamss Joseph lirown was charged having beoii in a e?at* of heiples l * drunkenness'. and w'us ordered io pay i7s Cd liiedicui exprr.eef. M.AIXTEXAKCK. Charged villi being JSI.I in arrears on •' rnair.tcjjaiicc .order in respect of an iliegitimate child, Andrew Duuick was to t'-vo months' imprisonment, scp.tence to be suspended i: he kept up payments ur.'.ler the order and paid T.-f tid a. v.tcK off the arreai;. He v.-as also ordered to find sureties in ±'IG-<>, in defr.uk six months' imprisonment. Mr Thomas appeared for the complainant. THEFT. Florence Elizabeth Urojm (Mr Ma Hey.) v.hb charged witii stealing various itoi.=cho;d jowls, to the value ol i'll lis, the prop-.vty ot .rcasio it ay. After evidence Jia<i been heara, accused pleaded net guilty, reserved ijcr (ieteuce, aL.i ivas committed to . the Sup rem f Court i<v nisi. Uan whs ahov.ctl, ic.i in A'jl', a tin i>vj sureties u£ i-5 each. FAiLUIJE TO KEEP I'KO'PJiii BOOKS. BANKRUPT IMPRISONED.

The hearia; of tho chargc of having tailed to k-=cp proper booKn lis re-quired 1.'..' the Bankruptcy Act preferred agujiut Gat net. b. .Holmes was ccmt,nnc-J by iti- W. G. Kiddeit. S.M., at Wellington cn Saturday. Air O. C. Mazcngarb, counsel for the defence, snid that tbc matter km not ;i serious one. The busiuess transactions tended over a period of ten mouths. On commencing business defendant opened a S2t o: books, but thc«c wci-2 louna fo be inadequate snd <i professional account*n: was culled in ana opened anoiher -.;ct of bcoV.s. Delendant. in his position of manager, was not able to look u tier-the books himself, and the \vu,b Jell to an accouniaiit wnd (Ifi'.'!id»nt's bookkeepers. Thoie had not beeany j ttcmp;■ at traud, but i£e books iia:l not jcocn kepi in audi a manner as would parinii of an easy statement being obtained. Counsel suggested that the ci.sc would l>o met if the discharge from bankruptcy were held back. ■lames Macintosh, accountant, said that liohnes had kept a record ol his transactions in a book of first entry, though they were not properly classified. He (witness) 'would be able to make up a statement from the book with slight assistance from Uplines, but it would take liim about lour v.e_k.s U> do ?o. ■

The Magistrate referred to the opinion.-, of various judges that intent did not enter into the matter, and while Holmes had employed various bookkeepers, ho himself was responsible. Accused would be convicted and 6entenced to. a month's imprisonment without hard labour.