MAGISTERIAL.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17115, 9 April 1921, Page 12

MAGISTERIAL.

P (Before Mr V. G. Day, S.M.) . REMANDED. John Eobert Burns (Mr Goodman) was remanded to appear ou April 13th on a charge of the theft of £SO, at Christchurch, from Mrs Odger, on February 24th. Bail was allowed, accused in £IOO, one surety of £IOO or two of £SO each. CASTING OFFENSIVE MATTER. On a charge of casting offensive matter, John Howie was fined 10s andtosts. BY-LAW CASES. Harold Welsford, for cycling on the. footpath, Wf.s cautioned and -discharged," Alexander G. McAlpine, for leaving a motorcar without lights, was fined 10s and costs. Charles Tull. it* motor-cychng without lights, was fined SOs and costs. j Fines o{ 5s and costs were imposed on Arthur H. Thompson and Frederick Ernest Pearca for failing to give notice of change of ownership of motors. VValter Butcher, , similarly charged, was fined 10s and coats. Jack Harold Moore (Mr Wauklyn) was fined 18a and coats lor not sounding his horn when passing a pcdestiisn. A further charge against the same defendant for not keeping to the leftwas dismissed. For not sounding a warning when approaching an intersection, Frederick Ernest Pcarce and Harold C. Amyea were each fined 10s and costs. Aruyes was also fined 10s and. costs for not keeping to the loft when practicable. A fine of 10s and- Co3js was imposed on Charles Nelson for leaving a vehicle without Mghta. Defendant was also fined. 20s and costs for leaving a horse and cart unattended. Walter Butcher, for leaving a motor-cycle with sido-cur unattended for longer than five minutes,'was fined 10s and costs. For leaving »■ vehicle unattended for,longer than five minutes, Charles Edwin-Boon was fined 10s and costs. Charles , AV. Saunders was fined 103 and costs for leaving * car unattended. Thomas Tomlinson. Drainage Board Inspector (Mr Cuthbert), proceeded against John Robert McKer.zio and David Ferguson Glauville (Mr Twyneham) for causing waste water to discharge into the sewer. Defendants were convicted and ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution. « Allan Harris (Mr CuniiiKliarul.. rclio pleaded. gUilty to cycling without lights, was cautioned and discharged. INSULTED TWO OFFICERS. Henry Hugh M'cKenzie Taggart, a youth 18 yeai's x of age, was charged with having used obscene language to two territorial officers. Hugh McCaskill, lieutenant attached to thd Defence Headquarters, Christohuroh, gave evidence to the effect tliat ho was boarding a car at Riccarton when accused used the language complained of. He had previously had trouble with Taggart, and recognised his voice. ' He. was in the habit of disturbing parades in the Riccarton Drill Hall. William Leonard Glanville, warrant officer attached to Defence Headquarters, ga-vo corroborative evidence. Taggart. witness said, patted' himse'.f on the chest -in a spirit of bravado, and called out, "Yes, that's me— Taggart." Defendant, a moulder in the employ of the Railway Department, alleged that the charse had been laid out of "dirty spite." Cornplamant had told defendant that > there was *"a wav of .fixing the like 3 of you," and about three weeks'later the oharge was laid against him. He denied using the lnnguago complained of. Mr Cuningham, who appeared for defendant, asked far leniency. Defendant, he said, waa not of the highest type. He was only 18 years of ago, and was a hard-working youth.The language complained of . was offensive rather than obscene. The Magistrate said that, according to Mr Justice Sim, anything that tended to offend was indecent. "In this caso," said Mr Day. "I'll make Taggart. his own executioner. I shall not enter a conviction. I shall adjourn thi case for six. months, conditional upon defendant's good behaviour." ' (Before Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M.) POSTAL OFFICER'S LAPSE. * Edwin Scott Pritchard, 29 years' of age, appeared on four charges of. theft of postal packets, containing in all £l7 15s ed. . Mr C. S. Thomas njpcared for accused, ajid Chief-Detective -Mcllveney conducted the case i for tho police. ~,,.' I Chief-Detective Mollvoney stated that as ac- | cuued intended to plead guilty he would, cad only sufficient evidence to make out a prima I facie case. _,..„, ■ * Robert Daniel Kelly, Chief Postmaster at Christchurch, stated that tho accused- had been a postman attached to the Christchurch Post Office. All tho alleged thefts hacV taken place from people in accused's ' round. Complaints had been received • from them, and police investigations were instituted, as a result 6f which accused was arrested. Accused admitted stealing the letters which, wero the subjeot of the charges. To Mr Thomas: AP art fro , m t* I *, ", lc which' accused was r.ow in, he had always borne a good oharacter. Accused was hysterical ana incited to be "gnrT'- H\ h ™J been wounded at the war. Witnyss had rot, noticed any abnormality on the part of ac-: enscel until after his arrest. , p . Lewis Anderson, chief clerk at the Pes. Office, Christchurch, gave evidence as to accused admitting his guilt. . Detective-Sergeant Quarteililain gave evidence as to accused admitting his guilt. -Hewas quite irank about it,'-and made a full confession. In witness's opinion accused w«s suffering from tho effect* of war mjitnes. He -had been drinking rather heavily about the time the thefts, were committed. . Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was allowed, self in; £SO and one eurety of £M, on the understanding that, accused. *voiild appear at the Supreme Court on. Monday, at 10.80 a.m., for sontence. FORGERY. ' Bernard Richard Crean (Mr, P. J. Amodeo) pleaded" guilty to forgiug the nam© of «.. * Woodward to a money-order telegram at Christchurch on March 14th. .' " v. Harriot King, counter clerk at .the Christchurch Post Office, said that on March 14th a' man produced one of'the usual registration cards, bearing- tho name of B.- "Woodwai-d, and asked for % money-order telegram. Witness asked him the name of the remitter, and from what office it was expected, and-he replied that it was from Mies McGregor at Mataure. Witness then handed him, the money-order, and he signed the receipt .ia th» name of It. Woodward. • • ' John Thomas Priestuall. tobacconist, stated tifat accused and another man came into his shop on March Uiii. The other man introduced accused in the uaine of Woodward.' "Witness cashod a money-order, telegram ht the request of accused, who stated that the "Money Order Office was closed. Accused signod tho te!Qgram«"R. Woodward." Detective Quartermain also gave exidencc for the prosecution. Witness; stated .that accused, who had made a cleaii breast of the matter, was a straightforward, voung-. man. when sober; but -became very violent when in ! liquor; and he attributed his lapse in a great, measure to drink. ' • Crean was committed toHhe Supreme Court for sentence, bail being allowed, self in £SO end one surety of £50.. ■ % -J - . ALLEGED THEFT. Joseph John McClmtock, aged 33 (Mr C. S. Thomas) was charged with • breaking and # entering the dwelling-house of Lewis Reginald ' Corsbie, St. Albans, and stealing the sum of £5 0s 9d. Evidence was given by Mario,n Elizabeth Coi-3bie, wife of the complainant, that the money wds stolon from ti cs?h-box on the night of March 15th. Detective J. Bickerdiko stated that he examined plaintiff's and forwarded the cash-box to the Finger-print Department in "Wellington, As a result of the Department's investigations he arrested the accused at Prebbleton. Accused at first .denied the charge, but subsequently said he took tho box. Edward W% Dinnie, senior-sergeant in charge of the Criminal Registration Depart- 1 ment, Wellington, stated that he found the •finger-prints of accused's thumb ■ and little finger on, the- cash-box. He was satisfied that the imprints were made by accused. There were aj3o imprints •of two of accused's other fingers on the box: Mr Thomas suggested that accused should ,b-> placed under observation. There was not much doubt that ho waa.a. criminal, but counsel suggested that ho was not "right in the head.". Accused was abnormal, not only criminally, but mentally. He intended to plead guilty, but counsel said a pica of not guilty would formally be entered so that accused could be placed under observation. Mr McCarthy: He.wfll.be comniitied for trial, and 110 bail will be allowed.

ASHBUKTOX. (Before Mr E. U. Mosley, S.M.) Two first offenders were each, fined 10s and costs on charges of dmmkecuess. • H. Miller was convicted ;tnd ordered, io pay % -!ss costs for a -breach of the railway by-lawa. iieary He.i'ay was fined 20s mid, costs for riding a niotor-cycle at night witho'it a. !i?ht. Janiss Edward Smith and John Wiliiam Patterson were charged .with failing to, attend (kill. The caaes were fJjour.ied for 'two months to give dtiL'ndisnts a change of attending *ll parades up to Juno. 'Tom Hunt (lit Kennedy) wa3 fined £2 and costs and Leslie Holland 10s and cofts for fjiiiiig: to attend drill. .'. E. Gonflay. was fined 6s and costs Cov failing to send his son to the Technical Schoo 1 . against Mary Patterson, S. Tretheway, and Q. Spieer were adjourned for, tho attendance of the> Trtwnt Officer. Judgment was given for plaintiffs in R. McCailum (Mr Orbell) v. Raymond Taylor, £4, with" costs £1 lOs' 6d; T. W. Gudsell (Mr Woods) v. J. Bishop, £6 7s &), and costs £-21Ss-6d: H.. Brain (Mr Orbell) v. Haymond Taylor, £3, and costs £1 10s 6d: and John Orl- and Co. v. B. Toner, costs 19s. Xo order was made in a judgment summons case, A. Orr and Co. (Mr Orbell) "v. TV. G. Watson, claim £ls 4s lid. - " . . The- AsMnnton Technical School ,Mr Ken>u4lt). claimed i'lo3.&< «4,/•■*«,. - f'-yder

Jamieson (Mr Oibeli), for shearing 2953 sheexi. Mr Orbell said his client would consent to' judgment for a sum' at, the rata of 30s per 100 iustead of £3, 'and the caso was adjourned to give the defendant an"; opportunity of paying'at the rate of 30s per 100. ' IN OTHER" PLACES. GIRLS CHARGED WITH ARSON. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TEMSGnAM;) -.■•'. AUCKLAND, April 8. Freda Hutchinson, 14, and Margaret Metcalfe, 18, charged with arson; in connexion wijh the fires at the Door of. H6pe, weie brought before Mr J. W. Poyuton, S.M., for sentence. The Magistrate said that he had decided ' not,, to follow his first, intention of permitting i.i reduction of the- charge to one of raia.chief, Notwithstanding the youth of'the accuseds and the fact that they were partly irresponsible,' the crime was so serious that it should be dealt with by a Judge of the' Court. ..'-The punishment, would not us inoi'o. severe,' but to reduce-so serious a chargo might'.'rsiso- an undesirable precedent, and cause "public Suspicion of special favour. Hutchinson- entered. a plea of. guilty and Metcalfe pleaded not guilty. .-. i ' Both were committed "to the Supreme