THE COURTS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18904, 20 January 1927, Page 14

THE COURTS.

MAGISTERIAL.

WEDNESDAY, before Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M.) . MISCHIEF ALLEGED. A case in -which Bertram George- Bayliss, a toudj single man, was charged with damaging a letter-box belonging to Winter Cole, Kiccarton, was adjourned till next month. It was stated by the police that a cracker bomb had been dropped into Cole's letterbox, where it exploded. The reason of the adjournment was that the constable who was handling the caße was away on leave. DISGUSTING ACT. Charged with casting offensive r matter in a Sydenham street, George Henry Keats, middle-aged, was convicted and fined £3 and costs. BAD LANGUAGE AND ASSAULT. There was uo appearance of Jack Payne. Christchurch, who admitted having used obscene language in Antigua street in December, and having assaulted Alice Forsytho. "Apparently he was under tho influence of liquor at the time," Sub-Inspector J. M. Mathew said. "He grabbed hold of one of two women by the fur around her neck, and called them ." Evidence was given by Mrs Sarah Witto and Mrs Alice Forsythe. "I was just thinking whether I should send him to gaol; but I think the case will be met with by a fine," said his Worship, after hearing the- evidence. He fined Payne £lO and costs for bad language, and £2 and costs for assault. "The wholo thing arose out of a drinking bout," said Payne's counsel, Mr F. W. Stacey. "I suggest that your Worship reduce the fine on condition that he prohibits himself. ... He is willing to tako out an order. Drink caused this trouble." His Worship reduced the £lO fine to £7. IN HER' BACKYARD. A plea of guilty was entered by Elsie Martha Dennis Wright, a middle-aged woman, who was charged with having used obscene language within the hearing of passers-by in Aldred street in December. "She used disgusting language in her own yard, but it was heard by Mrs Thorn, who lives nearby, and she considered it bad," Sub-Inspector J. M. Mathew told the Court. "She had had a few drinks." His Worship convicted and fined accused £2 and costs. He refused to suppress her name from publication in the newspapers. UNLICENSED DEALER. William Hodge (Mr G. P. Purnell) was charged with carrying on the business of a second-hand dealor without being licensed to do so, and with holding himself out as a second-hand dealer. Detective-Sergeant J. B. Young said that accused had previously had a license, which had expired. He made an application for its renewal, but this was refused. Hodgo still carried on the business, although the police had warned him several times, and it became necessary to take steps in the matter. Mr Purnell said that defendant had made himself disliked to the police by the proclamations he had written up in front of his shop. On one occasion his license had been renewed only on the condition that he discontinued the practice of chalking up these views. When his last application was refused, ho was advised that he could sell the stock that he had on hand, but could not buy more goods. On the first charge Hodge was fined £1 and costs, and was convicted and discharged on •the second.

STONE-THROWING. Patrick McMahon and Robert Henry Smith were charged with throwing, nnd Arthur Finch Mark Killick with attempting to throw stones to the danger of property. Sub-Inspector J. M. Mathew said the youths had been throwing stones on tho roof of a Chinese boardingnouse. Smith and McMahon admitted throwing tho stones to annoy the Chinese. Smith was fined £2 and. costs, Killick £1 and costs, and McMahon was admitted to probation for a term of twelve months. BY-LAW BREACHES. R. French was fined £1 and costs for cycling at night without a light. Gordon Haines and C. A. White wero each and costs for leaving motor-cars at night without lights. RAILWAY CROSSING CASES. , Arthur Richard Hawko was charged with riding a bicycle over a railway crossing when the line waa not clear. HA was fined 30s and coats. Norman Gordon Scott was fined £2 and costß for attempting to drive a motor-car over the Lincoln road railway crossing when tho line was not clear. Walter Scott Ettle's was fined £3 and costs for failing to keep a 'vigilant lcok-out for approaching ..trains when passing over tho Riccarton railway crossing. Joseph Keen Ada'mß was fined £5 nnd costs for passing over the Wilson's toad railway crossing when the line was cot dear. In evidence, the crossing-keeper said that defendant had crossaed over when the engine was only five yards- away, .'-rid had nearly knocked down witness. FIGHTING. Robert Richards was charged that on August Ist, 192G, at Papanai, he fought with Charles Herbert Mcllroyj Richards waa fined £5 and costs. , THREE CHARGES. Charles R. Brownie (Mr J. Corbett) was charged with negligent driving in Woidsworth street, with failing 'to produce a license, and with converting to his own use a motor-car valued at £195, the proporty of T. C, Smith. Thomas C. Smith said that on December 24th he had left his motor-car in front of the Excelsior Hotel. When he returned ! it was missing. To Mr Corhett, witness admittsd that he had had a few drmks with Brownie on the morning in question. Mrs E. Carringion said that she was walking along Wordsworth street on f>ncemher 24th,' when rfhs saw a man standing alongside a motor-car. He jumped into the car and backed out quickly, and collided with another car that was passing. Charles R. Brownie stated that on December 24th ho had met T. C. Smith about 9.30 a.m., and they had had a few drinks • together. Witness asked him for a loan of his car, and Smith had said that he could take it. When he was diiving along Wordsworth street the car suddenly stopped. He climbed out and flooded tho carburettor. He then climbed back into the car nnd started it up. It immediately shot backwards, and apparently had oi'6n in revt-jse gear. The only reason that he could give for this was that he must have knocked '.he gear rod- when stepping out of the car. Brownie was fined £3 and costs on the first charge and 10s and icets on th« second. I The information on the third charge was I dismissed.

OBSTRUCTED TRAFFIC. Lawrence William Robert Norton, a yourg man, pleaded not guilty fo cavil? wilfully obstructed traffic in Colombo street. Norton was convicted ano fined £1 a&d costs. CHARGE DISMISSED. Alfred James Lambert (Mr F. D. Sargent) was charged with selling liquor and keeping the Waltham Arms Hotel open after hours. Police evidence was to the effect that a man had been passing the hotel at night, and, seeing a light, had called in for a drink. The licensee refused to supply him, but in order to get rid of the man, had given him a bottle of beer. The informations in'both cases were dismissed. AFTER HOURS. William Power was fined 203 and costs for having been found on tho Waltham Arms Hotel after hours. BREACH OF ORDER. ''Convicted and ordered to pay costs 75," eaid the Magistrate when dealing with the case in which Richard Temple pleaded guilty to a charge of having entered tho Waltham Arms Hotel, he being prohibited. RANGIORA. (Before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M.) Herbert John Parnham, farmer, Scargill, (Mr Tracy) pleaded not 'guilty to a charge laid by Sergeant Caseidy that he did drive a motor-car in a dangerous manner on December 7th,' and a second charge arising out of the above that he failed to report an accident, when his motor-car collided with a motor-cycle. Evidence was given by Ashby Cosgrove that he went ,to view the flood in tne Warmakariri on December 7th On returning home between Chaney's and White's bridge, he was run into by a motor-car driven by defendant. Both he and a mate who was with him were thrown to the ground and hs motor-cycle damaged. He received injuries.to his face and knee and was semiconscious. After hearing defendant's version, the magistrate dismissed the first charge, but in the second action defendant was convicted and fined 10s and costs 17s W«i£"°t f ht by - °- D " Cruicksbanks, IS T *°?» r «*» Kt«nk for having an if 6 ***?' J" withdra ™ by the con-%*-&A ?° XX , t ? ° D cond W°n defendant, paid costs lis and solicitors fees £2 2s. Judgment for p aintiffs ' by default was S T. t [° n °™Z cases:-Commissioner costs 12s; N.Z. Farmers: Co-op. Association

(Mr Smith) v. C. P. Hill, 14s 3d, costs 9s; Johnston's North Canterbury Motor Co. (Mr E D. R. Smith) v. H. J. Sutton, £57 4s 9d, costs £5 2b 6d;' C. B. Betts v. B. Dench, een., £1 18s, costs 8s; L. W. Dench v. Robert F. Campbell, £3 14s 3d, costs £1 14s 6d; Golding Bros. v. J. B. Chinncry, £l3 15s Gd, costs £1 7s. Edward Watson, eighteen years of age, was granted exemption from attending the territorial military camp on February 2nd, on condition that he attended tho auxiliary camp later.' Thomas MeGrath (Mr M. J. Gresson) claimed from John Catherwood (Mr E. D. R. Smith), £3 18s 6d, for an alleged breach of warranty in connexion with the purchase of a cow at the Rangiora saleyards on September 7th. After a lengthy hearing, in which a large number of witnesses was called, Mr Mosley said he was satisfied that the cow was sound when sold, and nonsuited plaintiff with costs £3 Is,