MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24901, 14 June 1946, Page 3

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

THURSDAY (Before Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M.) THEFT OF SUITCASES Ernest Alfred Doreen (Mr J. K. Moloney) pleaded guilty to four charges of stealing suitcases and contents, valued in all at £l3l 6s 6d. Detective-Sergeant A. A. Herron said that accused had taken the four suitcases from the Christchurch railway station after the arrival of expresses. Accused had been helpful to, the police in recovering the stolen goods, and goods to a value of only £ll 8s 6d had not been recovered. Accused had “a long list.” Mr Moloney said that the offences were committed while the accused was under the influence of liquor. Accused was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on each of two of the charges, the sentences to be cumulative, and convicted and discharged on the others, UNLAWFULLY ON PREMISES Four persons appeared on a charge of being found illegally on enclosed premises without lawful excuse—in the grounds of the Roman Catholic Cathedral. They were Charles John Hunter, who was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment; Dallas McNicol, who was fined £2; John McElwee, who was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment; and Olive May Waldron, who, because of her record of previous convictions, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. Sub-Inspector G. J. Paine said that as the result of a complaint the four accused had been found at 2.30 a.m. yesterday in an outhouse in the cathedral grounds. Waldron was wanted by the Health Department. for examination. 1 REMANDED George William Scott (Mr J. K. Moloney) was remanded to appear on June 20, on a charge that, being a person against whom a maintenance order had been issued, he attempted to leave New Zealand, in an attempt to evade the terms of the order. Bail was allowed. THEFT OF CORNET John Francis Harnett (Mr P. H. -T. Alpers) pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a cornet valued at £2O, the property of the Crichton Cobbers’ Club, and was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. Mr Alpers said that when the accused gave possession of the comet to a second-hand dealer he had thought he was getting a loan on it, and not selling it. He had since tried to get it back. On a second charge, of stealing a cycle valued at £4 10s, the property of Ronald Robinson, accused was sentenced to one rhonth’s imprisonment, the sentence to be concurrent with the other. Accused had pleaded not guilty to the second charge. FORGERY CHARGE The withdrawal of a total of £69 from the Post Office Savings Bank in Christchurch by two withdrawal slips in the names of other persons was the basis of five charges against David Roy Green. He faced twb charges of forgery, one of causing a Post Office employee to act on one of the withdrawal slips as if it were genuine, one charge of stealing £2B, and another of stealing £4l, the property of the Postmaster-General.

Mr P. H. T. Alpers, for the accused, said that he should like, if possible, a medical examination to be made of his client, who had suffered a serious head injury recently, which, it was claimed, had changed his whole course of behaviour.

It was stated in evidence that accused had gone to the Chief Post Office Savings Bank and presented two withdrawal receipts—ope for <2B purporting to be signed by L. W. Green, and one for £4l purporting to be signed by R. Kirk. Neither L. W. Green, a brother of the accused, nor Kirk, had given the accused authority to have Green’s or Kirk’s bank book, or to sign their names to withdrawal slips. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence on the indictable charges, and sentence was reserved on the others. He pleaded guilty. CASTING OFFENSIVE MATTER Colin Bart Hurd was fined £2 for casting offensive matter in a public place. FINED FOR ASSAULT Euan Douglas Taylor (Mr W. R. Lascelles) was fined £3 when he pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Gilbert Messenger, a taxi driver. Sub-Inspector Paine stated that the offence occurred after a party. A taxi had been summoned, and four of the defendant’s companions had got in. When two more persons tried to enter the car, the driver said he could take only five passengers. After an argument, Taylor went round to the driver’s side of the taxi and struck Messenger. There was no doubt that the defendant was under the influence of drink at the time. Mr Lascelles said that Taylor had long war service, and was still "nervy and irritable.” He admitted becoming argumentative. He had taken certain words spoken by the driver as an ihvitation to settle the argument by direct action. It was the duty of a taxi-driver to refuse to take more than five passengers, stated the Magistrate, imposing the fine. NAME SUPPRESSED A young man, whose name was ordered to be suppressed, was charged with the theft of a child’s tricycle. Mr R. A. Young appeared for the defendant, and .after hearing evidence the Magistrate dismissed the charge under the Offenders’ Probation Act. INSULTING LANGUAGE Desmond Collins, a clerk, was fined 20s for using insulting language in a public place. Mr J. K. Moloney appeared for the defendant. ON LICENSED PREMISES The following were fined 20s for being on licensed premises after hours:—John S. Burke, Eric Lionel Shaw, Raymond McKersey, Martin Brown, Charles Chesman, Trevor Victor McNeilly, Henry John MilwSST 1 against William Beil and John Weir (Mr J. K. Moloney) of being on licensed premises after hours were dismissed. CIVIL CASES (Before Mr A. A. McLachlan. S.M.) JUDGMENT BY DEFAULT Judgment for plaintiff, by default, was V !Vk ln the civil cases:—R. G. >L bb y J- HardJ e. £B5; Booth, Macdonc°mpal ?y- v- W. E. Ward, ,?• P 2~ ne!l and Company, Ltd., v. v 7 * os £ d; N - W.*Tillman, Ltd v. V. S. Roberts, £4 4s.