MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 62, 6 December 1907, Page 4

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

■■.* ■■; ■ . ■ ■_■ ■' ■■;■•■ POLICE CASES. ;-,.;.■ (BoJFpro,M : Riddell, S.M.) '^TtaITiSATHERGANG. ,, ' ' boys'. SmOKJSS "OF '.THE : BLECH,,QRDERiib, ■, The peregrinations of the band of boys who,, have-becorao known during the ]ast few iveoks as the"'Feather Gang,'"were further investigated before' tho Juvenile 'Court yesterday morning. : Tho boys, with' their parents and guardians, made a formidable array in the Court,' but, as was the case on the.day when they .were.first brought before the "Magistrate,,.the youthful offenders aptreat the whole proceedings as a species,'6f. entertainment which did not interest them greatly. Towards the end of tho case, wlieh His Worship began to mention the birch, the lads pricked up their respective ears, and suddenly showed an interest in what'was-being said.- The charges preferred against the:• boys, whoso ages ranged Irom, eight years' to fourteen years, were briefly outlined, by Chief-Detective M'Grath, who informed tho Court: that the boys, ,in pairs and trios, had broken into the warehouses or stores of Messrs. \V. Smart, Dalgety and Co., AY. Cable, Gordon and Gotch, and E. f. Taylor, and also into tho Drill-shed, and had stolon a quantity of lead, three pairs of gum boots, some tools, and small quantities of goods'from some of the places entered, and had' damaged a' building. It was explained that the boys broke into Messrs. Gordon and Gotch's promises by means of a key. Thoy did not steal anything, but .tossed things about ■generally. At. Cable's foundry bhe boys broke about forty windows, an entrance to the building being effected through a window. A few things were taken. .Taylors promises were entered by. one of the smallest of the boys, who was pushed up through a hole in the floor, so as to open tho door for his companions. Some cigars and cigarettes were taken, but the children, imagining that someone was : chasing them, dropped the booty in tho street, where it was picked up by some youths and handed' to the police. A number of. band.instruments in the Drill-shed werb' damaged' to the extent of about £5, and the building was damaged to the extont of 30s. Tho" building whs being altered, and tho boys got in. with the aid.of a ladder which was used by the carpenters. Outside of the lead, which had been sold to a dealer, nono of the property was missing. The Chief-Detective mentioned that the boy who appeared to be the ringleader had a considerable number of keys in his possession. Two or three' minor charges, to which pleas of "not' guilty " ..wore entered, were withdrawn to facilitate'.business; as tho boys were also concerned in other charges. His Worship remarked that the boys had obviously got beyond the control of their parents, and had;been allowed to roam about without' thought and''without' care. Tho children appeared to have little idea of right or.wrong, and tho. parents wore to blame for not exercising that regular control, supervision,; and discipline, the lack of which, he considered, was,-tho root of the trouble that the boys had got .into. They had apparently cbhie into'contact with older boys, and had learned bad ways.-..-.-.Tho,.Court would treat the. several.ott'ences'collectively. All of the boys, .with'"the of one, against whom the. charge.yn's' withdrawn, wers convicted on one charge, and penalties were imposed as, follow:—t(1), Ordered to receive six strokes of the .bjrcTii'in. the presence of the other boys, and /also to be committed to an Industrial School; (2) six strokes of tho birch,.and .ordered to bo sent to relatives : n the country; ..(3), .four strokes of the birch and to'g'o!!to relatives away from town; (4) four strokes,of the birch; (5) eight strokes of the ' birqh.'and; ordered to bo committed to aii industrial .School; (6) eight strokes .of the. birch and ordered to take an offer of employment "in. tlie' country. Tho parents were to. restore tho sum of £6 10s. for damage done, contributing in equal proportions. ' ~'".' " ;'.'■' ■ ' STOW AAV AYS. Pleas of:". Guilty " Were entered by Joseph Anderson arid' John Dean to charges of having travelled from Sydnoy to Wellington by.'tho ynioil Company steamer Marama without ..paying, their respective fares, £4 25..6d;....The police stated that Anderson arrived in Sytlnpy , from Capo Colony about 'tori' days ■before, the Marama loft for Wollirigto.n. DeantTiTci been in Australia for about; two years. His Worship entered a conviction' and fine of £5, in default one month's imprisonment, in each case, and ordered tho amount' of tho faro to be paic out of the fine.

A MILKMAN IN TROUBLE. Harry Mogdridge, who pleaded " Guilty " on Jlondav to a cbargo of receiving tho sum of £2 2s. in terms requiring him to account for tho samo to his employer, George Edwards, and converting tho same to his own use, came forward for sentence Mogdridgo was engaged delivering milk and collecting , accounts for Edwards. His Worship remarked that tho evidence showed that dofondant had committed the offence knowing what, he was about, and a penalty must be imposed. .Defendant would be convicted and fined £3, and. ordered to refund tho amount' of. tho money taken, in default 21 days' , imprisonment. A ROGUE AND VAGABOND: Catherine Thatcher appeared on a charge of drunkenness and of being a rogue and vagabond having no visible lawful means of support. A sovere sentence was asked for by tho police, who stated that defendant had a long list of previous convictions against her name, and Tiad boon bogging, and lying about tho streets in a state of'drunkenness. On tho first charge a sentence of soven days' imprisonnient was imposed, and on tho second information accused was sentenced, to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. MINOR CASES. " William Milligau was convicted and fined 10s., in default 48 hours'' imprisonment for insobriety. On.e first offendor was convicted and fined 10s., in default 48 hours' imprisonment, and : two were convicted and 'discharged, piio'being ordered to pay 175.. 6d., medical bxpenses, out of money found in his possession. ■ CIVIL BUSINESS. DEBT SUMMONSES. (Beforo Dr. A. .M'Arthur, S.M) Judgment was entered for plaintiff, by default of defendant, in the following civil cases:—Ryan Bros. v. Sydney R. Hackott, £17 45., costs £1 10s. 6d.; Bernard Portman v. Mark Cronin, £2 Is. Id., costs 55.; Wellington Gas Company, Ltd., v. George Marshall, £1 Is. 9d., costs' Cs.; J. W. Wallace and Co. v. William Langlands and Co., £4-17s. 2d,, costs'. 10s.; Harold Doorey v. Sydney Paton, £5 18s., costs £1 3s. 6d.; Massad Goer v. Joseph Habib, £19 4s. lOd., sosts £2.05.6 d.; Wellington Gas Company, Ltd.,. v. David Dickson, 18s. 9d., costs 55.; Charles Cathie .v. Wilfred Willis, £4, costs 125.; Commercial Agency, Ltd., and E. W. Mills and Co., Ltd., v. Thomas Merson, £13 3s. 10d.,. costs. £1 10s. 6d.; Charles Henry Howoll v. Benjamin Bailey, £2, costs 75.; Rosenberg and Co. v. John H. Ireson, £4, ind costs 10s., or return of chattels. JUDGMENT SUMMONSES. In the judgment summons case, Catherino Lawless v.' William Henry Brook-Wolls, a 3obt of £4 Is. 6d., debtor, was ordered to pay on or before Decembor 19, in default iovon days' imprisonrnpnt in Auckland gaol. No orders were made in the following ;ases: — Wairarapa Farmers' Co-operative Association, Ltd., v. William M. Thomson, 1 dobt of £14 145.; Barber and Co. v. lesso Jackson, a debt of £5 lls. 9d,: Dannerirko Co-operativo, Association, Ltd., v. John Cummings, a debt of £22 65.; Samuel Smiler Patterson v. Anton Ppulson, a dobt )f £3 16s. Bd.; and Cnrrad and Howe v. William Hounslow, a dobt of £7 Is. 6d. WAITRESSES, IN' PURSUIT OF WAGES. '' . WAS THERE A STRIKE ?.'.'. •': -■'.'. (Bofore Mr. W. G. Riddoll, S.M.) A batch of eight omployees of an eatingliouso brought civil ■ claims against E. J. Soarl and T." P. Lyons for wages alleged to _bo duo. The plaintiffs and the amounts :laimed were as follow:—Leo Do Laval, £3, 175.. 2d.; Harry May, £7 Bs. 6d.; Marie, Musgrovo, £1 155.; Martha Mokelson, £2 55.; Ethel Soper, £1 7s. 6d.; Muriel Cah'ill, 17s. 6d.; Mary Finnaly, £2 12s. 6d.; and Millicont Smith, £9. Mr. Dunn appeared for the plaintiff ahd'Searl, aud Mr. for Lyons. ■■, - ■..-■ ,' ..- 1:. . . , Witnesses for the complaiiiarits stated that there had been some, dissatisfaction amongst the employees, who went up in a body to interview Mr.-Lyons, .with tile idea of having the conditions of work altered, and of arriving at a proper understanding. If ho had agreed,to their terms they would have been willing-to stop,'.but if, not, they had intended to leave. The spokosnian started to speak, and had said the'words, " We aro going," when Lyons immediately stopped him, and said, " You can all go." What tho spokesman intended to say was "Wo are going to make.a complaint," but Lyons would not lot him get this far. When' Lyons told them to go, there was nothing for it but to. go, and they aU,left.' There was no intention of leaving when , they wont to see Lyons,, and a.suggestion that tho employees had been incited to .strike by Searl was not correct.. ' There was,( no : organised strike Lyons gave them no notice, and consequently the' employees claimed forty-oight hours' wages in lieu of notice, in addition to wages owing. • . ■ ■ For tho defence it was alleged that the strike was a prearranged affair. Defendant Soarl stated that ho tried in overy possible way to avert a strike,'' as such a happening was against his interests. He knew the employees were dissatisfied,- but personally, ho had never discharged any of them. He had no causo to complain about any of his servants, every hand being a good one. Thos. P. Lyons detailed Jiis early troubles with one of his principal servants, which led him to believe that the sorvants wero going to strike. One of tho men cooks eventually camo to him and-said, "Wo are all going to strike." Somo of thorn were dressed ready to go out. Subsequently the servants all wont out. Two of tho cooks, and then tho girls, camo back and asked for their wages, but ho refused them.. Ho did not know what was duo to them. Witness had had no intention of dismissing any of tho servants before # the tronble aroso. ' If they had come to him in the proper manner ho would have paid their wages. When they left, everything in the kitchen was upside down. At this stage the whole pi the' cases were adjourned until Tuesday. A SIGNWRITING CONTRACT. Harold Doorey, signwriter, sued Chas. R. B:' Maltby, bookseller, for £1 for signwriting done on a window. Judgment was given for plaintiff for the amount claimed, and costs Bs. Mr. von Haast appeared for plaintiff. r , A HIRED HORSE KILLED. (Beforo. Dr. A. M'Arthur, S.M.) Lyons, Limited (Mr. Bunny), sued W. 0. Oldham, laundryman (Mr. Johnston), for £25, alleged to be the value of a horse hired by defendant from. plaintiff, and which was killed in Talavera Terraco while' being driven by a servant of defendant. It wns stated that defendant's ' servant was delivering washing, when the horse to6k : fricht on tho approach of a Kolburne tram! The driver was endeavouring to swerve.the horse round a corner in ordor to stop it when it broke its leg, and had to be destroyed. Judgment was given for plaintiff for the amount claimed, and costs £5 14s. CLAIM FOR RENT. Francis James Grace sued G. de Stefano for £3 lls. 6d., rent allcacd to bo due, After hearing the evidence His Worship gave judgment for £3 55., and costs £1 7s. Mr. Johnston appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. Cook for defendant. An Exeter importer is supplementing tho offorts of tho corporation of that city to prevent deaths of children from overlaying by selling to poor people, at a ponny each, disused orange boxes, which can be used as infants' cots. Mr. C. E. Searles, of Chclmsford; in a paper read to the mombors of tho Ipswich Gardonors'. Association, pointed to tho great demand that has arisen for salads, even with hot meals, arid advised gardeners to make tho most of so golden an opportunity. The Police Commissioner of tho City of London states in n return that at tho prepresont time there are in his district no "habitual criminals" either thieves or receivers.