MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 158, 28 March 1908, Page 15

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

—. —s —— , , 1 ' POLICE CASES. '-(Before Mr. W. G. RiddoU, S.M.) DISTURBANCE ON A FERRY BOAT. - '' A SERIOUS ASSAULT. ' •' A*.'a-'seoucl to,a disturbance, on the,ferry steamer CgMntess on tho.snisht'of February ■ 15, r Jolun ■ Alexaudor 11 !Donnld , ..wns', charged ■-i.with : i unlawfully assaulting ... Jacoo Nathan : Isaacs. .Defendant entered'a plea .o£ guilty, v \ Mr.-.Toogood for;, accused- informed ■ Hia AVor:v . shipv\that'.'.Binco • the -caso was . beforo the v ; . Court.:- last ', weokr he,»■ had ~ gono : -into the !: t mattdr,.'.and v 'b4d. advised his, cliont to plead guilty Counsel' explained'that accused was j v. going :to Day's' Bay in the steamor Countess: :y:.. ' , on the Saturday night ingestion.. -Ho was ..undor! tho 'influence of liquor -and was not an ! The ' captain .remonstratedi with accused-and told • liimvhe would have to go ashore, Honevei, , ;rf-he i was iibt-.p)it:jfls!iore ) I ,''and soo"n : ;,after, the • /:^ o ai;[3ot;oiit;fp r 'tlie.'Baya.tr..was alleßocl .that '- : Isaacs accosted him in a manner, which ac- : cused : rescntcd. .When- the vessel was-near- ■■■:. . - ing ; tho. other. sifle. qf- tho harbour accused was"'surrotiil(lod 'by a number'of .men and Ti'-x- i • harshly treated.'-"' M'Donald was a young . / mair, and- come from South Africa ,a ■few .months' ago.- Ho had been-m Now-/Zea- : , land -before,: and had been employed- as- asteward by various shipping companies: He v rbsentM* interference oil Hie , boat, _ . ; .'and <struck.- Isaacs.. called? evi^enco. - -as to/the previous good character .of accused, j arid js'Tlggested ■ : ' be. served if ' defendant - were : cpnvicted and ■ ordered to come-up.for sentence when called upon. l ' * 1 > " Sub-Inspector O'Donovan stated that; tho, i', !• assault bad.been a very severe ope. Isaacs, ■ ,vwho>;;>was/ wearing... spectacles,-.- spoke to MfD'o)iald .ab'out:-his. behaviour,', wlieny with- ,; v . Btruck' ; lsaacs on the faco.-'. Tho blow broke

the spectacles and 'forced a piece of glass - • ,int-o of"rlsaacß'- i'cyes,-. rendonng,-,him ':• v nnponsciouß,. .-.Subsequently,', en neanng -the : ' - Bay,: defendJuitragiwiiSt-ruck;!lpaac3,v>As;.a:, ■ : result ofr, tho aspault Isaacs had-.to bavo .an ■ > operation performed on his- eye, and. another, . on his'jaw to:, relieve: thev,eye;; Ho.waSiUnder, the •' care., ofv a doctor . 'for' five .' weeks, ~tho < medical'-expenses amounting to £13 13s. ,- 'In..giving,>:hi3» decision:,-His - -AVorship., ro- ' marked| that! defendant - had pleaded guilty, -to'-tho'iicharge-:of his v cqunsel. had stakdjthat the. assault was-:committed • whilst defendant: was-under-the influence-of liquor. Jl'Tlie ■ taking 'of -liquorwas. < a'.volum tary. act .on tbe, part of any pqrson, -and; it was absolutely necessary that; passengers travelling-either .-by land-'or'sea, should con-' duct themselves m a proper manner. The two sides of the question .presented to the • -i : Court varied considerably,'.but thoro-was no :; ' doubt ;that' the\-assault was- a- serious one; Tl'.o Court could not consider tho matter in <the light it had been presented by tho counsel for the defonce i • ... Accused .would bo convicted and fined £}0, .. in -default .six-'-'wecks'., uupnsonment, .half- - tlic 'fine ,to be paid to,Mr..lsaacs. - Seven ' •.( / days / were.-?-allowed,r mv .which to"-; pay - the money' ■ UNLAWFULLY ON PREMISES ■ Pleas'of:guilty wero'ontored:bjr.Editli,Firth l and. Anniq Leslie •Cox,- I tg charges) of: having; been fouhd - at night without -lawful excuse- . in .< dwelling-house situate m Tory;, Street, ' It was by, the--police that the houso in which had been.-found was an unoccupied dwelling . in_ winch i five _ seamnn- ; had been fouwV: earlier 7 in' tlie" week'."" Tne 1 ;V, : . -doors...of r.tlieV^lio'use.i-w^ •'• was;i(effected „ th'rbugh"',a: ' window'.' Both defendants had been . wandering about the . city ; oflate, - one having an'ived from • Christchurch - recently, • and- the • other, from :Palmerston The accused aslced- for •. a'-chanco, .anoij-desiring,- to return to Pal- • , - merston'j'antt tlic other asking to be allowed ; to go; to' a Defendant Cox was. - convicted, and' ordered,,to come up"*for sen-' ■ -called upon on -condition that , -,' r . shet- i left.;. , fdr ! i Pnllnerston ; by, the . afternoon : - . tram. . Defendant'-Firth .was 'convicted and ,: ordered'ta come up for sentence--wheni called^ . upon .on condition, that-"she .-went into the> .Salvation Army.Homo'for;bne;.month.', : THEFT OF ,BOOTS ( i •••• % ! 'Hughi Mullins pleadedveiultyato iavpliargo :: of .. -three pairs ■ or-boits; of a .total • value, of, £1 os. .9d,; the property of Frank Leece. ! -O'Donovnn ,\ stated ■ : that; defendant was scon walking m front of ' , : Leece's shop for some time, and subsequently: : ~ picked up, thorboots and went off up.tlio j-. - Btrcet~with thera. He was followed and'the :. boots Vere. - recovered from him. The defence • ;by;accused v/as that he had been "drinking:, too ,much.- A sentence of one i - monthls imprisonment with hard labour was " ■ . ... : . - ■ ■. - ,: | , CH.UIGES OF THEFT ■vThonias: George, alias. M'Guire, and-.-.A\yil-,liam.'Jolinson iwero : remanded until April 1 on in charge of; one: travellinc trunk' \ containing lady's weat-ing apparel valued' at ■: A-. : aboiitl£so,tho.property. of Mrs. M.&tanlov. .The; police explained that accused had only . been.arrested the-prpvjous night, and it was ' . unppssible-to.go on with the case,at once. -Itichard Harris appeared on remarid on a charge of-having,-on,-August 27, 'stoleit a ... silver}watch:-valued at £-1 from one' Donald .Jl'Leod.:/ On the application of Chief Detec- .. tive .M'Grath,,: accused, who'-entered a plea ; ofvpofc^guilty/-''was...furtberr , .remanded until ■ March 30/ the' polico having .been, unable to .'' get: in;':tbtie|i with,, the prosecutor. ' \ | MISCELLANEOUS . Charles Frank Stanley Burko appeared on jomand charged A.'ith failing to provido his ffire jvitli adoquatc means of maintenance, . ind consented,to an order for the pavment of- 15s._per. week. All .order was -made acI eordingly.,. .T^vo-first offenders, for drunkon- ; , aess were dfcalt with,' ono-being-convicted I md, fined 10s.,jjii-default 2-1 hours' imprison- \ mont,- and tho-;other being connoted and 1 ■ ined f>B., with:the alternative bf 24 hburs' \ tupnsonment. ?;i:' .. ;. ' •■ . . 1