HUTT AND PETONE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 528, 8 June 1909, Page 2

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS

ituou ona 61'echu UEwactß.l > ■' : .■' ■•— ——«— : ;. ' ■ • . ■ ■■ THE HUTT LICENCES. A PETITION TO-PARLIAMENT, , A sequel to the recent Magisterial inquiry into tho Hutt Licensing poll, is about to. coino before tho public. A reporter learned yesterday from n member of tho No-License party, that members of that organisation consider that the rulings of the Court on essential points were not only inconsistent' with former rulings—some by tho same Bonch—but unfair and opposed to the whole spirit of the inquiry. Over tho ruling that' tho Court had no power to inquire into anything antecedent to-the poll, they aro diguant, especially after the Masterton ruU ing, in an opposite direction, on tho earne point. They think that the Act should bo so worded as to prevent such inquiries being reduced to what they hold to bo'a farce. They also believe that the decision was not according to tho weight of cvidenco, and they aro going to press (for alterations in tho Act,,, removiiig such inquiries from tho jurisdiction of. Magistrate's Court to the Supreme Court, giving either'party tho , legal right to appoint■■ scrutineers, and sep« ' arating the officers of registrar and returning officer.' Thoy also wishto know how it , is that persons, convicted of irregularities on polling day have not yet been: reported by the Court to the 'Minister for Justice.'-. Replying to a request for. information; on : this point, the Minister for. Justice (Hon. Dr. Fmdlay) wrote a few daye • ago' as fol» lows:— . ■ ~ ■■•;■•■.'-•

'I, have tho honour to , acknowledge ■ : . the receipt of yonr letter of — instant, • : inquiring whether a prosecution has been?,': instituted against ono in connection with the Hutt Licensing poll; and, in :■: reply, to inform.you that no report of--'-' any irregularity committed by'.—i— was . ; madoito me by, the Court of Inquiry, ■• and no proceedings for prosecution'have' • ; been taken." -,- \v " ■'::■" . - A 4 petition .is now being ■'framed by ' th« v solicitors of the party, and it : ie expected ' tliat severalhiindrcds of. signatures Vrill.be;" obtained. It is hoped by the promoters'; of', : the movement that the inquiry proceedings ■' will be discussed fully on the floor of the House. ■'■ : '..■■ . : • . :. ■ :

HUTT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. V t .A sitting of tlie Magistrate's Court wai v held at Lower Hutt yesterday morning, Dr. ; Jl , Arthur, S.M., presiding. ' ...:■' Cruelty to Horses;—On the information of ' the Society; for the Prevention' of Cruelty : to Animals, Walter Jlqore, coach proprietor,' of Taita, was charged that, on May 10, he '.. ill-treated two horses, by driving' them while „ they were in a low condition.. Air. G. Toogood, who conducted the case for,tho society," :.. tondercd. the ovidonco of Frederick Seed '■ (Inspector of the 5.P.0.A.), and Daniel ' Spillman (veterinary surgeon), both of whom v stated that the horses had' been 'working ' with broken' knees 'and. ; bleeding shoulders. '■- A fine of. £5,\ with £2 2s. costs, was ini. ' posed. .■'■: ■■.■•':. ..•-..- ■'. ;' ■. ". ... Three Informations Adjourned.—William' ' Aubrey, settler, for whom Mr. ■ Craoroft . Wilson appeared, was " charged. with that, ';' ou May 28/ ho assaulted Annie Higgott, wife of Frank Higgott (licensee of the ■ Railway Hotel, Lower. Hutt), by striking her in the '■, fnce, Mr. J. J. M'Grath, for the inform. nnt, asked leave- to; withdraw; the charge.;" ine; Magistrate , demurred; ' and remarked ''■'■' that,ho was to sit later in the day iir'' Hie , capacity of chairman of tho. Licensing; ' \ Committee, and members of the Boncn. might want;tb know why-the case had been''' : passed over. ; Mr. Higgott had only a tern-' , porary license, and the committee would have to .consider whether it should bo made'' permanent.' Mr. M'Grath thereupon agreed ' : to go on-withthe ease. It had been' simply,;' . he said, an act of grace on the part: of the iconseo m withdrawing tho charge. Accused' :■' had already niado' an apology arid had of- ■' fered, to'.apologi6o again through the press, v Hearing was' , adjourned until next 'Court V day, and two other iiiformations'against tho accused wero also, adjourned: (1)' driving -a : > sulky in River Bank Street without a light; ;■ and (2) behaving.in a quarrelsome mariner in the Railway Hotel, and refusing to leave, • whon requested to do so by the licensee. Undefended, cases.—Judgment was given for . plaintiffs by .default in the following ' oases:—Mary Jane Grant (Mr. Dix) v, Mi ■• Callingham (Lower Hutt). for £2 10s.-, iand : ss.', costs; Government Advances, to Settlers ~'■■ Department: v. Henry and Mary Stiffert ,'." (Day's Bay), for £11 6s. Bd., and £1 .Bs.' ■ . costs; James Butler v. Harry Meech (Lower Hutt), for £1; 25.,. arid;ss. costs. . '; : Judgment Summonses.—Georgo Chong.,-. claimed from Bert Curtis the,sum of £3 on avprevious order.;, Debtor did not appear, and;- ; an order, was made against him for payment' ;v'i before June'2l, in default three days' inx prisonmont. ■ A wbros claim (£lO 18s.) wa( put in.by William H.'B.-Carter (Mr. J. J., ; Ji'Grath) against Frederick H. Evans, nur" aor.v'man (trading' as. Evans and, C 0.). ,■.. Dc ■•■■'. fendant stated.that his earnings'during th< , last couple of month? had been practicallj ■ nil. Ho. had had seven sales of, plants r0»: ■...,-. ccntly, and had disposed of £250 B'prtb. o/* \ stock for about £80./, Tho money had com •'. to various creditors. ; His , book cfebta; amounted to about £280 and he owed suma, totalling £350. The stock was worth about.,"'* £800.V An, order was made by-the.Court foi ,; - the payment of £1. weekly, in default soven, ' days imprisonment. Charles Jackson .(Mr. •'■ M'Grath) claimed from James,Ferguson (Mr. Machel) the sum of £67, on a judgment sum- ; r mons. . Evidence was given of various traneactions on tho part of the debtor, and an ', adjournment was granted in order that ooun- , sol for tho judgment creditor might make" inquiries. '';■'■' : ' ■'.',• . "•'■■■':'■'. A Dairyman's Difficulty.—ln claiming £21 ■'".'.: 10s. from John Chas. Hamilton, of Lower . Hutt, William T.Luxton stated that he.was a dairy farmer South Makara. At a sale conducted by Mr.' H. E. Loighton at WaU ,• wetu, he had bought two cows, for N £6 125.: > 6d. and £4 17s. Cd., on the .understanding that they'would calve within a few, weeks. .-. This expectation had not been fulfilled, "and he liad coßscquently been deprived of their increased value. Mr- G.Toogood called fivo other witnesses in support of:plaintiff's case . —Alfred Flood York (auotioneer)^Archibald ■•■': i Colquhoun (farmer, of tlio Hutt Road), Ed- ■ win Oscar Lower (of Karori), R. J.' Farr, and B. G. H. Burn. Mr. Perry (for defend- ■..-",. ant) contended that' plaintiff was not en- ~/■' titled to damages (£lO being; claimed); if there was repudiation of contract, and the Magistrate agreed to hoar argument:on tbir, : point to-morrow morning, in AYellington. ' Electric Wiring Contract.—Josiah Dawson i electrical contractor, who was represented ,','.. by Mr. Ayson, claimed from John A.-Pow-lie (Mr. R. F. Smith) the sum of £19 35.. : 2d.j in , , payment of a contract performed at '. Otnki Sanatorium. Defendant. confessed judgmorit for £12 15s. sd. ' His Worship \ gave judgment for the amount - confessed, and defendant was allowed oostG amounting ■ to £3 4s: od. ■ ' .:■, A Stack of Hay.—The sale of a stack ol■:..•. hay brought Phofllio Flutv to Court with a ■ ola'im of £20 ap;aiiist William nnd.A." KorvV Mr. M'Grath, who appo.irod for the plaintiff, ... stated that. Fluty nnd his daughter ,(tli»;' plaintiff)'hud'leased from the • defendants. .. four an'd a half ames at Noi-Nai, for two ". years, with right of purchase fo-r £1000. The' ' lento was a verlnl one, and plaintiff remained in possession from December \ List ~. until Ufarrh 33. -While in possession, ho Imd cropped tlie land of oats and crass, whirh :■' j made a stack weighing about five tons. ~ removed to Silvcrst.rcam, and aii ttrrntiaemciit was nindo with tho new tenant, Walker, that ho would remove the liny iw lie needed it, for winter Wd., Only one load wns removed, arid then. Tint} , found thnl fh» stnek had lieeii sold by Kcr to a man named Knicht. Evidence for the plaintiff was par- : tially heard, and the.case was adjourned fof . a week. ; , ; . ■■■'~ . ■/ .-'