MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 657, 6 November 1909, Page 14

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr. W. G. Biddall, S M) , The police had a regular field day at the Magistrate's 'Court yesterday, prosecutions for vanous/offonces engaging the attention of Mr. W. 6. Kiddell from 10 o'clock in the morning until afW i o'clock in .the afternoon. ~\ ,p .' , \'!r' * ,f V SL7 GRpOj^ELLING.' Six weeks' imprisonment was the penalty imposed tupon Charles Cunningham for slj> grogsellrng. . The evidence showed, that Constable Meiklejobll,, disguised as ,a tramp, and simulating physical distress, had induced one, Wilson, to pUt/him m tho way of procuring some Btimnlants in a certain bunddy morning Wilson introduced the constable to 1 Cunningham, who agreed\to supply the liquor, and the three repairedLto Ehor Street (off Taranati and Tory Strjets), whore beer (for a monetary consideration) was transferred from Cunningham's ' inside coirc-pocket to the constable's alimentary system \]s In accordance with a pre-arranged plar>„of tction, Sergeant Rutledge strolled into Ebor Strßs as the party wero returning, and going ttu'ough the accused's coat pockets, abstracted two bottles and a small glass in which there stall" remained a sediment of beer.'aad some f/oth *■ * ' Mr appeorod)for<.,the accuscdJVwho ploaded J riot'guilty. 3TO **■ ' •"'■ The defence was a general denial of the facts Accused stated that there was no sale, and 1 that he was taking the beer to his stable in Taranaki t "Street, where he had invited two friends to meet *"" and partake of his hos His worship disbeliewd the statement of accused, wtio had been previously convicted of sly grog-solliug, and sentenced/ him to sue weeks' imprisonment*' 'l' ' ' v " ' -, ' _J? * ' '" ' ' " " ALLEGED DISORDERLY HOUSE ) A considerable portion of the time of the Court wa,i taken up with the hearing of a charge preferred against a woman named Annm Briisnahan (abas Bradbury), of keeping ta disorderly house in College Street, Francis jßrosnahan 1 was charged with assisting in tho management of the house, Accused wero re -presented]by Mr. 'Ayson. while Sub-Inspector "Norwood 'conducted the case for the police. jAfter hea.ing the evidence, his "Worship rei jfmanded toe accused imtil No\ember 10, •in ( Wder Jo*'determine; f "law pouts', submitted by 'counsel. Bail was allowed. AH INTERESTING POINT Charges lof being idle and disorderf-Oper «ms, without sumeient lawful means of sup port wero preferred against Alice Dennistoi (alias Walson), Stella Taylor (abas Marsbn) and Maggie M'Hugh (alias Hargroaves). Mi. WiUord; who appeared for the accusec Denniston, raised an interesting point on thi question 01, what constituted "sumciont lawfu > means-of support," and quoted an authority as follows, 1 — i "How aiman gets his,money, so Ion,? as i is his money, and has not been obtained b; ", a crjmo such as theft robbing—in whicl 4 case it ( woiild not bcilpgally his^jno'hey- L can l>* not be inquired into-Mindor Jhis section ' "Where he gets the money?by keeping 1 a gam ing house lie no doubt'tommits an offenco b 1 leepmg tlilit gaming'"house, but the mone; he gets by. that is his money, and money i visible and lawful means of support" ' Given hisj chant had a bank book, submita counsel, it'was a question whether, in viot 1 of the rulhg he nad just quoted, tho prose j cution should withdrawn • His Wor ship agreed that si ,pohce-worer, willing "■ tht, charge j should bo withdrawn ', Tho caso against'-the accusod, Marsbn, wh pleaded not guilty, was. dismissed, the Magis 1 note holding that tho evidence for the prose < cution was, insufficient. \ M'Hugh pleaded gniliy, and was connctei and orderec to como up for sentence who; i called upon. ,f t ! . t . A' CHAUFFEUR FINED. I # For fastor than a walk f ing paco acivsa a street intersection on Octo ber 19 lasttflFKJS: Muldeis was fined 40s, ant 7s rosts,'|l)Srit'/ the option of seven days' lm |j, prisonroeCs'Ji - i E ' "> LEAVING A CAE IN MOTION, f For leaving a car whilst it was in motion w J. Came-on, who did not appear, was con I victed and 'mulcted in tho cosis of the pro f ceedings, which were instituted by the Tram ' ' Ways Assistant Enginocr (Mr M Cablo). Th f indiscretion cost him 155., the alternative bein | ili hours' imprisonment. ; i • i • ' A YOUTHFUL ABSCONDER [ Ronald Stoforth Jones was remanded t November II) next, on two separate charges t ( which he pleadod guilty (a) that an Octobor 1 ' last, from the Wereroa lndu trial School, of which ho was an lnmato, (1 I that on October 20 hist, ho stole, at Napier, [ . bioyclo valuod at £12 10s. On two othc 1, " charges—(c) lhat on Octobor 30 last, he di l * break and enl er the shop of-David Thomas Oi 5 and appropriate money and articles to tt r valuo of 15s ; and (d) that on Novombor 3 las f > ho abstracted from tho Day's Bay Paviboi I ' into which lis broke and entered, Bs. in casl ° tho prop'ortylof the Welbngton Steam Fen ' Co., ho was rsmanded to November 8, to alio i of further evidence being procured. * 1 [ "A RACECOURSE GUESSER.", , ' "A racecourso guesser of tho worst kind, wii r six previous i/invictions," was Chief Detcoti t Broberg'A conhnent as ho mtrodncod to h i Worship Robsrt John, Eadcliffe, who w v deemed on tho ''charge ahoet i to be ait id and disdrdcrlr person, habitually consortli \~ ' with reputed 'thieves, Ho pleaded guilty, ar 't was convicted and santencea to threo month i imprisonment ' Mr. Meredilh, who acted for the accuse i iskedior lentency.< - Tho-'-man was 'prepa,';,'

to remain in onstody until lie could get an opportunity of leaving the country His Woiship refused to consider counsel's opplica- ■ tkov | TOO SEVBEB? J Thomas Scott pleaded guilty to a charge of 8 using obscene language, and was fined £1 2s, I m.default, fourteen days' imprisonment. Q Mr. Weston, who appealed on behalf 1 of the B accused, submitted that the amount of the H fine was out of proportion to the circumstances I of the case. The language complained of was I used inside a honso in a quiet streot—Ghuzneo I Street—and the only outsiders who heard the I words were two constables As against that 1 acciisod had a very good character I His Worship remarked that the question of I character , did not enter into the case. „ I Mr. Weston protested that the fine was un- 1 duly severe—the 6evorest within his experience. 1 considering the circumstances _ J His Worship- I havo already dealt with the case. ASSAULT. - K George Robertson Grey, with ona provious conviction for drunkenness, was convicted and fined on two separate charges. For having beon found 'drunk on November B,'he was mulcted ui 10s fine, with the option of 48 hours' imprisonment 'j on a charge' of assault on;, one Jonathan-Jones; on the same day, 'he .was fined 20s, or m default, seven days imprison, ment. A charge of assault upon one Thomas John Martin with a plane was preferred against Ernest Henry Oliior, who pleaded not guilty, and was con\ icted and fined 40s, and costs £1 2s 6d., mtli tho option of teven dajs' imprisonment. THEFT OP .£l3 On a charge of appropriating ,£l3, tho property of Margaret 0 Noil, Samuel Hugh Strain, who pleaded guilty, and elected to bo dealt with summarily, was remanded to November 8 for sentence. J INSOBBIETr. Tivo first offenders, who pleaded guilty, were convicted on charges of drunkenness, and discharged; a third, who did not appear, was fined 10s, or, in default, 21 hours' imprisonment Jame3 Pallor, with one provious conviction, pleaded gmlty to being drunk on Novomhu 1, and was convicted and fined 10s,,with the I option of 48 hours' imprisonment. John Noo- | nan (onco previously convicted) pleaded guilty I to a.similar charge, and was similarly dealt S mth. \ i E liartholemew llahonoy, twice previously con- I wcted, pleaded guilty to a charge of drunkenness, and,- nas convicted and fined 20s, m default, 7 days' imprisonment Charles O'Connor, aKo convicted twico previously, was similarly dealt with. There was no appearance of W fl lkr Patrick I Jtillaue, a prohibited person, against whom was pi of erred a charge of having been found on hconsod premises He was fined.4fls, costs 235., with the option of spending a week in gaol. ' OTHER CASES. For using obscene language on Thorndon Qub.v, and resisting Constablo Stevens m the execution of his duty, James Richardson, who pleaded guilty to both charges, was fined JES on the first count, in default 21 days' imprisonment; for resisting the pohca he was fined 405., ■with the option of seven days' imprisonment. Victor Etoveneaux tos aUo convicted on a charge of. using; ohsceno language, to"which , he pleaded guilty. He was fined £3, in default 14 days imprisonment.