MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1015, 3 January 1911, Page 8

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Dr. A. M'ArUiur, S.M.) 'ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE. ANOTHER SEAMAN SENTENCED. William Logan, seaman, pleaded guilty to a 'charge tnat oil Xcvemner 23 last ho absented liimself from the steamer Aiwa without leave. >Mr. M. Myers, who appeared for • (ho Savill, and Albion Company, owners or tho vessel, asked that the charge bo amended to one of desertion. The man had left the. ship without leave shortly beforo she sailed, and as he had failed to return lie was really a deserter. More than tliiit, lie had gon? to the Government Shipping, Office early. ;n December to look for work, and had signed a declaration to the effect that .lie had lost , his discharge, .which allegedly showed him to have teen discharged from tho A.rawa on August 213. These.offences must be severely punished; if tho trade of, the country was.to be carried on. The nuisance was becoming intolerable when ocean liners, could be hung up for days through eeierting at, tho last moment. In this particular case, a man had to be transferred from another ship at. double rates so tlu.t tho Arawa could get away. ... •• . , . Accused denied making a false declaration, and stated that Us had left the Arawa, bccauso the work was too heavy. , The. magistrate declined to alter the charge to one. of . desertion. Prisoner was sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment (the maximum), and as thero was M Is. 3d."due to him lib would be ordered to pay £2 towards the expenses which the company had been put to as a result of his leaving the vessel. . " DESERTION.. Joseph Josscll pleaded guilty to,a charge of .haying deserted, from the New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Ruanehu on December. 13. Sub-Inspector Norwood, stated that the offence was similar to thoso whi6h the Court had recently dealt with. Tho man had deserted when tho ship was about to sail, and the company had experienced considerable trouble in finding a, substitute. Accused was Working on another ship when arrested. ' The magistrate imposed . a • sentence similar to that imposed in the previous. , cases of desertion—one month's imprison'rnent. . ; ASSAULT. . Frederick Ar'mitage pleaded guilty, to a charge of drunkenness, but not guilty to a charge of having assaulted Leslie Brown on December 30. Tho charge arose out of a case dealt with on. Saturday, when Joseph John Tobin, Brown,. William John Wade, and William Thomas were jointly charged with using threatening behaviour in Taranaki Street, whereby a breach of the peace was occasioned. All four admitted tho offence, but Brown stated that he had acted under provocation and was discharged, while the other three were sent to gaol for seven days. Armitagc set up a different defence to any of the others, but the evidence was against him, and it was mentioned that he had a long list of previous convictions/ Tho magistrate stated that it appeared as if Arinitage had been the most serious offender, and he would therefore he sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment. On tho charge of drunkenness ho tfas coilvicted and discharged. j: . ' OTHER CASES. . ; Phillip Sharkey, charged with drunkenness, had 50 previous convictions against him. He was lined 205., iii default sevbn days' imprisonment. A similar -penalty was meted out to Charles Joseph; Little, who did not appear to answer to a charge of drunkenness. Charles. Enticott and Jane Walsh wore convicted,and discharged for drunkenness. 1 lour first .offending, inebriates, who did not appear,- were ordered to forfeit their bail of 10s. each, or undergo 48 hours' imprisonment. Another first offender was fined 55., with the alternative of 24 hours' imprisonment, and three other first offenders ivero xonvicctd and discharged. ... -, ■ ' ' 'William Hammington, who pleaded not guilty to a charge of indecency, was remanded un.til Friday next.

MOUNT COOK' POLICE COURT. At the Mount Cook Police-Court yesterday morning, before MivT.S. Lambert, ! J.P., John James Priest pleaded g'uilty to being drunk -in Rovans Street; being' a frequent visitor to Court lately. Accused was/' fined 20s. or seven days' ■imprisonment.. : .Micbael Head pleaded guilty to" beingii'drunk - and . disorderly .while in charg.i of a horse and vehicle in Vivian Street, accused was fined 20s. or seven' days' imprisonment. Henry Gerston, who was lound intoxicated in Bucklo Street, was remanded for curative treatment till January 9.