MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1110, 25 April 1911, Page 5

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr. W. G. Riddel], S.M.) Yesterday being St. George's Day, the Magistrate's Court sittings were helcl at 0 o'clock, when a number of police cases were disposed of. A youth, named James M'Swigan, appeared 011 remand for sentence on a charge of theft of a bicycle, valued at £10, the property of John C. Sinclair. Mr. P. AY. Jackson appeared for accused, and asked that leniency be extended. The lad, said Mr. Jackson, was only 18 years of age, and if given a chancc would go back to Christchurch with his mother, who had come to Wellington in connection with the case. Sub-Inspcc-dor Sheehan informed the magistrate that- accused had previously been convicted, and ordered to como up for sentence when callcd on. The bicyclc stolen had been recovered. The magistrate said that ho was prepared to give accused another chance, as he was a .voting man, but 110 warned him that, "no matter how much others helped him, it would' all bo useless if accused did not make efforts of his own to keep straight. A fine of 20s. was imposed, the option being '18 hours' imprisonment.

Patrick Ruddy, on a charge of indecency, was lined £1, with'the alternative' of 21 days' imprisonment.

Norman M'Phcc admitted being found drunk while 5 prohibition order was in force against him. 'On the charge of drunkenness, he was convicted and discharged, and, for breach of the order, he was fined '10s., in default . seven . days' imprisonment.

Thomas Yates, who had been found helplessly drunk in Masterton and .remanded to ■Wellington for a week's medical treatment, was ordered to pay £1 19s. 6d., expenses incurred, or undergo seven days' imprisonment. Francis William Maguiro, on a charge of drunkenness, was fined 205., with the option of spending seven days in gaoL

John Calvert, charged with drunkenness, did not appear. Ho was ordered to forfeit his bail of '205., or undergo 48 hours' imprisonment. John Oscar Sutherland, who had been bailed out oh a charge of drunkenness, was subsequently arrested on a similar charge. When be appeared in Court .yesterday, ho was convicted and discharged lor the first offence, but was Rued 10s., with the alternative of 4S hours' imprisonment, for the second. Tlio following defendants, who all pleaded guilty to charges of drunkenness, were fined 10s., with the option of 48 hours' imprisonment:—Daniel Keane, Michael Gregory, William Johnstone, Mark' Johnson, and Patrick Connolly. A first-offending inebriate, who did not appear, was ordered to forfeit his bail of 10s., and another first offender was convicted and discharged.