MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1118, 4 May 1911, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M.) THEFT FROM PUBLIC LIBRARY. SOME YEARS AGO, TO GO TO THE SUPREME COURT. A middle-aged man named Wilfred Henry Scale wjs charged with that on or a»out February, IUOB, ho committed theft from the Wellington Public Library of five books, valued at .£l, the property of the' Wellington Gicy Corporation. Chief -Detective iiroberg pre secured, and Mr. V. R. Meredith appeared ior accused. Herbert Baillie, librarian, identified five books as belonging to the Public Library, and, as near as witness could say, the value, was . a little less than JCI. The books had been in the reference department, and were found to bo missing at the stocktaking of November, 1908. Robert Dunlop Smith, dealer in secondhand books,. related that accused called at his shop on April 21 and had disposed of a case of. books. Witness found the five books produco-1 in the case, and subserviently handed them to Detectives Cassells and Mason. Detective Mason stated that on, April 22, in company with Detective Cassells, ho had discovered the books in question. They bore the stamp of the- Wellington Public Library. On April 28 witness and Detective Cassells interviewed accused at 97 Moleswbrtli Street, and the latter admitted selling some books to the previous witness. When interrogated regarding books which bore' the library stamp accused had replied that he had had them for years, but did not remember where he had got them. Subsequently, however, he admitted that ho had stolen them from the Public Library : When charged accused had said: "What does vthis mean? Gaol or a fine?... What do you 'think the masistrate will do?" Corroborative evidence was given by Detective Cassells. Accused on beinjr charged pleaded puilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. FALSE DECLARATIONS. William Nicholas Dalley, a young man at present undergoing sentence in Wellington lor failing'to maintain his wife, was before the Magistrate's Court ye=torday on two chaig:s of making ialso declarations in connection witli tno birth and death of a child. Chief Detectivo Broberg prosecuted, and Mr. H. 1-. O'Leary appeared ior the accused. Arthur Ralph Evans, Registrar of Births and Deaths for the district of Motupiko. Nelson, remembered seeing accused lit his-office at Kohatu on February 2. Accused had then stated that he wished to register tho birth and death of a child, and he wes handed the usual form. The name given by accused was Frederick Wm. Thompson, and tho child was registered as legitimate, the mother's name being giveu as Daisy Thompson, formerly Clark. These particulars were necessary for the registration, nnd witness entered them as supplied by accused. In consequence of something which witness had heard subsequently ho reported tho matter to the head office. Detectivo Kemp, who interviewed accused in gaol on March 30, read a signed statement in-which the latter admitted that he had bee.i separated from his/wife and was living with another. Accused further admitted making certain falso statements, giviig as his reason that he desired to conceal the fact that he was not married to the woman with whom he was living On being formally charged accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to tho Supreme Court for sentence. FURTHER REMANDED. William John Carpenter,, appearing on remand, was charged with , assaulting Nicholas Normilo so as to cause him actual bodily harm. On the application of Mr. P. W. Jackson accused was further remanded until May 10. He was admitted to bail in the same amount as previously. PARTIALITY FOR POULTRY. John Cooper pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing two fowls, valued at Gs., the property of Patrick (J'Callaghan. As accused had previously. been convicted of theft he was sentenced to two months' imprisonment, • tho magistrate remarking that the theft of domestic animals was regarded as a mors serious ottenct than i one of ordinary theft. ' Samuel. Michaels was charged with the same offenci as Cowr, but pleaded uot guilty, and was defended by Mr. V. R. Meredith. The magistrate was not. prepared to accept the defence tendered, but as Michaels had not previously Veen convicted of dishonesty 1 is Worship considered that a fine of 20s. would meet the case. Accused was also ordered to pay witness's expenses, Bs., the default being fixed at seven days' imprisonment. ■INSOBRIETY. A ■ first-offending inebriate, who, did not appear, was ordered to forfeit his bail of 10s., or undergo 24 hours' imprisonment. Two other first offenders were convicted and discharged.