MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1154, 15 June 1911, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

* (Before -Air. W. G. Eiiklell, S.M.) ALLEGED SLY GROG-SELLING. CASE FOR A JUIU'. A further case of alleged s'.y grog-selling in To Aro ivus investigated yesterday, wlicu Alfred Uritis, a coloured inxii, was char{.'t",l that, having twico previously been convicted oi soiling lirjuoi- without a lieonsi', ixv, on Jmio 1 last, unlawfully sold lirjuor to one Arthur Now. Acctifcl elected to go Ijjfore a jury. Snb-Jii-siifclor Khvi-lian prosecuted, and ilr. L'. h. i>ix a[i[iear«l lor accused. Arthur .Sew; fruit dealer, of Taranaki Street, said that, on Sunday jiiornins, J nuo i, two men, whom he took to w sailors, came to his house in Taranaki Street, and, in consesquence of something which they said to him, he proceeded to accused's house at 82 Taranaki Street and purchased (at different intervals during the morning) five bottles of beer from accused himself, and a bottle of whisky from another man in accused's house. The liquor, witness took into his own house, and consumed with "the sailors," who recouped him for his outlay. To Mr. Dix: He believed at the time that his visitors were genuine sailors. All the beer purchased was produced from a box in the front room of accused's house, on the left ns one went in. Witness did not think that anyone could see into Hint room from the outside. The sailors' were not present in accused's house when ho purchased the liquor. Constable Atkinson stated that, at about half-past nine o'clock on the morning of Juno -I, in company with Constable Price, he met a man named XewatXo. 80 Tarauci.ki Street, and gavo him an order, jis, a result, Xew went into :Vo. S2, and, shortly aft«r, returned with a bottle cu beer, which the three consumed in New's house. Subsequently New went out, and returned with more bottles of beer.and a bqttlo of whisky. Constable Price and witness paid New for the liquor. Constable Price gave corroborative evidence. Sergeant Rutlcdge deposed to executing a warrant to search the house on the afternoon of Sunday, June 1. This search disclosed five bottles of beer and a bottle of whisky, also forty empty beer bottles. John Henry Carrad, clerk at the Magistrate's Court, testified to accused having twice previously been convicted. On being charged with the offence, accused reserved his defence, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Mr. Dix stated that accused had, up till the present, been unable to find bail, and he asked if his Worship would let him (accused) go on his own recognisance on condition that he reported to the police twice a day. The magistrate was not prepared to do this, but agreed to reduce the bail to £30, and one surety of .£3O. FORGING AND UTTERING. Leslie Ryan, a young man who, until recently, had been employed as a labourer at Paraparaiinut, appeared on remand at the, Magistrate's Court yesterday to answer three charges of forging the name of Henry E. Hefler to cheques, and uttering same. The first charge referred to a cheque for .£7 10s., uttered at Paekakariki, and the other charges related to cheques for £i 3s. and .£ls cashed at ths Bank of New Zealand, Wellington, on June G and June 0 respectively. Chief Dejectivc Brobjrg prosacuted, accused not b?ing represented by counsel. Kenry Edwin Heffer, blacksmith, residing at ParaparauiiiH, knew accused, who worked far a Mr. Ross at Paraparaumu. On June 2, accused obtained a blank cheque from witness. The form produced (now filled in) was the one. Witness had not given anyone authority to sign Ins nan".-3 to cheques. John G. O'Connell, teller in the Bank of New Zealand. AVellington, gave evidence as to tho three cheques mentioned in the charges being presented at the bank. One was paid into tho 'account of a man named Hilton, of Paekakariki, and the of hers were cashed over the counter on different dates. Frederick Campbell, labourer, Frederick Street, who had been with accused on the day that the cheque for ,£ls was cashed, also gave evidence. ..Detective Camenii put in a statement in which accused admitted the three forfcrics, and staled that, although Campbell Sa l,^. 110 that the .ignatui; On boil?.* formally charged, accused p.eade:l B ui]tv to all three offences, md was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. .THEFT FROM A DWELLING. William O'Brien, a labourer, said to havo recently arrived from Taihape, appeared on remand to answer a charge of theft from a dwelling. The matter of the charje was jewellery, valued at .£!), the Properly of Agnes Mercer. Sub-In-spcDtor hhcehan prosecuted, but accused had no counsel to appear for him Agnes Mercer, lodging-house keeper., Taranaki Street, stated that accused camo to stay at her house on Juno 1. On the morning of June 2, she discovered that certain jewellery was missing from a chest ot drawers in her room. Tho articles produced were those that were missing. She went to accused's room, and asked'him if ne had taken them, but he denied all knowledge. Thomas Costello, second-hand dealer Mauners Street, and Fenny Whittaker, second-hand dealer,. Manners Street, gave evidence- as to purchasing 'certain articles of jewellery from accused on June 2. Detective Rawle, who arrested accused, also gave evidence.

When the charge was read to accused he pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supremo Court for sentence. Tho same accused had previously pleaded gunty to a charge of stealing an "overcoat valued at lGs.. the property of Fanny nmttaker. Sub-Inspector Sheehan informed the magistrate that the overcoat Ind been taken from tho outside of Mrs. Whittakcr's shop as accused was coming away after having disposed of some of tho jewellery referred to in the othpr charge. He was overtaken, and the coat recovered. A fine, of '20s. was imposed, the option being seven days' imprisonment. PAWNED BAG: SOLD TICKET. David Lander admitted that, on May 20, at Wellington, he stola a kit bag containing wearing apparel, valued at £lb. the property of George H. Parkinson. Chief Detective Brobcrg stated that accused was a flour-miller, and was addicted to drink. After stealing the kit bag, ho had pawned it for 10s., and had afterwards sold the pawn ticket for ss. Since tho date of this offence, ho had been convicted of thoft at Napier. The magistrate imposed a fino of 435., and ordered that, accused bo prohibited for twelra months, and that tho kit. ha<r bo returned to the owner. Default was fixed at seven (lays' imprisonment. THEFT OF A WATCH: Annie Morris, who had pleaded guilty Inst week to a charge of stealing a watch, valued at £7, at' Otaki, on June 5, was brought forward for sentence. It appeared from the evidence that the. watch had been taKcn from the Railway Hotel, where accused was employed as a domestic servant. It had since boen recovered. Mr. H. F. O*Leary, on behalf of accused, nut forward . a nlea for leniency, pointing out that, accused had not previously boon convicted, and that no loss had been suffered by anyone through the theft. ,■ . ■ The Msßislratp took a lenient view of the en;.?, recorded a conviction, and ordered accused to como un for sentence when called on. UNKNOWN PERSON'S PROPERTY. Patrick Gorman, a fireman, appeared on remand for sentence on a charge of ate.ding an overcoat, valued at £'■!, the property of some person uiiluiown. Chief Detective Broberc stated that accused had disposed of the coat to a second-hand dealer for Is. Gd., but, though he had pleaded guilty to the charge of theft, the owner of the coat had not boen discovered. A fine of 40s. was imposed, the alternative being seven days' imprisonment. An order, was mado that Is. Gd. bo paid to Hie second-hand dealer from the moncv found on accused.

WILFUL DAMAGE. Two young men, named Torcival Williiim Uowlcy and John Cross (described as firemen out of work), pleaded guiltv to n cliaree of wilfully diniasine four bottles of cordials, [our dozta fgtts, and tiro turn-

biers, of a total value cf ss. (id., Uio property uf Yung Ilov. - .

I l/'.ch accused v.-is fined If!*,, and urdered tj pay half of the value ci' the damage, ss. (id., anil, half n' v.i'.ne-.-'s islioness, K Tho allernalivn was seven iliiys' imprisonment. OTHER CASES. A remand for a week was granted in Iho ease gainst AVillinni Denning, charged with' assault oil a female under 10 years of age. Mr. W. Perry, who appeared for t'.ccn>":d, applied for bail, which whs fixed at J.'CO, mid two sureties of ,C3O each, or one of .IW. A married man, named George Ferminger, was charged with a certain offence in Bowen Street on June t). lie nlccted to be. tried by a jury. Chief Detective Broberg prosecuted, and ilr. 1 , . AY. Jcckson appeared for accused, who reserved his defence, and was committed lo tin; Supremo Court for trial. Bail was allowed in J230 and one, surety of £.16. Denis Mahcney was convicted and discharged with drunkenness, but was fined i 2, with the option of seven 'lays , imprisonment, for procuring liquor "during the currency of a prohibition order. William Al'Kie, charged with drunkenness, was fined 10s., in default -18 hours' imprisonment. A first-offending inebriate was convicted and discharged.