MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1380, 5 March 1912, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Dr. M'Arthu'r, S.M.) UNPLEASANT DAYx PICNIC PARTY AT BELMONT. WHAT CAME OF IT. George James Mudford, farmer, of Belmont, proceeded against Robert Flannagan, cab proprietor, Wellington, claiming £a damages for alleged assault, for alleged trespass, and for alleged wrongful conversion of grass, on January 1. Plaintiff Mudford also sued Robert Hannah, boot manufacturer, Wellington, for £6 as damages for alleged trespass on Mudford s land at Belmont on the ' same date. Defendant Hannah paid 2s. Gd. into Court in full satisfaction of tho claim. Mr. C. R.Dix represented the plaintiff, Ueorge James Mudford, and Mr. A. Blair appeared for the defendants. The proceedings in court indicated that the trouble, had arisen out of a New Years Day picnic. Hannah had been in tho habit of picnicking at this place at Belmont, but sinco 1911 the farm had, unknown to him,'changed hands. On the date mentioned in tho charge the partv picnicked on the place, and the driver (flannagan) took a few of the fence wires down to get his horses in so that they could get a. drink. Thereupon Mudlord and his son appeared, and an altercation with Flannagan ensued. It was further alleged that there had been a struggle in which Mudford had injured his kiue. Flannagan, however, denied that anything of that -kind had taken place, '.then (stated Mudford) Hannah came along and promised to fix matters up. Jvext day Mudford called on Hannah about the affair, but Hannah (so .Mudford alleged) refused to do anything as Mudford had used bad languago during i tho disturbance.

His Worship said that Hannah had been guilty of a technical trespass. Next time, perhaps, he would be careful to obtain permission before entering a property. He awarded plaintiff .£l, and ordered Hannah to pay Bs. costs. The case against "Fl'nnnagan was dismissed.

"BOILER MAKER." George Hastings (undergoing a sentence of-three months' imprisonment for stealin,': a. copper boiler) pleaded guilty to a new chavgo of the theft of a copper boiler. in relating the circumstances of the theft, Sub-Inspector Sheohan stated that Hastings had entered a house which had been partly destroyed by fire, and had taken the boiler from its fixings. The boiler was. valued at lGs., and Hastings had sold it to a second-hand dealer for is. He was a man who made this sort of offence a hobby. His Worship sentenced Hastings to three months' imprisonment, and ordered that the boiler should be returned lo its owner. Sub-Inspector Sheehan: "I am instructed that the second-hand dealer knows (ho defendant, and that he (the dealer) deserves no consideration." His AVorship: "There will be no order as to the boiler." thi; dupe. j"[a.r Sidon was sentenced to one month's imprisonment for ,-tealing 4:15 10s. from Charles Baker. Baker, who is a labourer, complained t<j the. police on » recent night that a Vomfttt had robbed bins of "liis ronjioy. IHtostiva Eani? wd Cameron laving

seen Baker talking to May Sidon near Dixon Street, ??sut with him toiler house at 12 Epuni Street. According (o the detective's evidence, when .May Sidon was informed of the nature of Baker's accusation she stated that = he had never seen him before, but when Baker and Detective Cameron were out of the room she said to Detective Kawlo, "Don't be a mug; we will cut. this up between tho three of us." When Detective Cameron returned, May Sidon passed over a couple of sovereigns. Her purso was then taken from her, and it was found to contain fourteen sovereigns, a .£.) note, and 13s. in silver. She remarked to Detective Cameron. "Keep him (Baker) out. He's a mug. and we'll cut it up between us." When she was charged with tho offence she. said, "Oh, well, I will give, yon a good go for it. (Laughter.) Sub-Inspector Sheehnn described May Sidon as one of the worst n.jmbers of the unfortunate class in Wellington. Sentence, as indicated above, was imposed.

OTHER CASES. George Harley was fined £3 for breakins n, prohibition order. Alfred Edward Laney was ndjudged the putative father of an illegitimate child, and was ordered to pay "s. a week towards its maintenance. Forjnsobriety, Patrick Logue was fined 10s., James Smith 55., and John Cameron 10s. Charles Mack, a recent arrival from Pakatoa, was fined £3 for using certain language. _ For insobriety, Michael Lynch was fined 55., and for breaking a pane of glass, valued at (is. 6d., the property of Margaret Sheehan, ho wns fined .£l. Also, he was ordered to pay for tho broken pane. A prohibition order was issued against Charles Collins.