MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1419, 20 April 1912, Page 15

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M.)

"FIRSTS" AND "SECONDS." IN A CHINESE OPIUM CASE. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday Joo Gong, a Chinese, pleaded not guilty to a charge of having been on April 10 in possession of opium in a form suitable for smoking. Defendant was represented by Jfr. P. W. Jackson. Mr. C. N. Nixon, Collector of Customs, prosecuted. Sergeant Rutlodge deposed that ho and Constable Doyle had gone to defendant's premises, 40 training Street, on April 10. On entering the house they had detected a strong smell of opium They had found opium and smoking paraphernalia in the place. A jar containing some "opium seconds" had been found "planted' in the yard, and soma "seconds'" concealed in the.centre of n heap of coke had been discovered; also, t!>.>re"was a little opium in one of the articles found. In reply to tiucstions by Mr. Jackson, witness said that the "seconds" produced could be smoked after being put through a certain process. , His Worship commented that the "seconds" were not "in a form suitable- for smoking," and a person possessing them did not come within tho scope of the Act. Hoivever, as thero was a littlo opium among the things found defendant must be convicted. A fine of .£2 was made. nARBOnt FRONT PILLAGING. William James M'Kav,. who pleaded guilty on Wednesday to' charges of stealing a pair of boots and a pair of slippers from ono of the Harbour Board's sheds, was brought un for sentence. Chief Detective Dro'berg stated that on April G a consignment of four cases of boots had been landed for Pcarce's shop in Cuba Street. On April 11 an examination oi the consignment had revealed that sixteen pairs of footwear were missing, lieforo the cases arrived at the shop another pair had disappeared. A pair of loots and a pair ol slippers had been found in defendant's house. The Harbour Loard wished ttie chief detective to say that cases of pillaging were increasing in number. They wero offences which were very difficult to detect. Mr. P. A\. Jackson, on behalf of the delendant, said that the oit'enees were CO i'"i ,$- ln a moment :of weakness wiuie Mkay was under the influence of liquor Defendant was prepared to tako out a prohibition order against himself, ins Worship remarked on tho position that honest wha,rf workers might bo placed in through such pillaging, and said that some penalty must be imposed. Defendant was lined jtM, and was ordered to make restitution. He was allowed seven days m which, to pay the fine. A CHARGE DISMISSED. An accusation against James Merrick of stealins a piece of timber worth" ss. Gd. fomCHfistie and Company's timber yard VL i'n "\^ d ,vil,lout the defendant being called upon to give evidence. „tt«l>i UC ? iw ll,e P""w«ti<m was to (he e fleet that a servant of the company had s en a man takm? a piece oi timber fro the yard at about li! ~Vlo , -k one ni-'il ami that defendant «•»« iho iikim " ' ■Several witness testified to Mevik-k's good eiMraeter.. f,i!'i r " fJr f 1 ' 1 ; 1 ' 41 '. to U ii= t .l for ti, e j c . lendaiil declared (!,;,( f| le ~.,,,, , hol| |j never have Ueeu gono on with l )V the police. Ito added tlu.t the defendant w* I.S years ol age .-,,„! had been JC vcar« lii New Zealand. _ THE BO\ v AND THE TILL. i Vi j' i; i n alli ""-*. ■> boy of 17 rear*, oJSadod gmlty_ to a chwxc of baling %

•J 1 "" of about _\. fro-ii James Mnrrnw J was jlali.il thai Mil. hoy had none into -Hurrays simp one mornini,', tfot behind tins toiiuicr, upi-nt-a (lip HI), ;nid laki'ii Ijum it l|, L . mom-v id'erred to in the eliiii-jrc Jluiia.v Jiuil heard I lie till'rim?, Jiiirric-d to I hit .<li„,,, and found the bov with a handful iif neiiinc?. iWfiidaiil's fallier Mated tlint the bor had received all injiirv io his head some lime. iiRO, ami that that was the cause ol hi-; *1 range conduct. JMendimt was convicted and ordered to appear for sentence when called on.

|- HIiEACHES OF DY-LAWS. ' Archie was lined .1?. for allowing * n vehicle to >ram! iinlixliled on ii rondJ. «ay aft or dark. The ou'cuce was conimit- ;- U'd at Juhn<onville. ~ John Marshall was fined ss. for permitt>">.' a horse to be at. large. Allan Smith was fined JCI for driving a : cab without being licensed to do so. Mr. lieechey, who represented tho City Counf oil. said that defendant had been refused 9 a license, but had, nevertheless, driven n cab at night. Warnings had been disregarded by him. J. Crolts was convicted of an attempt . to evade payment of a (ram fare. He was ; ordered to pay costs, which totalled £2 2s. Mr. V. 11. Meredith appealed for the j Miramar Borough Council in the case, 1 DISHONESTY ALLEGED. 5 _ Charles Kron, alias Conn, was fined £2, • in default 11 days, for stealing a pair of . boots worth is. 6d. from the chop of i Daniel Coronno. Chief-Dctectiro Brobere stated that the defendant .was a very old l offender. J. Fulton, alias J. Bartley, itas remand- . Ed to appear at Ghristchurch on Tuesday . on a charge of forging tho name of Wali tor Field to a Jc23 cheque, and uttering . the cheque to W. A. Tribe. j OTHEE CASES. John Johns was fined £3 and costs respecting two charges of being tho keeper of a dog which attacked people. Margaret Webb, one of tho women who were arrested in a certain houso in Tui Street last week, appeared on remand charged with drunkenness. She was convicted of tho offence, and was ordered to pay 17s. Gd., the amount of expenses incurred by the gaol authorities while defendant was in prison for medical treatment. Forty-eight hours' imprisonment was the alternative fixed. For being in the Porirua Hotel on Sunday, March 31, John Kickctts was fined 10s„ and ivas ordered to pay expenses totalling 335. J. D. Sievwright, printer, was fined 10s. for failing to produoo his wages and overtiiao books whon requested by the Labour Department Inspector to do so. Sievwright's excuse wag that the inspector (D. Cnrmody) had mado the request in an uncivil manner. His Worship said that even if that wero so Sievwright should have produced the books, and taken the proper rtraedy for incivility.