MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1442, 17 May 1912, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr. W. G. Riddoll, S.M.) MOTOR AND TRAP, HUTT ROAD COLLISION. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, Mr. W. G. Eiddell, S.M., delivered judgment in the case in which Frederick William Meyer claimed ,1:20 lis. ud. from E. Hafstroui as damages resulting from a collision on the Hutt Road between his motor car and defendant's trap, and in which Hiifstiom claimed .£-0 as damages from Meyer. In the course of Iris judgment, his Worship said that he was not prepared to accept as correct the assertion of piaiutiif that plaintiff had been driving close to the curb on the proper side of the road at the time of the collision. Xo doubt, he added, plaintiff had imagined that that was his position.

His Worship found • that the cause of the collision had been duo, firstly, to the darkness of the night, which had deceived hath parties as to their correct position on the road; secondly, to plaintiff having turned his car in the wrong direction immediately before the, accident; and, thirdly, to defendant not having had a sufficient light in the front of his cart. He thought that there had been contributory negligence by both parties, and that neither could recover damages from the other. Ho non-suited both, and allowed no costs. BUILDER'S ACCOUNT. Booth and Co., timber merchants, sued John M'Cailnm, builder, for £17 Bs. 10(1. for timber supplied. Mr. V. I?. Meredith appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. A. E. Atkinson for the defendant. Evidence was given concerning the bearing which a certain agreement had upon the case; and the Court reserved decision. JUDGMENT SUMMONSES. Norton Smith w,as ordered to pay £12 Ss. 9d. to the Victoria Laundry Coinpony, Ltd., by May 30. In the following cases judgment was entered for the plaintiffs by default:— Thomas Burt v. Ernest Henry Chatiield, £9 ss. sd.,costs£lss. Gel; DonaldM'Leod v. Richard Thomas Alexander, £2G 125., and £2 175.; Edward Collie, Ltd., v. Win. Henrv Thompson, £18 Us. 10d., and £1 12*. fid.; M. and M. A. Alcorn v. Koho Karaitiana, £3 Bs. 3d., and £135.; C. and Jl. Banks, Ltd., v. H. Lucas, £1 17s. 6d„ and 55.; and Wellington Publishing Company, Ltd., v. L. G. Grieves, £30 18s. 9d., and £2 15s. SUICIDE ATTEMPTED. Frederick Smith pleaded guilty to a charge of having attempted to commit suicide. Sub-Inspector Sheahan said that the defendant, was a storenian. At. the time of his act ho had been at home suffering from nervous prostration, His mother had lieard him call out that lie had cut his throat, and on her going to the bathroom she had found that he had done so. and that he then had a razor in his hand. Defendant was convicted, and ordered to appear for sentence when colled on. on condition that he pays £2 ss. hospital expenses. ' SHIP DESERTION". Alfred Jennings was sentenced to one month's imprisonment and ordered lo pay Court costs 7s. for having deserted from the steamer Kia Ora. Chief Detective Broberg stated that through Jennings's action the vessel had been delayed from 5 o'clock ono morning till 2 o'clock in the afternoon, and had then had to sail with one man short.

OTHEE CASES.

Mary Collins was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for having pursued the, existence, of a rogue and vagabond. She refused to go to the Salvation Army Home for six mouths, saying she had only left there five weeks and was "sick of it."

Nora Nugent was fined XI for having broken a prohibition order. A charge of having .stolen an overcoat from Horace John Tibbey was called on against Charles Thomas Matthews, and was postponed till to-day. Theodore Federoff, a Russian, admitted having come to New Zealand from Sydney by the Moeraki without having paid a fare. He was fined ,£1 'Is. (the amount, of the fare), in default one month's imprisonment.