MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1443, 18 May 1912, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr. W. 0. Riddel. S.M.) EVADING DUTY. YOUNG MAN HEAVILY PENALISED. At the Magistrate's Court _ yesterday Charles S. Niiou, Collector or Customs, proceeded against J. AY. Clarkson on a ehargo that on May 16 Clarkson had knowingly harboured uncustomed drapery worth I's, Clarkson, who is a young man, pleaded guilty. Mr. Nixon stated (hat the defendant had failed to "declare" a parcel of drapery. Defendant had told the Customs otticers that he had no dutiable good?, but a search had revealed the parcel produced. Defendant had been out of tho Dominion before, and ought to have known the regulations. llis Worship told the defendant that he was liable to a penalty three times tlio value of the goods, and, m addition, to have to forfeit the goods. Defendant would be lined JEIS, which fine would be reduced to JES. Also, he would have to pay Court fees 75., and forfeit the goods. BORROWED OVERCOAT. "THEY DARED ME TO DESERT." Charles Thomas Matthews pleaded not guilty to a charge that he had stolen an overcoat belonging to 'Horace George Tib-

bey. ; Matthews had been employed on tlie Ruahine as a steward, and Tibboy on tho eame vessel us third cook. Tibbey gave evidence that he bad lent Matthews the overcoat at Timaru when the latter was going ashore for tho evening. The coat was to have b-cen returned that evening, but he had not seen it since. Therti had been letters and post-cards in the coat, but they were not there when the coat, was produced in Court. . Matthews stated that he had returned to tho steamer after borrowing the coat, and

some of his shipmates had dared him to desert with them. Ho deserted, and had taken the coat with hiui, but had intended returning it to the steamer before she sailed from Auckland, her final Now Zealand port. Defendant was fined .£2, and was order«d to pav costs amounting to .£3' Os. 7d., in default fourteen days' imprisonment. CHARGES DISMISSED. .ToMma Heard charged John Mellantn. with having stolen twelve loads of wood, one picket fence, seven sheets of iron, three sash frames, one pair of snshei, three rolls of linoleum, three sacks of charcoal, and other things, the wboio valued at £10 Bs.; and also with having failed to account for 15s. belonging to D. M. Findlay appeared for the informant, and Mr. 11. F. O'Leary for the defendant. . m ~ Joshua Heard, the owner of a Taranalvl Street property which late last year was partlv destroyed by firo, deposed that uefendant hud been employed by him at 10s. per dav to pull down tho remains of tho building. There was no arrangement by which defendant was to receive any

of the property. . , The defendant stated tnat the arrangement was that he would receive 10s. and half the money he got for selling the timber. Whatever money was due to Heard, defendant had paid to hmi. After hearing evidence tlio Court dismissed the information. LIQUOR DENIED HIM. Charges of having been drunk in tho bar of tho Royal Oak Hotel, having refused to quit the premises, and having w;l bad language there, were made against James Ryan. Itvan admitted tho first charge, but denied tho other two. A barman govt* evidence that Evan had entered the bar under the influence of liquor, and that witness had refused to give him drink. Another barman corroborated this evidence.

Evan stated that ho had had a fewdrinks, and had asked for another when ho iiad gone to the Royal Oak, but had been refused it. Ho had then had a "few words" with the barman, and tlio barman had struck him with something.

Defendant was fined 10s. for insobriety, and on the other charges was remanded till to-day for sentence.

OTHER CASES.

For breaking prohibition orders Catherine Andrews, who was recently discharged from Pakatoa, was remanded for sentence till to-day, and Catherine Lawson was fined .£3.

Thomas Roberts was fined 10s., with 7s. costs, for having driven an express at night without the necessary lights.

For having permitted horses to wander at largo Leonard A. S. Howe was ordered to pay costs, lis., John Thonisj. to pay 25., and Alexander M'Carthy to pay costs, lis. Andrew Larson wi>« fined XI for insobriety.