MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1958, 15 January 1914, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

'• -♦ ' THEFT CHARGES. Mr. J. S. Evans, SIM.,. presided-over ;a sitting of. the Magistrate's Court-yes-terday morning. . •■ Martin James- Christopher , Cussack appeared to answer a charge of-stealing' tliree costumes-valued at ■£3 %z. s - the property-of-Phillips and Co., on December 19 last. , lr .-, ~ r J„„ r ,„ . ■ ■ . ' 'Thomas Broods'' Linklater, (lie -Wellington representative of J. and* S. 'Phillips and Co., stated that on Friday, December 10, a number of ladies' costumes had been, placed at the front door of the firm's premises in Victoria Street. At about 3.30 p.m. tho same iday'the costumes wero missed. He 'identified the costumes produced in. court as the firm's missing ' property. Their valuo was £3 6s. Louis Davcnshire, a second-hand dealer,- gave evideneo as to having purchased three costumes, produced in court, from accused for 65.. . Detective Dompsey stated that he had arrested accused on December 27. When 'taken to Lambton Station, ac--cused said that ho had been given the clothes by two men, but would plead guilty to stealing them. Accused pleaded guilty to the charge, and was committed to tho Supreme Court for sentence. George James W. T.. Burt, fireman off the Maunganui, pleaded' guilty to a charge of stealing a dress basket, and contents, valued at'£s, tho property of James Turner. • Chief Detective. Broberg oiplaiiied that the basket had been stolen froiu tho cook's galley aboard the Maunganui, where it had been left by the owner. Later accused had been found in possession of- most of tho articles contained in tho basket. Accused was a married man, with a wifo and six children in London. Tho Magistrate said he proposed to give accused another chance, as it was his first appearance iir court. -He would order him to pay tho valuo' of the goods stolen. One month would be given in' which to find tho money. SERIOUS CHARGES. Bernard Smith, alias Haulston, appeared to.answer'a charge of carnally knowing a child, i{ years of age_. He was represented by Mr. V. R. Meredith.* ' A plea of not guilty was entered by accused, and'ho was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. ,' David Menzies, alias- Green, was charged that he did unlawfully carnally know a child 8i years old. He was represented by Mr. W. Sim. At the conclusion of the evidence, Mr. Sim asked that the charge, be reduced to one of attempted carnal know'edge. After some consideration His Worship committed the prisoner-to the"Supreme Court for trial on ' two charges, one of attempted carnal'knowledge 'and another of an attempted- unnatural offence. The application for bail was held over for consideration. INSOBRIETY. For insobriety, four first offenders were dealt with, three were -fined Ss., and the other, who failed to appear, was penalised in tho sum of 10s.