MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2014, 23 March 1914, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

UNOESfRfIBLE FRIEND ON TRAIN. At iivo Magistrate's Court oft Saturday s before .W. D. U. A. Cooper, 5..M., Archibald Neville, alias Harold Watson., pleaded not guilty to a charge o£ theft of £2 10s.» from the- person of Herbert Bernard. It was alleged that the theft had been committed on a ir-aijvay train between Jolmsonvilie and Wellington. _ Evidence indicated that Bernard met JfenUe oft the Paekakariki railway piatforrn, and after drinks together Xoville asked for the loan of a few shillings. Subsequently tliey were associated, as pasfseiige'is to Wellington, i After sm ansuosessful attempt to induce the informant to take a hand in a game of tar-ds ■ Neville leant- over his companion* and putting liia hand into his pocket drew out two £1 notes and i(h. in gold. Bernard thereupon lodged a complaint svith' ono of the railway guard?., and Neville was arrested, on alighting from the ■train. Whan searched he had tml.v 13s-. Od. in l»is .possession^

Instwctw Hendrey stated that- accused had a long list of previous convictions. "He is a social pest<—a vagrant, a- thief, a loafer, and •» MaekgttartV* concluded the inspostor.

Aeei-isofJ denied, the oltarge, and sitblnitted that, as the evidenec- w,is ks«f« fieicn* te convict, the case should bts dismissed, ,

"I think there" is sufficient evidoiine to convict you," replied the magistrate. will be convieted and sent to gaol for three months,"

Prior to leaving the dock, the prisoner asked.for permission to appeal mi the grs'iind of insufficient evidence to eonvicfe. .His Worship deelitied te grant leave. GELIGNITE FOB; TUQtJT, Cliai'lfis Tucker pleaded.'guilty to a charge of haying tinlawWis nsed a cer* taiii explosive, to. wit, gelignite, hi the Kafqri stream, for tfe .ptHpcs? of lexllv ing Mi., Ho also pleaded fnilty to a charge of asssaltihg tlie tjou Society's ranger. . . ■Mr. J). Jackson, who- appeared for' the A/celirmtfeation Society, .stated that Tncter' had been spell fishing iii the Hfotori'Stream by lhe' ; Wi^er'.' '■'Wlttsj'istated that ho wa« fisiiing for §el 3. The taug-et tfeiii' oil his' W, but rotunied aaexpe,qtedly, and saw accused esplado a- el'iar'ge of. gelignite i'ii. the stream-, and then fate tijro dead fish, out o{ the teivter. The society wont to great espense ■eaeh. year iri' stocking such., streams, aiitl sfteh an explosion ivoitld' result in tjre death of .maay yoiihg trout. Hu nslied' Ms ship to i-flfl.iet a pe.mvlty wMeh would aet as a, wara.ing to other oFfenders-i On being apprehentlctl. the aseused liad corijmj.tted a teclw'iical assaivifc on the raft" gfir. ' . ' , . iHie jnagistr-ate convicted and ;disohafged th".e acensne] on. the assault fihai'go and reniafid'ed him until-to-day for seiiteitco on tho second. ' ITALIAN STHIK.ES DRIVER. Enrico SloUet'ti, an IVaferi.,. pleaded '.not fciiilty to a charge of h.aviflg ■a'ssa.ult- . «d Wm...'He:fy;'y a i-nflte expert and. tasHrab driver. In eviftence,'TroiigroVft ftated. that <lefendaivt had broke* a wi.r.do>v in a motor-ear nolohging to liter. Be went to collect the a.jnsurit <if the danragß' (lOs. '6d.>, and aecftsed offered 6s„ tlwtt Bs., then 9s.j aiitl filially placed, 10s. in his haind, tit the same time. .strikvn-S him in the face. Coinpla-ihant lia.d' sftid that he wanted the iM amonnt," and when ij'censcd stW.ck hini ho (witness) called a-constable. Aesnsedtheh lmnded- over the. fitner 6d,, and a-gain strnek com* plainaTit, this time in the preseheo. of the c&nstabb,

' the defence was that wMlst- arguing accused was waving his arms about, ttn-d, one of Ws hands aeoidetttaßy strvtsk the complainant. A fine of 16s.- an<J' costs was imposed.. MBCELLAKEOBS OASES. M:a-ry Burn, alias Mary Jane JBarty, was sent- to gaol for seven days, on a charge o.f stealing' a sovereign from James Ashby, a wharf labourer, Michael Jstoes Nash «as renian'd.ed Until. Friday next on a charge of being an idle and disor-derly person-. - Bail *as allowed fa the sum of £10. 1 For insobriety, Peter Muleahy and John Hyd& v.-eVs each fined £1, and Alesaiider Ha.rri.s6n was fined l'Os.