MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2127, 20 April 1914, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

FIRE ALARM VANDALISM,

CULPRIT 1 CAUGHT.

A' picturesquely-attired individual named-Loo Martiti strolled into the- , dock on Saturday morning with his- . hands thrust into tho pockets of nis<ed;it to answer tho following charge, "Wilfully damaging a fire'alarm, valued'at £7 10s., tho property of the,- Wellington City Council." . Ho was represented hy Mr. H. F. O'Leary, and entered a plea of guilty to tho charge. ■ ■'

Mr. E. M. Beechey, who appoaved for tho City Council, explained ikaii the accused had been seen shortlv after midnight on. Friday to wilfully- break the fire alarm in Ifnedonald Crosscut. Thorn had been 15 false alarms given to the brigade- sinco.• .February 19 last, and as theso were all given' within ii certain areaihe accusetfbefore tho .Court 'was suspected as being.the perpetrator. It was not the 'damages to the alarm,'this consisted only of the scattering 'of a piece of glass the replacement of which' could be assessed at Is., but the turning out of tho brigade, wtnoh was always attended with a. certain .amount of risk, while tho. actual wear and tear, etc., for each time tho bHgaJte turned out was,estimated, at about £5,... ■

■ A £10 Bribe,"Accused had the temerity," continued Mr. Boechey, "to offer the man who discovered him £10 to let him go, and I ask that the penalty, imposed on accused.be,a substantial one, iis.it is. very difficult ..to. catch the offenders in this respects 'The maximum penalty for the , offence'is£so."-: . ' .

Onbehilf^i O'Leary said that', while ho admitted; itfcy serious-, ness of such an as giving'a. false alarm., thero'.'were '- rriitigitrag eifeHra- : stances in-tub'present .■c&s'ey'iiii that iinfortuuatdly the accused-, iwas $ot' iniMs sobervsenses, whori ho' coinm.Jttcd' this dffqnce.-■'"'■ '' '. ■'. '"'..■■ '.'..'

. "You know, Your AVora&n," said Mr. O'Loa.ry; "that a manwhsM lie is drirak does things that ho would Mi do In his normal sbnses." ". .'■ '.■'"■ ' '

■ Tho Magistrate: So''they say.f Tlio Magistrate, Mri D. 6. A. Cooper,' S.M., said he would take into consideration' nrhaVMr.'"-.O'liflary 'fed' sUid/ahd that ho could not luake'up'lu's mindthat defendant was- guilty: :of .the other offences. Tho offence was •SM'erjf serious one, and accused would 6£ feed £5 and ordered to ma-ko good tho daiftafio (ls>) done, 'The alternative'was fixed at 14 days'Aimprisonment; Accused' was allowed forty-eight hours iaiwfcicti.to flod .tho money. .■■:•■

THE WOBBLY CYCLIST', An individual named John . Edwar*. Macdonald created vast atnasemqait for a number of spectators on Friday lasfc by his. ineffectual efforts to mount n bicycle and ride it. Iv'q Sooner winihl ho bp on the soat of the. machine than ho would falLoff again. Maede-iiakl, it was alleged, was drunk. At length' the would-be cyclist was , successful iir having a short run, but his triamphal career.was of only short duration, for the simple reason that MactkmaM eamo into rather violent collision with a pedestrian, knocking hini <tver. A con-, stable arrived on tho scene, ajid iiffintv diately arrested tho uneortain cyclist, who, it was alleged, resisted, but was carried to the lock-up Struggling aud . viciously -.attempting to lack tho eoiistablo'. Mactionald,- whoii ho appeared ; 'in 'Court- o.ri:Saturday 'inorp.ißg eh'argcd' with drujikehness ' and wlistfflg OoW stablo M'Callum, meokly .said, iiat he "really didn't , try to resist tho constable," but merely ..wanted to. bring his bicyclo along with hini.' "I am ve*y sorry if I did'resist hinii ; I plead not guilty to tho charges—l -mean guiltyl' , ■ Inspector Hendry; "This man deliber-ately-and viciously i kicked the cou- ' stable." ' ,■.'.''' Accused did not say anything further, and was fined £1 for resisting the con- , stable .but convicted and discharged: for' drunkenness.

' A CHAIR, SMASHER. "" John O'Brien/ who in a state of intoxication entered the shop of Join Spiers and smashed .a chair .therein' when requested to leave, appeared to answer two charges, one of drunkenness and-another of wilfully damaging a chair. O'Brien pleaded gailty, and the. cost of. tho escapade was-in aH £2 19s. In default of-moiiotary settlement, accused was allowed an option of seven day' imprisonment.

WOULD-BE BELL&MENT."-' ' Tlios.. Quirlc, .who was discovered fa b threatening attitude an oUe of the publicftrepts'on:Fnday last, sppeired to' answer'a charge, of. ilircatctiirag b&hanour and creating a breach of tho peace.'. It was explained thai. Quirk's opponent, thinking : perhaps : that discretion was the better part .or":valour, had. riln away. -A fine of ,10a. with a.a option; of 48 hoijrs in gaol was 'iaiposod,.

OTHER OASES.' _ "You have a great tuitober ,<yf previous convictions against yow.-.Mulcaliy, and the best thing to- give you is a, t-efiti of imprisonment to get.somoiof tHe drink' out of you, , -' was .tlie reniafik of tho Magistrate to' Peter"•-MMleahy, who' pleaded guilty ,lo'a charge.ol'dfunken■ness., ... ' ■ ..' : -:-,'■';. '. .' ...' ,

lor drunkenness; Daniel Oftrnfiy and Michael Kublor worocaeli. fined. 10s. .'■ and fivo.'first.'offenders convictcS' ' and discharged.- . ■'. Elizabeth Buckmaster';pleaded guilty te being an idle and .disorderly person. She. ivas remanded'till W-ikjy; '

CIVIL COURT. Further hearing' of the civil ease in which G.' H. Anderson and'Oe., merchants, sued the Dominion Consolidated r n& pins Ltd., for the sum ■of £29 4s. 7d., being the' attipßnt of apromissory note, was continued' before Mr. W. G. Biddell on Saturday -monV ing.. Plaintiff further claimed 16s. lod. as .interest on the said hole. Defendant, counter-claimed for the recovery of the promissory note and th 6 sunj of £2 16s, b'd. After tho hearing ol fiirtiior legal argument tho Magistrate reserved his decision. Mr. T. Young, appeared for plaintiffs and Mr. G. H. Fell for defendants,;' . .-.-.•■■