MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2211, 25 July 1914, Page 10

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

.THE GAME OE HAZARDS j WHARF LABOUpR; ; FINED;iI(y "This sort of . thing ..must bo. put. down," said Mr.' D'.'G. A. Cooler, S.M. - in the'Magistrate'srCbuft yesterday, as he.fined iu wharf labourer named Jphn Murray £10;. with ; the . option of three months' jimprisonment,...,oil his ,conviction of being ''a rogue arid a 'vagabbhd; in that ho Blayod hazards'on the wharfoil July 21." Police-Inspector Hendrc.y prosecuted. v

'» Constables isbisterand Pettip gavo evidence, describing the , circumstances leading to the arrest of Murray. • They :eaw a cluster of". meii:uear- iho "Glasgow Wharf, and watclicd 'Murray' throw tho ,dico on three occasions."' : 'Thero was money lying about- and'"ivlioii , the coh6tables; rushed the/ spot,: the "culprits made off: Murray- ivas phased 'down the Glasgow Wharf;; and captured. '■'■■ ' Archibald H; 'Mtiiiro, Harbour' Boardwharfinger, deposed to'having repeated'ly warned Murray '.and otherS,-'arid'gave evidence as to the. p;revalenco of : the • game on the wharf '',■ '' • Evidence confirming the predominance of hazards oh the , wharf was also given. ' , ■.-•■ ■'■ No witnesses were called for tho ■ defence. Accused's counsel '(Mr. J. F. -W. Dickson) submitted that the police had adopted an improper procedure-in their prosecution ofnis client, who could have been charged on two. informations, viz., one of playing b.fzards and the other of.b'oing a rogue' and a ■ vagabond. This ho submitted would liavo put the accused in .a better position. . He was a'respectable man,.and one who had received in .wages during the past six months for.' work done on the wharf a sum of £58. ..' ' : . '..

His Worship said that the evidenco ogainst' the accused was overwhelming, and fined Murray as already stated."'

SELLING BAD FRUIT. SHOPKEEPER FINED £5. v A charge, of selling, unsound food for liuman-consumption,,to wit, apples, was preferred.against Paiiis Bollieries, fruiterer, of Manners Street. .The defendant pleaded not guilty; and was repreeented by Mr. A; H. flindinarsh. <• Inspector,Heifdrej stated .that. , a ;. woman eniteredthevshoppf.. the defendant and purchased' some apples, 1 which appeared quite'.sound and" gbodj; from the method in which': they. --Werei :: -dis-. 'played. ~ Wieii''the'.custpm'.er':'arrived; • homo, she found, that- all the ipples were .bad.,' She ; rdturned>toHho' ; shop, and later Inspector Middleton;seized .a case of apples in the shop, :uuder the provisions of the SaloVpf-Food and Drugs .Act. Both -tlie customer (Annie Seon) and the Inspector'.'gave: evidence as to the condition of the fruit. , .. .'■ , •'•'

Counsel , for the defence submitted that a notice "damaged" Was placed on Urn-fruit, in order to warn intending purchasers. The prosecution had to provo fraud, but had not done so. • His Worship held that tho offence liad been proved, and that, tho defendBiit had a guilty jnind, and had endeavoured vto deceive the public: He would be fined £5 :.-'•' -.: Mr. Hindmarsh: Surely, Your Worship, you are not going to inflict' such, a heavy penalty ? There was no deception! ■ , ■ His Worship replied that ho was satisfied' that, thero had been deception; in fact, wilful deception. . '■' OTHER OASES.- ; ; . Informations'*charging Henry Brown :_with .wilfully-trespassing.;on tlie Treiitham Kacecourse,- and with using ; obscene language,'-wern adjourned. , , til I •.Friday nest. Mr. Evans, who appeared for the'Wellington'Racing Club, desired to go on with' the'charges,- as ho had brought witnesses from Ch'ristchnrch. Mr. C: W. Tringliani, who «i;jwared- for the accused, objected, on .tho ground oE thero' being'no proof of service, and the Magistrate upheld tho point. ,■■'..■ ,', Jirnost James Smyth was rcniiinded till July 27 oii a charge of assaulting Wm. Haven HeenaiK Jiail was-allow-ed in tho sum of £o'. For, insobrioty, .Kate Brady was sent to Raol for ouo month, and was iimde the subject of a prohibition order, Two

first offenders were convicted and discharged.

Henry Lvans was fined ss. with costs7s. for failing to send his child to school.

James Carroll was Cued £2 for cruelly ill-treating a horse, by working, it when in an unlit condition.

■ For.allowing stock to wander, Maurice Haslor was fined 10s. and costs 165., and Maude Turnbull was-lined ss. and cost's 7s. ..

Fines of ss. aud Court costs 7s. vrero imposed on the following persons for breaches of vehicular. bj-laws.-'-A.rthu'r Alexander, Edwin Barnes, Fred. Foster, Henry Grell, Charles D. Hargrcaves, John Kelly, Bert Pettman, Archie Still, Leonard-Walter Tattle, and Frank WilBbn. ■ ... . ■ Joseph Mitchell was fined ss. for 'negligently driving a vehicle in Courtenay Place.