MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2251, 10 September 1914, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

ASSAULT AND ROBBERY DEAF MUTE SET ON BY WOMAN Charged with assaulting and robbing ft deaf and dumb person, a woman named Frances Coyne appeared before Mr. AV. G. Riddell, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. The charge against her was that she did assault and rob Henry Hague of half a sovereign on the evening of August 25. 1 As Hague, the chief witness of the case, was deaf and dumb, all his depositions had to be made and taken in writing. His evidence was that he was walking along Cuba Street about 7 o'clock on tho evening of August 25, when two women —accused and another —rushed put of a house, and' while one held him the other tore out one of his pockets, containing half a sovereign. Accused pleaded not guilty to the charge, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial; Bail was allowed in £25 and one surety of £25.

OTHER . CASES. Thomas Yates, alias Yeates, who appeared the previous day on a charge of theft, was further charged with stealing an overcoat, and a watch-chain and a medal, valued at £3, from Christopher Jansen. Ho was remanded on both charges'to September 16. •Daniel Galloway, charged with being helplessly drunk, was 'remanded till September 16 for medical treatment. For drunkenness William Barker, a prohibited person, was fined 405., or three weeks' gaol; Lilian Jukes was ordered to pay medical expenses, 17s. 6d.; Minnie Brown was fined'los. The alternative in-each of the latter cases was forty-eight hours' imprisonment. Six. first offenders were dealt with according to scale.

UPPER HUTT COURT. 'AN UNUSUAL CASE., Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., presided at .the monthly sitting of the Upper Hutt Magistrate's Court yesterday. All unusual action was commenced, in which Alfred Cudby proceeded against Angus John MJCurdy for the refund of all moneys paid to the defendant by the Upper liutt Town Board, from the date of M'Curdy's election as a town commissioner. informant also claimed a penalty of £10, as provided by the Act. Plaintiff was represented by Mr. J. S. Barton, and defendant by Mr. I'. W. Jackson. Mr. Barton explained that the action had been brought under Section 8 of the Public Contracts and Local Bodies' Contractors Act, I'JOS. Plaintiff was one of the biggest ratepayers in the district,, and-he and the men behind him were desirous of having' the matter investigated. M'Curdy, who .was connected with the Upper Hutt "Independent" newspaper, had rendered accounts to the board for about six months' printing work, which was paid. . During this time M'Curdy was a member of the board. The points at issue were: (1) Was M'Curdy a member of the Town Board? (2) Did M'Curdy outer into contracts? (3) Did he receive payment in respect of these contracts? . Counsel submitted that defendant had attempted to mislead members of the board regarding the ownership of the newspaper, and had thrown dust in the eyes of the Audit Department. The "Independent" newspaper receipts had been signed by T. S. Smedley, whom they had been unable to trace. After lengthy evidence regarding .defendant's relations with the ••board, .and the newspaper was hfcard, the case ' was adjourned to Wellington for' legal argument, on the application of Mr. Jackson.

; OTHER CASES. E. Cottle, for "allowing'■stock to wander, was fined 55.. wit.li costs 75., and 6..• Pearson and F. Mann, who were similarly charted, were ordered to pay the usual costs. In the judgment summons case, Frank Harris and Co. v. Allan Benge, a claim for £15 125., defendant was ordered to pay weekly instalments of 10s. each, default being fixed at 14 days in gaol.