MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2327, 8 December 1914, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

'■, bAMAGES TO TAXICAB V, JUDGMENT AGAINST CITY , COUNCIL The hearing of the civil claim in which George' Waddell, taxi-cab driver, of Wellington, proceeded" against-:'the City Council for £5'l8s:; 6d. damages, the result of an' accident on June. 18 last. ,was continued before Mr.- W. G. Biddell, S.JI., in the ■ Magistrate's Court yesterday . afternoon. Plaintiff alleged that on the'date in question a traincar was so negligently and unskilfully driven by one of defendant's servants in Lambton. Quay that it collided wilii plaintiff's motor-car, damaging it! The amount claimed was made up of replacing damaged .portions of the car, and labour for the .same. < ■ Mr. -E. J. it'itzgibbon appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. J. : O'Shea■ for the' City Council. After hearing-the evidence, .judgment was -given for -'plaintiff; for £3 17s. 6d., with_ costs £2'6s."'. Labour £2 Is; was uot allowed. , . ■'-.■'■■" ■-.'■. - L .' ■ POLICE CASES. ■Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S,M., heard tho police cases 'at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. James Wm. Knott, charged with assaulting Francis James Wallace, so ae to cause him actual bodily barm 7 , pleaded guilty, saying the assault was committed under- provocation. The case was remanded, so that it might be seen whether Wallace's injuries were such as would make the case indictable.

Wm.-Laskey pleaded guilty "under provocation" to a charge cf assaulting an old man named , , John Hall Crease. - A fine of '£2, 'with witnesseß , - oxpenses 45., in default seven days' imprisonment, was imposed. •, Thomas Charlea Ryan pleaded not guilty to a charge of using obscene language.' Aftor hearing the evidence, tho Magistrate convicted, and ordered accused to come up for sentence when called" upon; • A respectablyrdressed • young man named Albert James Walling was convicted and ordered, to come up for , sentence when. ; called upon on a charge of usinK indecent language. Donald Mathieson, who was found sleeping under some trees in Parliament grounds at night, was charged with being a rogue and a vagabond. Hβ was sent to prison for three months. - . ■ ' , ... , Henry Needbam was remanded till. Friday on a' charge of absenting himself without, leave from the steamer Tokomaru.- , • '~,' Mary. Louisa Scott pleaded not guilty to a charge of committing the theft of 18s. from 'Elizabeth Lee Wood. A remand- was granted until to-day, so that she/might secure a lawyer. Bail was allowed in £5. t,'i.'u Isidore Jacobus and Louis Durnolt, one a German Jew and the other aGerman, were each charged with drunkenness and indecency in the public street: Each was. sentenced to one month's imprisonment on the charge, and £2, or in default one month's imprisonment,,on the second.. A prohibition order-was taken out against, the former. The latter was already prohibited. For insobriety, Elizabeth Sly and Michael M'Mahon were each fiued 10s._, in default forty-eight hours' jmpnsonment; John Walsh, fined 405.. or seven days' imprisonment;,and George Wifc Ham 'Jackson and Peter Mulcahy were each fined 405.,' or > one monthi s impns- : onment. Seven' first' offenders were dealt with./ ■ / '

,' -MAINTENANCE CASES--...,., Caroline Anderson proceeded againßt John Robert Anderson for separation and maintenance orders on the grounds (1) of failing to provide, (2) persistent cruelty. Mr. fßoggard appeared for complainant, and Mr. P. W. Jackson for defendant. After hearing the evi-/; dence the Magistrate granted the (separation order, and ordered-defendant to pay. 30s. a week maintenance, £40 for past maintenance, and solicitor's tee hi S For disobeying ■a ■ maintenance order, the arrears of which amounted to £14 5s Hugli Douglas was ordered to. be imprisoned for fourteen days, the warrant to be suspended on payment of 7s. 6d. .per. week' off the arrears. Similarly charged, Sydney Alfred Smith, (arrears £10 2s. 6d.) was sentenced to imprisonment for fourteen days, war-; rant to be suspended on payment oi 10s. weekly, off arrears. . BLENHEIM SESSIONS THE CHIEF'JUSTICE'S ADDRESS.' (By iJelegrapli.—Press Association.) • . Blenheim, December 7. ■ The Supreme Court opened to-day before ' tho Chief Justice. ' Addressing the Grand Jury, he. said general crime in the community was decreasing.'' There was only one serious charge to investigate. Sexual crimes, unfortunately, were showing a slight increase in the community, owing probably, amongst other causes, to juries not taking the serious view they, should of euch' cases. > _■ ,