MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2339, 22 December 1914, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

ADULTERATED PARAFFIN TWO VENDORS CONVICTED The cases against John Olive Shorland antf Veitch and Allan of selling adulterated paraffin to Ernest Middleton (Health Inspector) without informing him of the nature of the adulteration were heard before Mr. D. S. A. Cooper, S.M., yesterday. Mr. M. Myers appeared for the former, and Mr. Peacock for the latter. Mr. H. H. Ostler appeared for the Health Department. Iu entering a plea of guilty, Mr. Myers said that representations had been made to the Minister- of Public Health to ha\e the prosecutions withdrawn, but these had been unsuccessful. Mr. Myers continued that the caso should never have been proceeded with. That defendants had acted with all bona fides was beyond all dispute. Mr. Ostler (interrupting): It'is not so. Mr. Myers went on to eay that he was going to provo what he said. The cases would not have been proceeded witli but for the ineptitude of tho Health Department. His client, along with others, had approached Dr. Finch some time ago, and he had said it was quite in order to sell this article. Later a number of chemists were warned, but the people who took the trouble to mako .inquiries, instead of being warned, were prosecuted by the Health Department. "One gets used to hearing about the supposed ineptitude of the Health D.epartment," said Mr Ostler in reply. Mr. Ostler added that a heavy penalty was not asked for in the present cases. The Magistrate intimated that he would enter' a conviction and order defondant to pay costs, £1 18s. 6d. A plea of guilty was also entered by Mr. Peacock for his client- Counsel remarked that bis client had purchased bis stock from a wholesale dealer, and so had sold it unwittingly. The Magistrate ordered defendant to pay costs, 17s. 6d. OTHER OASES. Jabez Woolbridge pleaded guilty to charges of insobriety and stealing two bundles of newspapers, valued at Is.; 2d., tho property of Albert,Wm. Organ. Mr. H. l'\ Ayson appeared on accused's behalf, and asked for icnieiicy as accused's trouble was drink. On the first charge a fine of 55., or 24 hours' im : orisonmeut, was inflicted, aud

the other . information was dismissed, on _ condition that defendant paid, witnesses' expenses, Bs. A second-hand dealer named Samuel Charles Gibson was oharged that being such he failed to record a business transaction of exchanging a pair of hedge cutters for a pair of grass shears. A fine of 55,, with coste 75., was imposed. Kathleen Van Cant, oharged with drunkenness and wilfully damaging a window, valued] at 205., was rem'anded to Wednesday, as she is still in the Hospital. Charles H. O'Loughlin and Bartholomew Mahonoy wero each fined £1, with costß 75., or three days' imprisonment, for committing breaches of their prohibition orders. Clara Algar. was remanded until tomorrow on a charge of drunkenness as there was an application pending to have her committed to a receiving homo. James Shea was fined 10s., in default 48 hours' imprisonment, for insobriety, and £2, or one month's imprisonment, for indecency. Mary Louisa Scott .was sentenced to one month's imprisonment for importuning. Alexander Clark, an old man ( was oharged with drunkenness~and ÜBing obscene language. He was convioted and discharged for drunkenness, and fined £3, in default one month's imprisonment, for using the had language. For insobriety, Hayward Smith was finod 10s., in default 48 hours' imprisonment. Thomas Franois Bourke elected to be tried by a jury on a charge of being a rogue and a vagabond in that he was found by night without lawful excuse on enclosed premises in Marion Street, and was accordingly remanded to to- | morrow. . I Thomas O'Brien was sentenced to one month's imprisonment on a charge of being a roguo and a vagabond in that he was found somo time after midnight without lawful excuse'on the premises of Sydney Arthur Wilton, at Kaiwarra. Thomas Connell and James Thompson were each fiuod 10s., in default 48 hours! imprisonment, for using threatening behaviour. Chas. Alexander D._ Thomas was ordered to find security in tho sum of £50 within fourteen days so that he might comply with a maintenance order issued against him. Joseph Flanagan was ordered to be imprisoned for seven days for disobey- | ing a maintenance order, the arrears of which totalled £5 ss. : Hannah Gidlow proceeded against Win. H. Gidlow for failure to maintain. A separation order was made. ' SERIOUS CHARGE DISMISSED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Ashburton, December 21. At the Police. Court to-day William James Chambors, labourer, of Hampstead, appeared on remand on a charge of having discharged a shot-gun at ono Peter Stewart, so' as to cause him actual bodily harm. The Bench finally came to the conclusion that the evidence in support of the charge was in-, sufficient, and dismissed the case without prejudice, and with a warning to tho defendant. * '