MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2345, 30 December 1914, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

BY WHAT RIGHT?

IN HIS MAJESTY'S UNIFORM

Mr. D.. 6. A., Cooper, S.M., presided at yesterday's sittings of tho Magistrate's Court, when over twenty police cases were dealt .with.

John Davie, a young man, dredged in tlie uniform of the. New Zealand Expeditionary Force, denied that he wfls wearing that uniform without authority. He stated that he had signed on in Auckland to serve at the Front, and had actually been in camp at Trentbam for a fortnight, and that it was only beoause lie was absent from camp on one day that he had not been sworn in and provided with a pass. Inspector Hendroy informed the Magistrate that Davie's name could not bo found on. the books of tho military authorities, but there appeared to l;e some rqal doubt about the question, as to whether he* had joiiied or not. If a remand werei granted' until the morrow, the matter could be cleared up. The Magistrate remanded the no-' cused until tliis morning.

IN THE FIRING LINE. \ At 4.30 ' p.m. on Monday, a young man, named Michael Costello, was found engaged in a fight in Willis Street with two members of the Expeditionary Force. .All three were arrested, and on the way to the : station Costello' so far forgot. himself as to, use obscene language to the arresting constable. The two members of the Expeditionary Force were handed over to the military authorities, while Costello appeared before the Magistrate yesterday : and pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour and to giving expression to the bad language referred to. He was fined a total amount of £2 10s., the option being one month's imprisonment. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. ' Robert Curtice, who shot himself with a Tevolver on December 17, appeared yesterday to answer a charge of at'fempted, suicide. Ho pleaded guilty to the charge, and did not oppose an application by Mary Ann Thew that he should be bound oyer to "keep the peace towards her. At the suggestion of. Inspector Hendrey, the Magistrate remanded the accused until January 5. Curtice has not yet fully recovered from his injury. A NAVAL DESERTER. Frederick Roy, who had deserted from H.M.S. Psyche in April last, was ordered to be detained in prison until he could be handed oyer to the Naval authorities. He expressed a desire to be placed on H.M.S. Torch if that could be arranged. OTHER CASES. A Norwegian', named Ole Nikolai Pedersen, alias Oskar Necol Peterson, pleaded guilty /to a charge of using obscene language in . Vivian Street on Monday night, and was lined 405., in default to undergo one month's imprisonment, ...

.'An elderly woman, named Annie M'Grath, admitted that 6ho habitually consorted with reputed prostitutes. She had previously been convicted of- being ah incorrigible rogue, and - there were numerous other convictions against her. She was sent to gaol for one year'. Joseph Henry Harvey was remanded to; appear at Christchurch ; this morning on- a charge of leaving that city without making provision for the'maintenance of his wife. .

George William Jackson, charged with being found drunk, had been convioted oh five' previqus ! occasions ■ within the last six ' months. \He was. sentenced to one month's imprisonment. James Van Borsan was fined 205., with the alternative of three days' imprisonment," for insobriety, and May Houston, for a like offence,- was similarly penalised. A' first-offender for insobriety was remanded for a week for medical treatment, and a dozen other first offenders were dealt with in.the usual manner.