MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2512, 13 July 1915, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

AN UNUSUAL APPLICATION

An unusual application, was heard by Mr. D.-G. A; Cooper, S.M., in tlie Magintrate's Court yesterday, when Patrick O'Hallornn was charged with failing to provide, adequate niiiinteuance for bis wife and', children. The information was brought by the Hospital and 'Charitable Aid Loard, under Section 62 of the Destitute Persons Act, which provides, in effect, that when a. husband is able jto support his .-children'and fails'. without reasonable cause' to do so, he may be imprisoned. The evidence called 'showed that defendant, who had a wife- and eight children to support, had been leaving this responsibility to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. He had, it was alleged, been - ir. many' good positions,' but had either lost these through drink or had thrown them. up. .

On behalf of the Charitable Aid Board, Mr. A. H.. Truebridge said that the information had been brought under the section ,of the' Act mentioned because, it was considered, the Act specially provided for such cases a& the present one. The evidence 6howed\ that O'Hnlloran was/a good wo,rker, but through ilrink failed 10. support his family. Like others, the man knew that his : wife only had to go down to the Charitable Aid Board , and she would get relief. A. mainteiiaiicß order was, ineffective ill such a case..as the present' one,, where the husband and wife were living together. Mr. Trnebridge submitted that Clause 02 was specially designed' for euch- cases, , Mr. Tniebridge added that at." the present! time, particularly, when every peiiny wasu'equired for those stricken by the war, the board conit its duty to proceed in. vuch caSes.

The: Magistrate remarked' that it was evident tliait this section had: been put in to meet the .cases of such wasters.. The board was perfectly, right, to- bring . the present ease. As it was probably tho first case of its kind, the penalty would ■not be particularly heavy. A sentence of three months'..imprisonment would be. imposed. ' • • ' • • •'

: CRUELTY TO A HORSE. For. cruelty', to a horso by working it when it .waSvSuffering fr.om' a sore , leg,! Patrick DalejOivas fined £2, with costs, 7s.

AN ABSOLUTE WASTER. , "A'n absolute waster" was the shortlyworded character given by Inspector Hendrey to Thomas Yates,'who admitted entering the Hotel Bristol and stealing a rug from Hy. Arthur Westmoreland. Y"ntes, who had been oait of gaol barely a menth, was sent back for another three months by His JVorship. ■ -

; OTHER. CASES/ . . . A remand to July 19 was granted in the 'cose of Wm. Thorn, charged, ivitli forging a cheque for .fG 125., and uttering the same to Alexander Murray. Chief-Detec-'tice Boddaiu made the application, as accused is still-an-inmate .of the Hospital. For committing breaches of their prohibition orders George' Ity. I'arkison was fined JS2, with costs 75., and Hy. Francis M'Uroy fined <£1,.-with costs 7s. The alternatives were fixed, at seven- days' and. threo- days' imprisonment respectively. For' drunkenness Thomas Newton Withers was fined 105.,. in. default 48 hours'.imprisonment. Six first offending inebriates were dealt with. • -

I'or -disobeying a -maintenance order Chas, Avery was sentenced to 15 clays' imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended on ; the payment of 2s. 6d. per week.