MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2632, 30 November 1915, Page 11

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

ALLEGED THEFT AT A BAZAAR

INFORMATION DISMISSED

Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., presided at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when the cases on the list included a rather unusual charge of theft. A marvied' woman, named Sylvia Prances Cameron, pleaded not guilty to stealing a traycloth, two d'oyTeys,* and a stockingbag, the property of Mrs. E. Wood. Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared l for the defence, the prosecution being conducted by Chief Detective Boddam.

The goods mentioned in the chargo were valued at £1 ss. Qd. and had been missed from a stall at a bazaar held in St. Thomas's Hall, Newtown, on September 1. The evidence for tho prosecution hinged upon the evidence of two married 1 women, who declared that they visited Mrs.. Cameron's room during her absence and saw in her box the missing traycloth, and thero was also tlie fact that the accused had given the two d'oyleys to olie of the married women mentioned. By way of defence, Mrs. Cameron said that she purchased and paid for the two d'oyleys, and she denied that she had ever been ill possession of the traycloth or stocking-Dag. The Magistrate considered that there was some doubt raised by the evidence, and that tho accused was entitled to the benefit of the doubt. The information, was therefore dismissed.

A DISORDERLY HOUSE. Reserved! judgment was delivored in tlie cases brought against several men and women as a result of a police visitf to i Elizabeth, Street on the night of November 18, when four women and five men were arrested. At a previous sitting of the court the informations against two of the men were dismissed, and yesterday the other seven defendants apepared in the dock to hear judgment. - Henry Giles and ilosina Henry were charged with keeping a brothel and consorting .with prostitutes; Alice Hawthorne,' Jessie Sutherlandi, • and Ethel Florence Guilford were charged with assisting in the management of a brothel and with consortiug with prostutes; while Francis Henry Gordon Guilford and George Wells were charged with consorting, with prostitutes. Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for tho defendants. . ' ; . . The Magistrate decided that there was not sufficient evidence, to justify liiin in convicting Henry Giles and Francis Henry Gordon Guilford, and the informations against them were accordingly' dismissed. Rosina Henry was convicted of keeping a brothel, whilst tlie other three women were, convicted of assisting in the management thereof, all four being further convicted of consorting with prostitutes. George Wells was also convicted on the charge of consorting with prostitutes. According to. the police report, none of the accused had previously been convicted of similar offences.

The Magistrate imposed a fine of £3 on .the accused Eosina Henry, the alternative being fourteen days - imprisonment, while the accused Jessio Sutherland was fined £2, with the option of going to gaol for seven days. The remaining three prisoners wore ordered to come up for sentence when called upon-

MAINTENANCE. Application was'made by the police for variation of 'a maintenance, order in force against William Henry Wiggins. In August lost Wiggins had been ordered to pay 30s. per week towards l the support of hi 6 wife and two young children, and the police asked that 15s. of this amount should be diverted to the Education Department as the children were ill a receiving homo. Wiggins himself applied for a reduction of tno weekly payment to 255. Mr. E. K. Kirkcaldie, representing Mrs! Wiggins, opposed any reduction, as the defendant had deserted his wife. The Magistrate varied the order as requested by the police and declined to reduoe the payments. He warned the defendant that disobedience of the order would render him liable to imprisonment. Minnie Spargo was grantedl summary sepiyation from her husband, Henry James Spargo, who was ordered to contribute the sum of £1 per week as maintenance. The evidence showed that the husband had commenced divorce proceedings, but had not gone on with the petition, allegedly for want of the necessary money. Mr. A. M. Salek appeared yesterday for Mrs. Spargo, while Mr. S. A. Atkinson appeared for the defendant. ■

BAD LANGAUGE. Albert Charles Columbus was charged with using obscene language in Gbuznee Street on Saturday night. Mr.. H. P. O'Leary appeared for the accused, and teudered a plea of guilty. Inspector Hendrey stated that the language was so bad that another mail who was present deemed it expedient to silence Columbus with a blow on the fnoe. The Magistrate imposed! a fine of £5, and ordered accused to pay 4s. witness's expenses. Default was'fixed at one month's imprisonment. EXCESSIVE MOISTURE. The secretary of the Pongaroa Dairy Company pleaded 1 guilty to a charge of having sent to the grading store at Wellington butter oontainiiig excessive moisture (more than 16 per cent, of water). He ascribed the fault to want of care on the part of an employee. A fine of £2 was imposed, with-court costs 7s. ' OTHER. OASES. Frank Williams and Claude I'aterson, for whom Mr. H. I'. O'Leary appeared, pleaded guilty' to a charge of having played ail unlawful game on the Bailway Wharf. A line of £2. was imposed in, each case. Williams tendered the fine forthwith, and the other deftndant was allowed a month in which to find the money. Mary Crow and Blanche F.i'elyn Coe, charged with drunkenness, were fined 20s. each, the alternative being three days' imprisonment. Two first offending inebriates wero also dealt with.