MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2652, 24 December 1915, Page 14

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

1, — VAGRANCY CASES " TWO MORE CONVICTIONS. Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., presided at yesterday's sittings of the Magistrate's Court, and had a long list of police cases to deal with. William Joseph M'G'rath, a tall well-built-man, pleaded guilty to a charge of drunkenness, but' denied that he had been begging alms in the street. The police evidence was that tho accused had been arrested as a result of a complaint from a returned wounded soldier. The latter, in giving evidence, stated that there were numbers of strong able-bodied men, who ought to be fighting at tho front, but who preferred to remain about town cadging from wounded soldiers. M'Grath called no evidence, in rebuttal, and he was sentenced to a month's imprisonment as an idle, and disorderly ■person. , William Hairey, who had been convicted on previous occasions for vagrancy and for other offences, was charged wr being an idle and disorderly person in that he habitually consorted with women of ill-fame. He denied the charge, and oalled evidence to show that he had been in constant work for some months past. He wa6, however, proved to have oeen keeping bad company, and was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. i REFUSED TO LEAVE A HOTEL. A railway portei, named John Chapman, pleaded not guilty to a charge of drunkenness and to a further charge of refusing to quit the licensed premises known as the Royal- Hotel. Inspector Hendrey.prosecuted, and Mr. P.W. Jacksou appeared for the accused. After hearing evidence, the Magistrate said that ho was sorry to see the young man in such an unfortunate position, but, ,ns four constables had sworn that he was drunk, a conviction must be recorded. , There was practically no dispute about the refusal to quit the hotel, and a conviction was recorded on that charge also. No penalty was, imposed for the minor charge, but, for refusing to leaye tne hotel, he was' fined 205., in default three day*' imprisonment. . MAINTENANCE, John M'Nab appeared on remand to answer a charge of failing to comply with an order of the Court requiring him tc maintain his mother. The arrears amounted to <£73, and tho defendant < had previously been sentenced to a term of imprisonment for failure to keep up the payments due. The Magistrate yesterday imposed a sentence of'three months imprisonment, but directed that the sentence should not be enforced so long a: M'Nab kept up tho weekly payment: (10s.), and. paid a further lyeekly sum of 2s. 1,, to clear 1 off, the arrears, which were reduced to ;620; < A STREET EIGHT. -Twosoldiers, Thomas Hodges and Harry Davies, who engaged in a fight in Cubs Street on Wednesday, pleaded guilty to t charge of using threatening behaviour. They were convicted and ordered to be handed over to tho military authorities. When, being taken to tho police station Davies mado use of some very ' objectionable language; and for this oftence he was fined in default one months imprisonment, . \ INSOBRIETY. A young man, named AVilliam Witheywho was drunk in a public street on Wednesday, refused, to take tho advice of e police' coiistablo to go homß, and eventually he was locked up. . Yesterday he pleaded guilty to charges of.drunkenness, of assaulting Constable ' King,' and damaging_polico uniform to the value oi .£2 is. He was fined a- total amount ol £i Is., tho alternative being 14 days' imprisonment- . , , ■ Persons convicted of drunkenness were penalised ; in the following manner:— Joseph Murphy fined .£3, or one month; John George' and Cecil John Braithwaite. fined 20s. each, or three days; William Carroll, who did not appear, was ordered to forfeit his bail (205.); and John Joseph Barrett was ordered to pay medical oxpenses (17s. Cd.), or undergo 48 hours imprisonment. Five first-offending.. inebriates were leniently treated. •. • John ■ Harrison, who was charged wit! being found in a statu of helpless drunkenness, was remanded for. a week foi curative treatment.