MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2725, 21 March 1916, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

assault case

INCIDENT AT PORIRUA

Mr.' W. G. Riddell, S.M., presided at yesterday's sitting of the Magis»rate's Court, when one of the cases cet down for hearing was that in which' Reginald John Davis was charged with assaulting Thomqs Maher at Porirua on February 25 last. Mr. P. W. Jackson, who appeared for the defondant, asked if the police would withdraw tho chargo in view of the fact that Davis had apologised to Maher and that the apolDgy had been accepted.

Inspector Hendrey saidl that so far from withdrawing the chargo, the police intended to ask that Davis be bound Dver to keep the peace.

Mr. Jackson remarked, that if tho position was as indicated a'plea of not guilty would be entered. The idea of sureties of the peace w«s, ho contended, absurd, as Maher was a' bigger man 'Wan the defondant and well able to look after himself.

Inspector Hendroy, in opening the case, stated that the assault was the outcome of convictions registered against Davis for supplying liquor to a Native', at Porirua. Davis was under the impression that Mohor had informed on him, although he had boen assured that this was not so, and tho assault was an effort to obtain satisfaction. It was true that an apology had been tendered andl accepted, and that Maher desired that the prosecution should be abandoned. .

After hearing the evidence, tlie Magistrate oxpressed the opinion that the police liad acted, in tlio proper manner in proceeding ivith the case, but there did not appear to be any call for sureties of the peace. A conviction must ba recorded, but as the assault was not attended' iv ith serious result, no penalty would he imposed.

A NORWEGIAN IN COURT

A Norwegian, named Oswald Karlsen, 24 years of age, pleaded 1 guilty to the theft of tools from a. building in course of erection at Karori. The tools, which were the property of four different owners, wore valued at £2, but were sold to a second-hand dealer for the sum of' ss.' 6d. The Magistrate imposed fines and witnesses' expenses totalling £4, and in addition ordered the accused to refund the amount of ss. Gd. obtained from the second-hand dealer. Default was fixed at fourteen days'' imprisonment. MAINTENANCE. Charles M'Anally, who admitted being in arrears with payments due under a maintenance order, .was fined £3, the alternative being twenty-one days' imprisonment. Michael Kubler, who did not appear, was charged with being £12 in arrears with maintenance payments. He also was fined £3, . the- alternative being twenty-one days' imprisonment. William Roger Barr and R. G. F. 6. Worth, who had paid arrears of maintenance before appearing in Court, were convicted and discharged. SUNDAY TRADING. .On a chargo of Sunday trading, George Burtenshaw was fined 205., with costs 75., Elizabeth Burtenshaw being ordered to pay Court costs 7s._, in respect of a charge connected with the same shop on the same date. Elizabeth Jensen, for whom Mr. G. G. Watson appeared, was fined 55., with costs 75., for Sunday trading.

OTHER CASES. , Jolin Scott, who pleaded guilty to a cliargo of indecency in Manners Street. ,011 Saturday evening, ' was fined £3. Failing payment of this amount, the accused must go to gaol for fourteen days.

Convictions for drunkenness were recorded against the following:—Joseph Murphy, fined £2, in default to undergo seven days' imprisonment; George Morris and 'rhomas M'Laughlan fined 10s. each, with the option of going to gaol for twenty-Four hours.

Eleven first-offending inebriates were convicted and treated in the usual lenient manner.