MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2729, 25 March 1916, Page 15

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

LEGAL POINT MOTOR LORRY LICENSES Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.H., was on tile Bench in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Some fifty cases were set down for hearing, but a great many wore called only to be adjourned' to a future date. His Worship delivered reserved judgment on a legal-point arising out of. a by-law case heard at a recent sitting of the Lower Hutt Court. The Hutt Borough Council had proceeded against Leonard Cloake for failing to take out a license for a motor lorry. For the defence it was contended that as Cloake had already taken out a licenso in Petone, he was not legally bound to do so at Lower Hutt. lu delivering reserved judgment Mr. Cooper upheld the latter contention. A point yet to be decided, ' however, is whether Cloake plied for hire more in I'otonu thai) in Lower Hutt. At the hearing, Mr. H. F. Aysou appeared for the plaintiff council, and Mr. E. M. Beechcy for defendant. NEGLIGENT DRIVING. - ' Among numerous prosecutions under vr , y "J. aws was a case jn which John Marshall was charged with negligently driving a taxi-cab on Lambton Quay, llie defendant did not appear. Evidence was given to show that Marshall b negligent driving had resulted m a train conductor being knocked down and seriously injured. The Magistrate commented strongly on tfe reckless driving of motor-cars in the city, and .said that it was time some j drastic action was taken to check it. A fine of £10, with costs 135., was imposed. VAGRANCY. ' Harold Armstrong pleaded guilty to a charge nf being a. rogue and a vagabond without sufficient lawful means of support, and admitted previous convictions for vagrancy, breaking and entering, and assault and robbery. Chief-Detective Boddam stated that the accused was one of a number of young men who preferred to loaf on soldiers ratnor than accept employment. Accused : had iguored police warnings during the past few months, and bad refused to leavo the city. A sentence of six ninths' impn6nment was imposed. Two young men, named Henry Ar-' thur Grant and Robert Samuel Goode, were found sleeping in an express' on private premises in Frankville Terraco at 2.5 am. yesterday. Tbey'haid no permission to be in the express, and wero therefore brought before, the Magistrate, and charged with being rogues and vagabonds. Ploas of guilty, were entered by both ~ accused, who' were given "uacl characters by Inspector Sendrey. A sentence of one month's imprisonment was imposed in each case.

■ UNLICENSED FISHING BOAT. Two informations were laid by the : Marine Department against Charles ' I'liillips, charging him (1) with being ' the owner of an unlicensed fishing boat ' and (2) with selling lish from such a ? boat. Defendant appeared, and admit- > tod that he had failed to obtain a licenso for the year 1915. The Magistrate imposed penalties (fines aud , coilts) totalling £1 lis. ; failing to" attend dbill. Arthur Leonard Albertson did not - appear to answer a charge of failing ■ to attend drill with the Post and Tcle- ' graph Cadets. Sergeant-Major Ryan t ' le ' a d had caused. considerable troublo over his failure, to attend parades, .and never offered any excuse. A sheaf of correspondence ; (produced) had been accumulating over • bis ca.se, and the lad in his replies had ; exhibited' "cheek" enough for half-a- ---; dozen men. The Magistrate fined defendant 106., with costs 7s. ' BY-LAWS, ETC. i The Petone Borough Council proceeded against' Daniel Chapman and Michael . Kerney for plying for hire with unlicensed vehicles ou the occasion of the I trotting meeting at Hutt Park. Noifcher defendant appeared. In Chapman's | »ase, the penalty, with costs and witnesses' expenses, was J:1 Bs., and in Kerney's caso the penalty totalled £1 14s. Mr.K. c Kirk appeared for the Borough Council, , T. Moss, who boarded a crowded tram, car at Rintoul Street after being warned by thn rouduoior not to do so, waa liHed 55., aud ordered to pay- costs and i expenses amounting to £1 ss. Thomas Troy, who threw glass in i Dlxou Street to the danger of pass©is-« i by. was tined^lOs, with costs 7s. For breaches of the vehicular by-laws, the following ( were penalised:—Young | Hmg ; lined 10s., with, costs 75.; W S' Jenkins, fined 55., with costs 7s. j Charles Lord, fined 55., with costs 75.: I. M'Kenna, fined 55., with costs 75.; y r - Shand, lined 55., with costs 75.; John Zortua, fined 55.. with costs 95.; and 11. .1. aton, convicted and discharged. As the owners of wandering stock, Joseph Clark and-Gnj> Dybing were or* deied to pay tho costs of t'lio proceedings, Clark having also to pay. a small lino, ss. MISCELLANEOUS. A seafaring man, named William Milne, pleaded guilty to a charge of indecency in .Foresters' Lane, but as the offence was not a serious one, lie was merely convicted aud ordered to come up lor sentence when called upon. In tho assault caso, George Augustus Smith v. William llargreaves, the information was dismissed' a« trivial. Mr. I'. W. Jackson appeared for tho inforniant and Mr. T. S. Weston for tho defendant. John M'Lauglilin. on a charge of insobriety, was lined 10s., in default lo undergo 48 hours' imprisonment.' A lirst-ofTender (a soldier) was convicted and ordered to bo handed over to tho military authorities. Charles William Groves was ordered If. pay 10s. per week toward? the maintenance of hi? wife, ivlio was granted u separation order,