MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2799, 17 June 1916, Page 7

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

OBSTRUCTING THE TRAFFIC

ADDRESSING an overflow

MEETING

As an outcome of the meeting lield by nnti-conscriptionists in Abel Smith Street on the evening of Sunday, Juno 4, Putrick C. Webb, M.P., Harry Holland, and 11 ibis Paukhurst appeared at tho Magistrate's Court yesterday to answer a charge of having obstructed the traffic in Abel Smiih ,Street by inducing .people to congregate. 111'. 1). G. A. Cooper, S.H., was on tho leiich, and Mr. J, O'Slien, City Solicitor,' appeared on behaif of the prosecution. ■Mi\ 11.I 1 . J. O'Kegnn represented Miss Pankhurst, while Webb and Holland conducted their own cases.

In opening the ease for the prosecution, Jlr. said that on the night in question a meeting held in Alexandra Hall was addressed' by Miss Pankhurst. Holland aiid AVebbhad addressed an overflow meeting, in. the street, and when Miss Pankhui'st appeared the crowd from inside the hall joined those assembled in the street, and filled it. Addresses were being given against conscription. A series of meetings continued for some timo, and it was late before the crowd dispersed. It was against the City bylaws to hold meetings in the.street without a perirtit, and in the present case no permit wns issued.

'Constable Brennan stated that there were between .100 and 400 people congregated in Abel Smith Street at about !).la p.m. on June 4. , The crowd extended •right across the street, and the crush wns greater when those inside the hall came out. - •

Constables Leslies and Cox gave corroborative evidence. :

Sergeant Crtiickshank, who was in charge of the , constables on this particular occasion; in answer to a question by Mr. Webb, said that the police, had. instructions to carry out the. by-laws generally.

Mr. P. C, IVebb, M.P., said that he was quite igsorant of committing any breach of the by-laws. He went along to hear Miss_ Pankhurst- speaking. He had no intention of speaking himself, but received a request to speak, and did so to pass away the time. Had the constables told him that he had been committing a breach of the by-laws he would have stopped. As the meeting was one of emergency there was no time to obtain a permit. He had protested against other meetings being held in the street for other purposes to the one' held in Abel Smith Street. He .pleaded that ha had nothing to do with obstructing the traffic.

H. Holland said-that as permission could not be obtained to use the . Town Hall on this particular occasion; the meeting had to be held in Alexanda Hall. Witness and the other speakers did not dfaw the crowd there. He reiterated wh'ai; 1 Wchjj had said about the presence of the police, and not being asked to move on.

J. M'Combs, M.F., said that people could quite easily move freely through the crowd. 'As a member of the Christchurch City Council, he thought that the by-law-was 100 drastically interpreted on this particular occasion.

In giving his decision, Mr. Cooper said that a technical breach of the by-law had been committed. In his Worship's opinion ihose people who had spoken at the meeting should have been warned by the police. In entering a conviction, as_ he was bound to do, the defendants Webb and Holland would be each fined 55., with 7s. costs, and Miss Pankhurst, leing a stranger to New Zealand, would be convicted and discharged.' CRUELTY TO A HORSE. • Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M.,"aTso dealt with the foliowing cases at yesterday's sitting of the' Magistrate's Court:— At the instigation of the Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, two yoany Germans tinmen Allwrt Arthur Crell and Heinrich Qoldeckej residing at •Belmont, ' wero - charged- ; with 'having cruelly ill-treated, a. horse. ' "Inspector Hendrey "said thilt the offenco was of a particularly revolting n'ature, as the men had worked the animal till it had almost dropped. It was'covered with sores, and finally had to be destroyed. Both accused in very broken English pleaded guilty. They were fined .£3 each, and asked for time to pay. The Inspector mentioned that there was a likelihood of both accused'bring plticed on SomesIsland. His Worship promptly inado the alternative 14 days' imprisonment. WARNED BY THE MAGISTRATE.' A ploa of guilty was entered by George Daniel C'omiell on. a chaTgo of being an idle and disorderly person, and having insufficient means of support, According to Tuspectdv Hendrey, Oonnell had been a. hard-working man, ; and had arrived in town a, few weeks back with a cheque for 439, which sum he had spent mostly in drink. Since the money had. been finished he had been loafing about town. 11l convicting Connel!, and ordering him to come up for sentence-wlien called upon, the Magistrate warned, him that if he saw him again it would be the worse for him. POLICE COURT CASES. John Joseph Galbraith was-fined 40s„ in default seven days' imprisonment, for 'drunkenness. , , ..." James Vesey pleaded guilty to a charge of having indecently exposed himself in Tory Street, and sentence was deferred. On a second chargp of a similar nature, a remand'was granted. Three charges were preferred against Havry, Cradoe'Davies. They were as'follow: (1) Drunkenness; (2) assaulting Elizabeth Green; (3) usilig obscene language in the Caledonian Hotel. On the first charge lie was convicted and discharged, and on the second and third ho was fined £!i and ,£3 respectively. Default was fixed at month's imprisonment in each of His latter two cases. Frank Edward Feely proceeded against Harry Lewis for assault. ' After hearing evidence, the Magistrate fined defendant 10.*. i. '■ For having used obscene language in Webb Street, Thomas Thompson was fined 405., with costs 75., in default 14 days' imprisonment. . HT-LAW CASES. Tho following by-law cases wore dealt with:— \ . Harold Thomas, for failing to notify tho authorities of ithe change of ownership of a motor bicycle, was fined 55.. Failing to carry a registered number on his motor cycle cost Alex.'Burton a fine of 55., with costs 7s. Fines of 10s., with costs amounting to 7s. in each case, were inflicted on the following for having driven vehicles without lights:—Herbert Frank Vincent, Clmrlos Charat, Percy Harvey, and Michael O'Brien. Samuel Pearce, for leaving a motorcar unattended, was convicted and discharged. For not carrying a propjr tail light, ™ Hint his registered' number could be plainly seen, lie was ordered to par costs, 7s. William Merrick was fined 10s., with costs 95.. for leaving a vehicle unattended. It cost G. Gibbs 17s. for failing to pay his tram fare on a Newtown car recently. William Fry Newcombe and Frederick WillmniVl'sintimr were each fined 55.", with costs 75., for allowing their stock to wander. Lawrence llagan was severely cautioned, and ordered to pay witnesses' expenses, amounting to 325., for having driven hi« car at a dangerous speed. For failing to take notice of the stop sign at a railway crossing at Treutham, Lionel Buiellc was fined 20."., with costs 2fls. .9(1. He passed in a motor-car before a, train which was moving very slowly.