MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2980, 18 January 1917, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

CARGO-PILLAGING.

Mr.S. B. M'Carthy, S.M., presided over.a sitting of the Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Robert Gordon Hand, for whom Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared, was charged with stealing an Underwood typewriter, valued at £18, the property of John A. S. Lord. The accused notified the Court that ho was prepared to plead guilty to a charge of receiving the typewriter, knowing it to have been stolen, and the information was, with the consent of tho police, amended accordingly.. The accused had, it appeared, been a fireman aboard a boat engaged in coaling a steamer at Wellington. A member of the vessel's crew had sold him the typewriter, which was one of. a shipment of 10 forwarded to Mr. J. A. S. Lord, of Wellington. The accused had attempted to dispose of tho machine to tho manager of tho Wellington Tycwriter Company. His Worship held that tho offence was a. serious one, in viow of tho prevalence of cargo-pillaging throughout New Zealand. He sentenced Hand to three months' hard labour. A SOLDIER'S LAPSE. Joseph Thomas Christio, a member of the Expeditionary Forces, was charged with having, on December 28 last, stolen at I'almcrstou North an "Indian" motor-cycle, valued at £100, the property of Stanley Erie l'ces. Ho pleaded guilty to the offence, and was committed for sentence at tho Supremo Court. From the evidonce called by tho police, it appeared that Christie went to the premises of tho Nonpareil Motor Company at Palmcrston North and stated to the salesman that ho wished to purchase a motor-cycle. An Indian was shown to him, and ho and tho salesman had a trial run. On return, the accused remarked: "Let mo soo if I can reverse the gears." Ho mounted tho machine, started it, and. left tho vicinity at once. Next day ho put in an appearance at Lyall Bay, whore ho sold the bicycle for £55 to Mrs. Drew, proprietress of the Lyall Bay tearooms. The polioe had failed to recover the money. On a further charge cf stealing a motor-cycle at Christchurch, Christio was remanded till to-morrow.

OTHER CASES. David Matthew Bromley was further remanded to January 24 on two charges of theft at Wellington. Henry Francis M'llroy, alias Campbell, alias Evans, alias Parker, • pleaded not guilty to a charge of- stealing 2s. lOd. from the. person of Robert Dawson. He was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was allowed in the sum of £50, with two sureties of £25, or one of £50. Edith Firth, deemed by tho polico to be an incorrigible rogue, and previously convicted of being a roguo and a vagabond, was sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour for habitually consorting with reputed prostitutes.. Her record showed that she had been leading an intraoral life for the last seven years, and had undergone various terms of imprisonment during that time. For insobriety, Joseph Morley and William Wilson, who had respectively within too spaco of six months been four and live times previously convicted of this offence, were each sentenced to one month's imprisonment, with hard labour for insobriety/- Alfred Parker, also convicted of insobriety, was fined 205., with the alternative of seven days in gaol. Murdoch M'lntosh, who appeared somewhat peculiar in the dock, was further remanded to Monday on a charge of being found helplessly drunk.

UPPER HUTT COURT. The monthly sitting of tho Upper Hutt Magistrate's Court was hold yesterday morning, Messrs. J. Barton and G. R. N. Wright, Justices of the Peace, being on tho Bench.

For allowing stock to wander on tho public street A. Scott, James Kearney, and George Wyett were each fined ss. with 7s. costs, or' twenty-four hours' imprisonment. Alfred Southeo for a similar offence was, on account oTa, previous conviction, fined 10s., with 7s. costs, or forty-eight hours' imprisonment.

' Alfred Southeo claimed tho sum of £5 from Jacob Geange for daniago done through a' stallion breaking into plaintiff's property. The defendant, for whom Air. J. A. Barton appeared, made a plea of ■ contributory negligence. Plaintiff called no other evidence than his own. . Defendant called two witnesses, besides his own evidence. There was considerable conflict between the evidence of the two parties. The Bench considered the plaintiff had. not proved his case, and it was, dismissed with Court costs, 65., against plaintiff. PAHIATUA COURT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Pahiatua, January 17. Ernest Hughes, bakor, of Pongaroa, was fined £5 for selling short-weight bread. Thomas Hopcroffc, manager of the Pongaroa Dairy Factory, was fined £2' for selling light-weight butter, and Percy Kent, storekeeper, on a similar charge was fined £1.

Harry Naylor, for keeping liquor for sale in the No-License area of Pongaroa, was fined £5. ■ , D. M. Colquhoun, 6ettlcr, of Makairo, was fined £5 for, failing to clear foxglovo from his property.