MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3093, 25 May 1917, Page 7

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

frHEFT FROM A RETAIL STORE

L%- ,1" G. Reid. S.M., presided at the {Magistrates Court yesterday, and heard fthe police cases. i'.John M'Keiwie was charged that beYween April 23 and May 23 he did steal j.™* bottles of .fruit salt, one bottle fcorubbs of ammonia, three bottles of trijcopierous, and six sticks of shaving soap, l°£ we value of 235., the property of iiWardoll Bros., and Allan John Robin- -£° R W , BB c "Wged with receiving the goods jtrem M*Kenzie, knowing the fame to have ifceen stolen, aad did eell the goods for ■■■£2 10s,

«« -lU6. •, Mr, P. W. Jackson appeared for both l&coused, and on their behalf pleaded 'Chief, Detective Boddam staled 'ihat [MKenzie had teen in the employ of .flvajdall Bros, for about three yews, and [a. half. Ho stole the goods and gave jthem. to Robinson to sell at a price, and Wo keep anything he got above that. RobSnson sold tho goods for £2 10s. Nothing 'twas known against either of tho accused. , r Mr. Jaokson, on behalf of dependants, said that M'Kenzic was n jyoung man who hold a very good character, aad had been for some time in tho employ of Wardell Bros. Hβ had yielded >£o temptation, and was very sorry. Rol>sn«m was a returned soldier who nad served a year at the front. He, too, had a good character until he became mixed Br> in this case.. ' His Worship said that he did not desire to send them to gaol. Thoy. were Vboth youw men, and should endeavour p> rehabilitate themselves in the eyes, of 'the community. He considered that tho Jreceiver was -worse than tho thief, and jif there were no receivers there would brohably be'no thieves. M'Kenuio was Iffined 405., and ordered to refund 235., jtne value of tho goods, in default U days' imprisonment. Robinson being tho [receiver, was fined £5, and was ordered [to refund 505., tho price nt which he Bold {the goods, the alternative being one inosth s imprisonment. ; THEFT OF A. PAIR OF BOOTS. i'.. On Tuesday a. young fellow named Eerfcert Scott was in Nelson, and while thare (he entered the Commercial Hotel and Valked a-way with a pair of boots that to someone else. Later ho got ton board the Hapourika to'- come on to iWellington, and while on the vessel lie frvao seen putting on the boots.. Ho was arrested on reaching Wellington,' and Jpeeter'day hepeladed guilty to tho theft. Hβ was fined 405., in- default H days' Imprisonment, OTHER CASES. , Elizabeth Musgrove was sentenced 'to .two monthß , imprisonment on being cpnJvietcd of loitering in Cambridge Terrace for immoral purposes, contrary to the ,War E«gulations. Patrick Shannon and Henry Shaw, fconvicted of committing grossly indecent Sets in Kniggo Avenue, were ench filled fiOs., the alternativo being seven days' Imprisonment:- ■'••■■ . ■ Henry Stevens, charged with the theft of a girl's costume of Hie value of 265., the property of Jacob Slopsky, was rctnande.d until to-day. ■ ■ The rase against Charles Henry WaKor, tharged with tho theft of .Co, the property -of the New Zealand Automatic Bakeries, Ltd.,. was remanded to Hay 31. ' For insobriety.-thrco first offenders were flealt with in the usual, lenient wanner. Guy Cockburn, with one previous conviction, was fined.los., in defaiilt three davs' smprisonment,.'and William Smith. wil.h three "previous convictions, was fined 205., the alternative being seven days' imprisonment. • ' " ' ■jdvenll'e court. Three boys were charged in the JnVenile Court, before Mr. L. G. Reid, fc.M., with placing oil on the Wadestown tram rails, thereby endangering the.lives of passongei'6. Subsequently the police

withdrew tha charge against one of the boys. It was shown by the evidence that a (luantitj; of oil was left in a receptacle alongeidn the tram line, and that the boys were tempted to apply eomo of it to Iho rails at a steep gradient, and tho oil caused a Iramcnr to slcid down thn hill, tho brakes not being able to hold the- car.

3)r. H. H. Cornish, who appeared for ono of the defendants, was endeavouring to describe tlio affair as ljeing trivial, when lie was cut short by the Magistrate, who said the offence was ono that could not lio too strongly condemned. Rβ did not. think it would be right; to let the boys leave the court under the impression that it was a trivial matter, The l-oys probably had no ulterior object in view, but the fact remained that the lives of tram passengers had been endangered.

Mr, Cornish referral to Uie laxity of the corporation officials in leaving'the oil about. '

The Magistrate: You must not try to excuse the boys by blaminjr tho corporatinn. It is not good for the boys. The two defendants, -who looked very dejected, were each ordered to receive six strokes of tho lirch, but tho Magistrate agreed to postpone the infliction of the punishment until he hnd hud an opportunity of consulting the boys' parents; .After doinjr so the Magistrate reconsidorod his decision and cautioned and discharged the la.ds.

A fouvteen-y«ar-oM lad who was convicted of tho thefi: of .£3 2s. lid. in money, tho property of \V. H. Tisdnll. was ordered to receive six strokes of tho bircli, nnd also to refund tho money. A Maori lad who absconded from the Nelson Training 'Farm Tva; ordered to be returned to .'that institution.

lAofco RESERVED JUDGMENT. Mr. G. Riddell, S.H., gave hie reFerved judgment yesterday in the case of Thomas B. Morris v. J. O'Meara, a claim for £17 15s. 6d., tlie estimated cost of repnira to a motor-cycle damaged in a collision with a motor-car on the road between. Petono and LowTy Bay on March 21 last, and .£ls damages on account of personal injnries. His Worship said niter hearing the evidence and visiting tho locality he. was satisfied that both, plaintiff and defendant wero travelling at a plott rate of speed when they came into view and ivhon the collision actual I,v occurred. Ho also thought that plaintiff was on his right side of Uio road, and hod defendant observed the rule of the road tho vehicles would not have collided. Ho therefore held defendant liable for the cost of tho damagn done, JEI7 15s. 6d., and for general damages, which were fixed at .£5. .Tiirlffment was therefore given for plaintiff for .C 22 15s. 6d., and costs £i. 19s. Loavo to appeal was granted. At the hearing Mr. G. G. G. Warn appeared for plaintiff and Mr. J. J. Jt'Gratli for defendant.

1 UNDEFENDED CASES.. judgment by default was given for plniutifT in tbo following: undefended caso.s:—Griffiths and Co., Ltd., v. Mrs. Jt. S. M'Großor, Is. nd., costs M Ss. Grl.; Veilch- and Allan v. B. L. Totts, £i 16s. 3d., costs 125.; Thomas Henry Oalos v. J{. Biggs, £1 fis. 3d., cosU 10s.; .Tnck Jacobus v. 0. Moore, X 5 Is. 6d., costs Bs.; .T. S. Elliott v. A. W. Sooulkr. JJ3 10s. 6(1., costs 11s.; the Scoullav Co., Ltd., t. A. R. M'Callum, Bs. 6d., costs 'M; Cad bury Bros., Ltd., v. Williams and Anderson, .£1 Us. fid., costs 10s.; Cavpootcrs and .Toiners , Tjnion v. Andrew T. Anderson, £2 Is., costs 75.; Voitch. and Allan v. .lohn CSastle, £S 18s. 3d., costs Bs. 6d.; same v. F. Campbell, £1 sj. Bd., costs 55.; Commcrcinl Agency and Edward Anderson and Co., Ltd., v. B. G. Stubbs, .£l7 Us. 7d., costs Ills, fid.; Vacuum Oil Co. v. A. Leo, -C2O .Is. 6d., costs £1 Us.; Wairarapa IVrmors' Co-op. Association, Ltd., v. W. J. I'can-e, £1 ss. ,Id., costs 55.