MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3154, 4 August 1917, Page 13

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

THEFT FROM HOTEL BRISTOL.

At the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Mr. S. 43. McCarthy, 8.M., presided. , Robert Long, a young man, waa cnar ß eu with the theft of a lady'a »verto»Uitbc value of £1 155., tho property of Jean Ibltt! According to tho e.videnco the *ccußcd stayed at tho Hotel Bristol, inrt was seen by the proprietor in *j>°.j» u «r» room. Later, when the i « oU3e Li el ' «„ place, the coat was missing, a ho police stopped accused just as he was *$»*£ board a steamer and searched wapon inanteau, whore tho missing garment was found ami identified by the owner Accused was convicted and sentenced to three months' imprisonment. Convicted ot using obscene language in Holland Street, James Ward was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, and for wilfully damaging two panes of glass valued at • £1, thn property ■ of Georee Crook, he was ordered to pay the amount of tho damage, in .default soven days imprisonment. Boyd Thomas, for insobriety, was fined

20b., in default, seven days' imprisonment. On a. similar charge four first offenders were each fined 10s., in default twentyfour hours' imprisonment. Another first onondor was remanded for n. week for medical examination. Walter John Wood was remanded nn a charge of being nn idlo and disorderly porson, in that ho wne found begKingalms in Lambton Quay. PROCURING LIQUOR. A youth named Nigel Smith, employed on board a steamer, wae charged with falsely ropresentinc himself to ho 21 yeare of age in order to obtain intoxicating liquor from the Pier Hotel. According to the evidence the boy was sent by some members of the orew to procure liquor from the hotel, and as he appeared to bo an adult ho was served by the barman of the hotel. Accused was convicted and lined £2 and costs, in default seven days' imprisonment. Arieing out of the above case Victor Noventa, barman of the Pier Hotel, was charged with Bervins a lad under 21 years of ago with iiauor. Mr. J. J. M'G.rath appeared ' for accused, and pointed out that the lad looked over 21 years of age. and as a matter of fact he was asied his ago. The sale was made by tho barman in the belief that the lad was an adult. The accused was convicted and fined £5 and costs. WANDERING STOCK. Alfrod Bradley, against -whom there'werc twelve previous convictions for allowing stock to wander, was fined £3 and costs: similarly charged George Hudson, S. Boulton, H. Robertson, and Henry Pcarce were each fined 20s. and costß. BY-LAW OASES. For driving a vehicle with insufficient lights Thomas Parsons was (lucd 10s. and Stephen Arthur Sapsford, for riding a bioyclo at night without a light, was For driving his. vehicle on the wrong side of the plantation in Courtenay PlaceAlexander Wilson was fined IDs. and costs. Convicted of having a stick of Bcuenite on hie premiees at Maranui, William Hedges was fined !os. and costs. RESERVIST FINED. William Frederick Moran, a reservist, for failing to notify the Government Statistician of change of abode, was convicted and fined 20s. and costs..MILK UNDER STANDARD. Edward John Parker, milk vendor. Vivian Street, pleaded guilty to tho charge of selling milk which was deficient in fats. Mr. P. S. K. Macassey, of tho Grown Law Office, who appeared for the Public Health Department, informed the Bench that defendant had been previously convicted oi a similar ollencc. The Magistrate imposed a fine ot £5 and costs. AWARD CASES. The Inspector of Awards (Mr. G. H. Lightfoot) proceeded against Bins, Harris and Co., for failing to keep a wages and overtime book. It was contended for the prosecution that the head of the .packing department, who helped in the packing occasionally, should have his wages and overtime entered in the book. Mr. A. W. Blair, who appeared for the defendants, pointed out that Peter Watts, tho head of the department, was not a storeman, but a clerk. He was on a yearly ealary and \taa paid on the first of each month. His work was almost entirely clerical, but occasionally, when there had been a pressure of work and assistance could not be obtained, he had helped the'men to pack the goods. Wattß had declined to join the union, and the union waß annoyed, and wae also anxious to discover what salary ho was being paid. Alter hearing the evidence the Magistrate reeerved his decision. t .j Te \to House Drapery Company. Ltd., was proceeded against for failing to provide suitable heating appliances in its shop in Cuba Street, Mr. A. W. Blair appeared for the defendant company, and the defence was based on the legal aspect of the matter. Evidence was called on both sides and the Magistrate reserved his Similarly charged Carter and Co.. Onba Street, were couvioted and ordered to pay costs. The defendants had bince installed the necessary heating appliances. ALLEGED CRUELTY. The case against A. Peteru, heard some days ago. of cruelly ill-treating two' horses was dismissed; It was contended by Mr. P. W. Jackson, who appeared for the defendant, that there was no evidence that Peters had any knowledge of the condition cf tho horses, and their condition was not brought to his notice by Me servant who used them, and therefore there was an absence of gmlty knowledge Tho Magistrate agreed with this view and dismissed, tho information.