MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3164, 16 August 1917, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

AN EXTEADITION CASE, Mr. S. E. M'Oarthy, S.M-., presided at tho Magistrate's- Court yesterday, and dealt with the police' cases. ...... Kichard Thomas Harrison. was charged that on- February 27. 1916, at Hedfern,.Nc\v South "Wales, lie did-, wilfully desert his, wifo and absent himself from. lilb homo for thirty days, leaving his wife without meanij of support, sucli being- an ofleuco in the State of New South Wales, a convicted porsoii being' liable to three years' imprisonment Svith hard labour. - According to the evidence, 'accused signed on a Vessol for the'round trip to San Francisco and back, but on reaching Auckland lio was discharged ■ from the vessel, and eventually "came on to- Wellington, whero be obtained work at his trado as a watchmaker. It was stated that Harrison was an expert at oxidising silver, and was engaged .in tbia work in connection with the camps.- It appears that, in May of: last, year, in consequenco of instructions received from Sydney, the police visited the accused- with' respect to. his wifes maintenance,.on which occasion'hc handed over £20, and agreed to contribute £la week towards the support of his wife". On two Subsequent oeoasions the police .wcro obliged to call on accused respecting maintenance. Tho present information was laid for the purpose of obtaining an extradition order for- tho appearan'cc of tho accused at, Itcdfcrn, .• Mr. A. W. Blair, who appeared for accused, stated that Harrison had left liifi home with the knowledge of Ilia wife, and from time to time be had sent hcrmonoy, and as recently as-SiS' weeks ago lie sent her a substantial'sum.' The'parties had been in communication all tho time. Tho accused, who gave evidence on his own behalf, paid his wife knew that hn was leaving . Sydney. Since arriving in Wellington he. liad communicated.with his wife and had received letters si.iid cablegrams from licr. The last, communication ho had from , his wife \v;<R about six or eight weeks ago. About, seven weeks ago lie cabled £18 to his wife. After that ho received another cablegram asking him to send more money, wbic.h lie was unable lo do. Kincc about October last he had sent his wifo between £58 and £68. If his wife was in .urgent need of. money just now he emild send her £J0 or ,MO. it was about eight or ten weeks ago thai, lie was visited by a constable, who asked him fo send the money to his wife. He sent, money then, and agreed to send her £1 per week. He had sent her more than that, if he were extradited to Eydnov he would lose liis job. He was earning £5 pur wnck. Arter hearing further evidence, the "Magistrate said that, if accused had kept up liis nayments to his wife nothing further would havo been beard of the matter, it was evident that, ho bad not done so, and he would-therefore be extradited to New Rout.li Wales.' In the .meantime bail, wuuld be ,i Mowed as previously. William Waters, who was in arrears in rcsrect to the maintenance of his brother, to'the amount of'.Cfl Ms. 10d.. was sentenced to two inouths' imprisonment, m, war . rant to issue unless applied for by (he police.

OTHER CASKS. A further remand for a weok was -granted in the case of Frederick Campbell Eraser and David Hodges, charged with attempting to obtain from Henry Marliudalc £975 with intent to defraud by means of a false pretence. For insobriety, Martin Samuelsen was lined £3. default, seven days' imprisonincut, and T'cter Chalmers was, lined £2, with the option of seven days' inini-iton-iiient. The latter was also charged thai, being an articled seaman, he. did desert from his vessel. Ho was convicted and ordered lo he placed on board his ship.