MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 14, 11 October 1917, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

POLICE CASES. A short sitting of the Magistrate's Court was held yesterday morning to deal with the police oases. Mr. W. G. Biddell, S.M., was on the Bench. Charles Bonfeld Godhard, who last wceK pleaded guilty to charges of obtaining a quantity of clothing, itc, from George and Keraley, Ltd.. Kirkcaldie and Stainu, Ltd., and the D.1.C., of tho total value of £3J 165., by means o£ false pretences, with iutent to defraud, came up for sentence. Mr. O'Leary, who appeared for Godhard, said sufficient money had been received from tho accitsed'a friends in Australia to make restitution. Some of the goods had not been touched, and possibly the firms concerned would take them back. Godhard had been injured in a tramcar accident in Cairo while serving with the troopß in Egypt, and this appeared to have arfected his mind. He had a passport which would enable him to return to Australia. Godhard had a clean record, and had never been previously before tho Court. Counsel thought that the ends of justice would be served if ho were convicted and ordered to come up for sentence ' when called upon, so that he could get baok to his friends in Australia. The Magistrate adopted this view, and dealt with the auoused accordingly, tendering him somo wholesome advice at the same time.

Mary Hargreavcs was convicted of loitering in Kent Terrace for immoral purposes. A relative who was in Court pleaded for the woman to be sent t« Mount Ufagdala. Jle pointed out that sho was still a young woman, aud there was a chance oE her regaining her self-respect. She was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, conditionally on her entering tho Mount Magdalu Institution and remaining there for u period of twelve months.

The case against Kiohawl Henry Smith, charged with the theft of a motor-van valued at £200, tho property of Turnbull and Jones,' Ltd., was withdrawn? Inspector Marsack stated that Smith was remanded a week ago «o that inquiries could' bo made. The incident, he said, appeared to hnvo been tho result of a

drunken spree. Smith was given a, ride by tho driver of tho van, and when the driver left tho van to attend to some busi-

0 ness Smith drove away in tho vehicle to i- Johnsonville, where in a casual way he .$ asked a person if ho wished to hay the I. motor-van. There did not appear to be (i any guilty intention in tho matter, and j he therefore asked permisiion to with--1 draw the case. Smith was severely lec--3 tured by the Magistrate- on his folly, and 0 the case was allowed to bo withdrawn. n Nicholas Ourran wus charged with inde--1 ccutly assaulting four boys aged five, seven,, eleven, and twelve respectively, tho B four charges being taken together. The • case was heard in camera, and Ourran I was committed to the Supreme Court for ' sentence. Bail was allowed In £50, and - ono surety of £50, or two of '£25 each. Mr. s IJ. F. O'Leary apijeared for tho accused. ior_ insobriety, William Waters was lined . 205., m default three days' imprisonment, and one first offender was convicted and discharged. CLAIM FOR DAMAGES. A civil case wan heard in the afternoon by ilfr. W. (1. Kid-Jell, S.M., in which Messrs. H. Ti'cngrovc and Son, taxi-pro-I prictors and motor experts, Courlenay ; i'luce, claimed from J. J. Curtis and Co., Ltd., the sum of £53 10a. for damages to a taxi-cab. The statement of claim act out that on July 17 last an employee of the ■ defendant company negligently handled a ■ horse lorry, with tho result that tho two , vehicles came into collision. The taxi-cab was in plaintiff's motor-garage at the time and the. lioreo lorry broke into the garage and struck tho car. Tho defence relied principally on points of law and tho evidence of the driver of tho horse lorry, who indicated that there wan no negligohco on his, part. Mr. ,1. J. M'Grath appeared for plaintiff and Mr. 11. t\ von Haast for Ihe defendant company.. After lu-uriue tho evidence tbc Magistrate reserved Ills decision. ■