MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 203, 16 May 1918, Page 8

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

FALSE PRETENCES

THEFT AT SEA

Mr. S. I-;. M'Carthy, S.M., presided over a Bitting of the Magistrate':; Court yesterday, and dealt with the polico cases. Gilbert Itosa Hewitt was charged that on, April 13, ,at Carterton, he did obtain from John Joseph Iladley £3 by means of a false pretence, viz., that he was the agent of John Mil) and Co., WollingifinInspeotor Marsack said that accused had been employed by John. Mill and Co., wholesale coal merchants, Wellington, but had loft their employment about six months ago. Ho called on Mr. Hadley at Carterton, and represouted that ho was still in the employ of Mill and Co. He asked Hadley if he wished to replenish his fiupply of coal, and on receiving a reply in the affirmative he took an order for coal. Ho then said to Mr. Hadley that he wns short of cash, and would like to draw against tha order, and he was given a cheque for $3. Drink appeared to be hia trouble. The Magistrate, after lecturing, the accused, convicted and ordered him to come up for sentence when called upon; he was also ordered to refund the £3, and a prohibition order was issued against him, to bo effective for twelve months.

THEFT FROM A CABIN. Tho further hearing of the charge against John Dimmock and Bobert Donald Murray that on May 13 they did steal, on board the steamer Maori, while on a voyage between Lyttelton and Wellington, the sum. of. £i from the person of Irene Towers, a saloon passenger on the steamer.

Inspector Marsack: conducted tho case for the police, and tho accused conducted their own defence. Duncan Gillanders, farmer, Gisborne, stated that he was a steerage passenger an the Maori on Saturday ' last. At about midnight, whilo sleeping in his bunk, he was awakened by somebody fumbling about his cabin. He looked up, and discovered Dimmock in the room. He could see the man clearly, because there was a light in the cabin. Witness sang out, and the man cleared out. Ho had seen Murray in company with Dimmock, but not in his cabin.

Moses Mendles, night-watchruan on th« Maori, said he knew the accused, who had travelled together. Part of his duty was to patrol the whole of the ship. The cabin occupied by Miss Towers was a naloon deck cabin, No. 89. He saw the two accused, who wero steerago passengers, prowling about the saloon cabins at 11.30 p.m. He saw Dimmock stopping .out of a passage-way leading to cabin No. 89. Murray was leaning over the rails close by. He ordered them back to the steerage, and reported the maf.tor to the senior night-watchman. Leonard Rhodes, night-watchman on tho Maori, gave corroboratiyo evidence. Next morning, while the police were examining them, Diminock was sitting 'on .a. pile of mattresses, over which there was a rug. Witness saw Dimmock put hiss hand in his pocket, and then place it under the mattress. Witness searched the mattress afterwards, and found a double-headed penny. Sergeant Matneson gave evidence as to searching the accused a.ml finding tho money on them.

The accused did not give evidonoe. but denied having stolen tho money. Tho Magistrate held that tho case had been proved, nnd sentencod the two men to three months' imprisonment each. 'SIX MONTHS FOE THEFT. David Ignatius Petterson was charged that on July 11 last, at AVellington, he did steal a watch and pendant, and one sovereign-ease, valued at .£ls, this property of William Mayall, a labourer.

According to the evidence, Myall met Petterson, and ttio two wero later joined by a third, and spent the evening in one of the city hotels, where Mayall became very much intoxicated, and had no recollection of what occurred during the latter part of tho evening. On tlw following morning he discovered hie loss, and reported tho matter to the police. Subsequently, Pettersou was arrested for drunkenness and using obscene language, and on being searched at the station the watch and .pendant wero found in his possession. The defence was that the articles found in his .possession were purchased" for 15s. from a seafnrijig mail. The accused was convicted and sentenced to six months' imprisonment.

■ OTHER CASESs. For insobriety, William M'Guire, against whom there were two previous convictions, was fined 00s., in default fourteen days' imprisonment; Edith Louisa Young, with one previous convictin, was fined 205., with the option .of seven days' imprisonment, and a prohibition order was issued against her, to be in force twelve months. One first offender was fined 10s., in default twentyfour hours' imprisonment, and another, a soldier, was ordered to bo handed over to the military authorities.

Julian Huggens was charged with being au idle and disorderly person, iu that he possessed insufficient lawful means of support. Inspector Marsnck said the ■man came to the station, and wanted to bo locked up. Ho said he had no money and no work. The man was then suffering from the effects of drink, but now that he had had a few days' rest he was quito normal. The inspector said he knew the man. and know him to be quite decent, and did not earo to brand him as an idle and disorderly person. Hβ withdrew that charge, and substituted one of drunkenness, and on this he was convicted and a prohibition order, to be effective for twelve months, was issued ajalnst him.