MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 253, 13 July 1918, Page 12

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

A SOLDIER'S WILD ACTION

BY-LAW CASES

"It is evident •Hint he must have been pretty drunk at the time," observed Mr. I l '. V. Pnizer, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, iu a case in which u soldier miinea Georgo Birnie- Moore was charged .(hat on July 11 lie wilfully damaged a filter, valued at 2f>s., the property of Alary .\suisbiUini. He u,js also accused of having made use of'obscene langUnfitl. ;

Inspector Mai'sack said that accused went into a second-hand shop in Manners Street belonging to Mrs. Jvausbnum nnd asked for an article which could not bo had. Moore then picked up a filter, threw it down, and smashed it, nnd then made use of the obscene langunge.

"1 have a very hazy idea about it," remarked Moore. "1 had a bottle of whisky in my pocket and somebody stale it." "You had no right to havo a bottle of whisky iu .your uniform pocket," said Mr. Frazer. .

"Well, I had it, and someone stole ," replied accused.

"i r ou unci better not say too, much about it," answered Air. l i 'razer, "as it might lead to trouble" After eviJeiyjo luid been henrd for the prosecution, accused, hi reply to the Magistrate, said he had been back in Now Zealand for sis months.

"Oh, well, you ought to have got over your celebrations and settled down liy now," obsßrvod .His Worship. 'JVre was no doubt that accused must have been pretty drunk, added Mr. Vruzer.

Accused, who is at present engaged on home service, was ordered to 'make good the damage done to the filter, nnd on the choree of. using obscene language he was fined £2. with the alternative' of seven days' imprisonment. ''Drunk or sober,-, Moore, it is-not expected that a man would inako use of such language is that complained, of," said II v. Fraz.cr.

BY-LAW BREACHES. John Bengo pleaded guilty to driving a dray on the wrong aide of i\ thoroughfare. Mjf, J. O'Shen, City Solicitor, said that one result of tho oifenco was that the dray struck a traracar. "I didn't do it purposely," said defendant. "I should not think you would do it purposely if you were in your sane eenses," replied Mr. Frozer. "'Was any damage dono?" "Yea," answered defendant, "one of the shafts of tho dray was broken." "Oh, well, you have been put to sonie expense, and I shall not inllict a heavy penalty," eaid His Worship. "You will bo fined is., with !)s. costs." The case in which William James Hunt was charged with allowing offensive matter to accumulate at his house in Tui Street again came before tho Court, when Mr. J. O'Shea, City Solicitor, said' that defendant had elated ho woe experiencing some- difficulty in getting rid of his two dogs. In that event. Mr. O'Shea aeked for an adjournment until Monday, when he would request that the case bo finally disposed of. The adjournment was granted.

• For driving a motor-car without a number a taxi-driver nnnied Claude C'ornforth was fined £1, with costs 7s. James Golljn was ordered to pay 7s. costs for driving a vehicle without lights. Jaiiet M'Nicol was fined ,£1 for allowing a pony to wander at Island Bay, and on a chargo of permitting cattle to roam about on a street at Wndeslown Reginald WoUby was fined M, with costs 7s. On two informations of allowing stock to wander at Miramnr, John Fyfo was fined dC2, with 7s. costs,, on each information. -

OTHER CHARGES. For insobriety, Edwin Cook Tompkin-

son was fined 10s., in default 48 hours' imprisonment'.

Lydia Enimn Eldral, for whom Mr. A. H. Hindmixjdi appeared, was fined £1, »;ith 7s. costs, for ])nvin<r failed to close her shop nt 1 p.m. on the statutory halfholiday.

p Donald Slackay Howitt. for whom Mr., r. appeared, was charged'with haTing driven a motor-cycle at a dangerous speed, but after hearing evidence His Worship dismissed the information.