MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 197, 15 May 1919, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

SERIOUS CHARGE. A serious charge was preferred against a man named Horace Benjamin Martin, before Mr. Ellison and Captain Hennah, J.P.'s, at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. The charge was one of committing an unnatural offence, and tho court was cleared during tho hearing of the evidence. Acting-SuVlr.spector Emerson conducted the prosecution, and the accused was not represented by counsel. At the conclusion of tiie evidence the accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed .to the Supreme Court for trial. ■Walter Johnston, a seaman on the steamer Tainui, admitted a charge of having stolen a pair of spectacles and a case, valued at £\, the property of E. Campbell. It appeared that the defendant had been on a drinking bout, and whilst at Island Bay stole the property mentioned. He was fined 10s., in default forty-eight houis' imprisonment, and was also ordered to be placed on board the vessel. On a charge of stealing nine dozen handkerchiefs, valued at M, the property of the New Zealand Shipping Company,' Patrick Lockett was remanded till May 21 Bail was allowed in the sum of JE2S and two.sureties of .£25 each. For drunkenness. Donald M'Donald was sent to gaol for seven days, and on a charge of breaking tho conditions of his prohibition order he was remanded for a week. Emma Campbell was convicted and discharged for drunkenness, and three first offenders for like offences were fined 10s. each, and a fourth was convicted and discharged.