MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 200, 19 May 1919, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

SHIP'S CARGO BROACHED

SOLDIER, CIVILIAN AND SAILORS CHARGED One soldier, one civilian, and four members of the crew of the liner Baranga appeared before Mr. D. G. A: Cooper, •S.M., at the Magistrate's Court on Saturday morning to answer a charge <jf having stolen on (he morning of May 17 1301b. of cheese, 721b. of butter, 2001b. bacon, ono case of milk, one ca.se of frozen fowl, one case frozen duck, 5 cases of bloaters, and .1 cases of kippers, of a total value or £79 is., the property of the Shaw. Savill, ami Albion Co., Ltd., The names of those charged are Herbert Philip P-cttit (soldier), Stephen Fisher (civilian), and Ernest Adams.».Tolm Perry, Percy Albert Oldins, and Ernest Beech (sailors). The men had expressed a desire for bail, but Aetinß-Snh-Inspwtor Emerson strongly oprtfsed the application. A remand whs granted till to-day, and tail ! was refused. I NINE THOt;PANT> CIGARETTES • STOLEN. ! A plea of guilty-was entered by John \ Williams, a member of the crew of the 1 Northumberland, when charged with the ! theft of OfliK) cigarettes, valued at ,€lO 75., ; the property of the New Zealand and ; African Shipping Company. Williams also admitted the thoft of one blanket, j valued at £1, the property, of the Fedei:i] tn\<\ S^bii , " Shipping Company. j According to tho police evidence, the ac- ; ciisetl was seen coming off the King's ; Wharf carrying n kit bag, and when op- : proaehed by a Customs officer he raid i tho bag contained his clothing, and that he was moving from one ship to another. An investigation, however, showed that ; the has contained MOO cigarettes, and further inquiries elicited the fact that a case cnnfainiiiT cmaret , *' which formed part of the Northumberland's cargo had bsen broken into. His Worship remarked that lie viewed i such cases of theft as serious, and accueed liquid be sentenced to threo months' imprisonment on the first ohar«;o, and one month's imprisonment .on the second count, the sentences to be concurrent. GIFT. GOODS APPROPRIATED. Boxing uloves and punching-balls were the articles which Martin Hogan, a steward on the Northumberland, was charged with stealing. Tiogan denied the theft but admitted being in possession of stolen property. The articles were valued j at £Z. Tho police evidence went to show that the gloves and punching balls were gift j?oods placed on board the vessel for the u?c of the troops. When .the vessel arrued'in port the articles were storeH in o. locker under lock and key, and on May 15 the chief officer found that the locker had been broken into and the stores re moved. A search disclosed the elove.* and punching-balls in accused's cabin. Tho accused gave evidence on his owr account, nnd said that some of the articles were ?ivpn b> him by a soldier, And the remainder he had found lying on the deck.

His Worship' imposed a fine of 405., in defauH. eeven days' imprisonment, nml orrtered the.articles to he returned to the ship. INSOBRIETY. Kinp« of 10s. each were iranopeil on Axel Williemspn a'Kl John O'Neill for in-- 1 - fiobriety, and two first offenders who did not appear-were fined like sums.