MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 277, 19 August 1919, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

ON A JAPANESE.

A row which occurred in Tarauaki Street on Saturday evening led to the appearance of three iireineu to the Jiatatua before Mr. E. Paffe, b.M., at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Cliarto Frederick Adams was charged with drunkenness and tho use of o'bscene language;- and Harry Powell and Hiraain George Self avere accused of having sunlted a Japanese member of the crew named Yaslhina Tokusabro. Sergeant 0. W. Lopdell and Constable M'Call and Putt stated that their attention was attracted to tho disturbance by the largo (jrowtl which assembled. Tho Japaneso was running away, and Self was afterwards noticed to strike him ft in the faoes which knocked him down. Powell tien came on the scene, and was seen to kick the Japanese, _ to whom Adams addressed obsceno epithets. Sergeant Lopdell said that at one stage of the proceedings five "eo-caMed Britisher,? were attacking tiie Japaneso. The assault was a very cowardly ona, and it was an hour to un hour and a half before the Japanese was restored to consciousness. When he was pickcd up an open knife was found on the ground, and this the Japanese afterwards claimed rt's his own, saying that he had had to draw it to defend himself. In" the watch-house Adams was wry threatening, and said that if he had a, revolver he would shoot the Japanese. The accused declared that they had been insulted by tho Jupanese and that was the reason why they had struck him. Powell and Self wero each sentenced to 21 days' imprisonment, and for the use of obscene Janpruage Adanis was fined in default seven days. Ho was convioted and discharged for drunkenness. Frederick John Gustave Ba-sgstrom pleaded guilty to stealing a fountain pen, and he admitted a. further charge of committing the theft of a razor, the property of Arthur Alfred. Shaw. On each charge he was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment. Actine-Sub-Inspector Emerson Baid that defendant had been in trouble before.

Darcy Jlobeit M'Devitt was chained that on April 1, 1919, at Wellington, lio broke and entered the premises of Oscar Hull Brown, 157 Vivian Street, and stole a trombono, three cornets, 6ix violins, one viola, four Antes, 11 piccolos, one oboe, two clarinets, and six bows, of tlie total valuo of .£125. On the application of Chief-Detective Boddam, defendant was remanded until to-morrow.

Duncan Barclay Mercer, who had been found in a state of helpless drunkenness some days ago, was fined 10s., and ordered to pay 17s. 6d. medicaJl expenses. Walter Peter Murphy wns ordered to pay Bs. per week towards tho maintenance of each of three children.

For disobedience of a maintenance order, the arrears of which amounted to MS 15s.,.Henry ltupert Barlow was sentenced to a month's imprisonment, tho warrant to be suspended so ling as the arrears are paid off at the rato of 10s. per week, and the conditions of the order are oomplied with. Persistent cruelty and failure to maintain were tho grounds of an application ntado by 'Winifred Coles for a separation and maintenance order to bo made against her husband, Sydney Af.fred Coles. Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared for complainant, and Mr. C. 13. O'Donnell for ihe_ defendant. Tho oase for the complainant wias that she was married to defendant on February 20, 1918, but that shortly afterwards tho latter began to jll-treat flier. He also drank to excess on occasions. Complainant left defendant a year aftor tho marriage. Defendant said ho was a barman by trade, but that whnn he was married he was on garrison duty at Fort Dorset. He denied the allegations of crueJly, and said that he had maintained his wife as well as he coul'.d. After hearing further ovidence, His Worship dismissed the application.