MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 305, 20 September 1919, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

A YOUTH'S MASQUERADE. Mr. E. Page, S.M., presided at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, and dealt with the police cases. A youth named Edward Gerald Golson pleaded guilty to the charge of wearing the Kinsr's uniform without permission, and also to a charge of being an idle and disorderly person in that he possessed insufficient moans of support. This was tho youth who was recently masquerading as a member of the crew of H.M.S. New Zealand, «t Nelson and Blenheim. According to the statement of Sub-Inspector Emerson, the lad, who is onlv nineteen years of age, came to New Zealand as ft stowaway some two months aco. having run away from his home. He stayed at the Salvation Armv Hostel for a time, nnd then started out to masquerade as a British Jack Tar. Golson was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon within twelve months, to refund i 3 10s. the amount expended in providing him with some clothes, and to report to the probation officer during the period. John Beniamin Quinn, a member of the crew of. tho'si. Durham, pleaded guilty to absenting himself from the vessel without leave, and was fined £2 and costs totalling 28s. ' A remand to Wednesday next was eranted in the case of Patrick Murphy, charged 'with indecently assaulting a male and a remand fo~ ■' week was cranted in the case of E. "'"'ker, charged Willi false pretences, my- '••'■'> i" the case of Archibald B. J. B'r.ui, charged with assaulting William Itobe. A remand for a week was also granted in the ca6e of Edward James Rubick and Cornelius John Rubick. charged with assaulting Lillian Florence Rubick. Ernest. James Eastwood was charged with drivinsr a motor-car which did not 6how the registered number, and also with leavinir his* car unattended in the street, nnd On each charge he was convicted and fined 10s. and costs. For driving a motor-car with dazzling headlights. Herbert Strawbridge was fined 10s. nnd costs. A man named James Harkness, a motor mechanic, was charged with committing a breach of the "anti-shouting" regulations in the Hotel Cecil. The accused and two other men were at the bar of the hotel; there was 18d. on the counter, and the three men were being served with liquor when Sergeant Matthews entered. When questioned, the defendant admitted that the money was intended to pay for the drinks, and the barman admitted that the. money was the exact amount required to pay for the three drinks Neither of tho other two men had offered to pay, but when the sergeant nuestioned the defendant they offered to do so. The defendant, who was represented bv Mr. J. Scott, pleaded not guilty, -and after hearing several witnesses for tho defonce, the Magistrate held that the defendant, by placing the monev on tho counter in tho way he did, in effect offered to pay for tho drinks. Harkness was convicted and fined £2 and costs.