MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 177, 22 April 1920, Page 6

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

POLICE CASES. Mr. W. Ct. Riddell.S.M., was on tho bench at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. , A youth named Stanley Duncan Weaver pleaded guilty to the theft of a wallet containing a pound note, a spadeguinea, and a cheque for .£l, the property of P. G. Reeves, a'carrier. It appeared that tho lad was with the carrier. an:l when the opportunity offered ho took the goods. 'The Magistrate warned the lad that he would have to turn over a new leaf or ho would find himself in prison. Weaver was placed on probation for a period of twelve months, and waa ordered to refund the £'2 stolen. A foreigner named Kjergard, a. member of the crow of tho American barque Monongahela, pleaded guilty to assaulting the cook of the vessel on Friday last; He was fined 10s. W. .Tensen, also a member of the crew of the American barque, was convicted of assaulting the second officer, aiid was fined t £s. with the option of a month's imprisonment.

An elderly man named John It. O'Donoglnio was charged with assaulting Patrick M'Carthy, so as to cause him actual bodily harm. After hearing evidence tho Magistrate ordered the charge to he reduced to one of common assault. Tho complainant and the nccused woro inmates of tho Salvation Army Homo in Tasman Street. The accused came into the sleeping quarter, bringing with him 6ome whisky, which lie shared with the complainant and another man._ The accused then got tho impression that M'Carthy was intending to rob him, so He brought out his pocket-knife and cut M'Carthy on the back of tho wrist. Tho wounds were merely superficial. The accused pleaded guilty, and was fined .£5 and ordered tp pay 21s. medical expenses, in default one month's imprisonment. James Harold O'Brien was charged with the theft of a suit case and contents. valued at JMO, and owned by Thomas Francis Mullaly. According t> the evidence tho complainant, who was then in tho employ of tho Agricultural Department, arrived in Wellington on January 19, and put up at the Gresbam Hotel. He put his luggage, consisting of two suit-cases, in his room, and went out for about a couple of hours. On his return he found that one suitcase had disappeared. Ho valued tho case and its contents at .CIO. He identified the articles produced as belonging to him. Margaret Russell, second-hand dealer, of Taranaki Street, said that she purchased the suit-case and part of the contents for ,£!! 10s. on January 19 from s man of similar appearance to the ac cusod: and Annie Phillips, another sec* ond-hand dealer, testified to having purchased a cigar-holder from a young man on January 20. She was unable to identify tho man. Accused pleaded not guilty, and reserved his defence. lie was committed to the Supreme Court for trial