MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 197, 15 May 1920, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

. ♦ ——' VARIOUS POLICE CASES _ Mr. E. Page, S.M., presided at the Magistrate's' Court yesterday. Nora Nugent, who mado hor one iundred. and seventy-eighth appearance ■in court, was convicted of drunkenness, and -fine,! 205., in defaujt two days' imprisonment. A prohibition order was issued against her to bo effective for a period of twelve months. , Por drunkenness, William Owers was .fined 55., in default twenty-four houre' imprisonment, and for committing a breach of his prohibtion order, he was 'fined 205.. in default seven days' imprisr onment. John Steel M'Nicol was convicted of similar offences, and was similarly punished. -William M'Leod, convicted for the second time for drunkenness, was fined 105.," ' with the alternative of forty-eight hours' imprisonment. . A remand to Monday was granted) in the case of John Bell, who was charged with the theft of an overcoat, valued at •£5,- the property of some person unknown. '. Bail was allowed in the sum of jfi2s and one surety of £25. . Mr. C. B. OT)onnell appeared for the accused. . Francis Oscar Svenson pleaded guilty to assaulting one Daya Nama, a Hindu. He was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence lyhen called upon within a period of twelve months. For committing a breach of her prohibition order Ettie O'Toole was fined 80s., and ordered. to pay 7s. costs,' with the option of three days' imprisonment. A fine of ,£5 and costs 75., in default fourteen days' imprisonment, was inflicted on Wally Hill, aged 21, for using obscene language. ' John Paul pleaded guilty to the theft of 441b. of coal, also to using indecent language. Mr. H. F. ,o'Leary, who appeared for Paul, said 'that the theft arose out of the shortage of coal. The accused lived at Johnsonville, and for three weeks prior to the commission of the offence he was unable to get any firing. He was a married man with eight children, the eldest fourteen and the youngest three, months. On Easter Monday he was at Ngahauranga, and the sight , of coal in .the yard was too mucli for him. He 'took a sugar-bag full and was seen by the stationmauter. It was then that he made use of indecent language. For the theft of coal he was placed on probation for. twelve months, and on the second charge he was fined £2 and costs. Edward Eosenberg, who carries on business as a bicycle and motor-cycle repairer, was charged that not having a second-hand dealer's license, t lie sold a. second-hand bicycle. The evidence showed that the defendant. sold bicycles and motor-cycles on behalf of customers, and did not deal in such vehicles. The information was dismissed. John, Grant, for whom Mr. W. Perry was charged i with behaving in an offensive manner in a railway car. Tiago on-March 16 at the Thorndon Stalion. The allegation was that he spoke offensively to a lady in' the carriage, who made complaints to the police. The remarks made by the defendant were held not to come within the section of the Act under which the charge was laid, and tho information was accordingly dismissed. .' Two youths named William M. Deans and G. F. Tregowetli were charged with wilfully damaging, an express, the property, of John Bullen, carrier, of Paekakariki. The evidence given ■ was not strong enough to implicate the vouths, and the, information was dismissed. : ALLEGED MISTJSEOF MOTOR-CAR Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for Erio Malcolm Riel and Lewis Mitchell O'Shea, who were charged with- converting to their own use a motor-car, the property of Kingi Spooner. ' Ivingi Spooner said he belongod to Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, arid recently came to Wellington, bringing two. motor-ears. He left one of the-cars in a. garage in Courtenay .Place. At. 10 a.m. tho following day he went to get his car, but could not find it. He knew Riel, and had spoken to him in Cuba Street, when witness said to him.: "If you know of aj buyer of a motor-ear let me know." I Riel said he thought he could find a buyer. Between' April 27 and May 3 he did not see his car. He saw the car at the polico station. It was then damaged to the extent of ,£ls, but it cost I him nothing, as' the deal Riel was negotiating had como off,; and he was now satisfied. ' . To Mr. O'Leary: Riel did effect a sale. Witness gave Riel authority to sell the car. and ho had authority to show the car ■to a prospective buyer. Witness understood that Itiel was endeavouring to find him, and, failing, took the. car out to a prospective buyer at the' Lower Hutt. This liuyev eventually purchased the car/ and witness was quite sntisfled. ' Constable. Walsh said that the two accused were brought to the central station. Riel was interviewed by Deceptive Carney, and O'Shoa by Detective Tricklebank. Both, accused made statements, which were read over to them and signed. ■ The Magistrate .said he must dismiss the information, a? apparently the two men acted bona fide, and Riel was authorised to''sell the car;.