MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 36, 6 November 1920, Page 5

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

PETTY THEFTS ' ! £50 FINE FOR A "LIGHTHOUSE" I Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.Jr., dealt with tho jiolico cases at tlio ir.igißtrate'B Ctourt . yesterday. Frederick Joseph Williams pleaded guilty to the theft of two singlets aiyl a pair of overalls, of tho valuo of 295. 6d„ the. property of some person unknown. The accused was seon carrying a parcel under suspicious circumstances, and wad stopped by a police official and questioned. Williams said ho bought tho goods in-Giß- . borne, and brought them with him. He could not, however, give the name of the shopkeeper from whom he purchased tho goods. It was ascertained by tlip. poHco that similar goods wero sold in Wellington to another peixm on the very day that the accused was arrested. Apparently the man stole tho.parcel from some hotel. Williams was sentenced, to one month's imprisonment. .' VALUELESS CHEQUES. ' Douglas Arthur Brewer, a motor mechanic. 26 years of age. pleaded guilty to threo charges of obtaining goods and money from various persons by means of false ipretences, namely, by the issue of valueless' cheques. It was stated by ChiefDec.tcctive Ward that the accused had had a, bank account, but the amouut of tho ' credit had been exhausted, and the accused knew that, for ho had been informed of the fact. Brewer was sentenced W one month's imprisonment on each cliarce, the terms to bq concurrent. . A LADY'S FUB COAT. A plea of guilty'was entered by Edith P. Offer, who was charged with the theft of a .lady's i fur coat. The facts were that at the Courtenay Place tram terminus an elderly, gentleman found a fur coat, and asked one or two ladies whether it belonged to them. ' The accused was asked • if she owned the coat,' and replied that she did, and took possession of it. The loss of the coat was reported to the police, and tho woman waß apprehended. The police stated that there was- nothing known against the accused previous to this. She.was convicted, and ordered to oome up {or sentence when called upon. ASSAULT AT NORTHLAND. It. G. Noon (Mr. W. G. Hellish) was charged with assaulting Percy Edward Lowndes on the evening of Thursday, October 28. Mr. A:'B. Sievwright appeared 'for the complainant. Tho assault took place at Northland., in Oreswick Road, at tho close of certain festivities. The defendant, it was alleged, attacked tho complainant, and they -both fell to the ground, where Noon bit the 'complainant'# »»r, taking a piece out. The defendant was convicted,-and fined £10 and costs. "BANGEBS" AT A PIOTUEE SHOW. George Donaldßon and Jack Edelman, two youths, went to the Queen's Theatre with, their pockets filled with "throw-down" bangers, and when tho films were being shown the lads disturbed' the spectators with the bangers. One lad threw a banger towards tho ?ereou,. and Nah spotted by the operator, while the manager also located the offender. Later, the boyß wero detained and questioned, _ and the police informed of their behaviour. They- pleaded guilty to disturbing the spectators at tho 'Queen's Theatre, and were oach fined Ma., and costs. A YOT'TH AND HIS BEER! A lad under 19 years of age, named A. 0 A'itchison. of I'etone, was charged with obtaining liquor by 'falsely representing that he was 21 years of age. .According to tho.--statement of _ Sub-Inßpector Emerson. Aitchison and a friend came into town, and called at a hotel for drinks. Aitchison was asked by the attendant whether he .was 21. years of age, and lie paid he was. A policcman on the scene, with the result that Aitchison was charged with the offence. He was convicted, aud fined 405., and costs. A TECHNICAL BREACH. J. It.. JI. Morley, licensee of the Panama Hotel, for whom Mr. T.' Young appeared, was convicted of permitting drunkenness on his licensed premises, and with Boiling liquor' to a person already intoxicated. The breaches were purely technical, the actual offence having been committed by a barman who had been before .the Court previously. Morley was fined ■ 405., aha costs.' . .' ' ' ' ' A PINE OP £50. , A lodging-honso keeper named C. Priestly, for whom Mr. H. P. O'Leary appeared, was convicted of selling liquor without, a license. As • tKis - was. his .second conviction, the Magistrate imposed a fine of £50, and costs. UNDERWEIGHT BREAD. -Emily -Pouiter,a ..small .shopkeeper, pleaded guilty, to having sold . underweight bread. ' Mr. H. E. .'Anderson appeared for the defendant, and stated that the bread was purchased in the usual way from tho New Zealand Automatic Balierieß, Ltd., and on the day when the sale took place there happened to have been something wrong" with the machinery of tho bakery company. ...The "divider," which consists of four cylinders, ' and which practically weighs the bread, was not working accurately, with'the result that some loaves were. nnderweight, and «ome overweight. There .were some loaves in the shop that went overweight. In the delivery cart, also, there were overweight and. short weight loaves. Under the circumstances - the Magistrate con-, vieted and discharged tho defendant. SHOPKEEPERS HNED. ' A grocer, named William Power was fined 105.,' and 7s. cost's, for failing to close his premises at 7 p.m., according to tlio regulations, and a similar penalty was inflicted on Yip Frank' for' selling cigarettes after tho closing time for tobacconists' shops.