MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 101, 22 January 1921, Page 8

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

THREE YEARS’ REFORMATIVE TREATMENT. The police business at the Magistrate s Court yesterday was dealt with by MTF. K. Hunt, S.M. Patrick O’Callaghan, alias James Stewart. was charged that on April 30, jrat Ngaio, he stole a pea-rifle valued at .£3 155., the property of some person unknown; also, that on July 14, at Ohau beach, he stole two suits, a telescope, a Winchester rifle, sheath knife, pocket compass, four watches, eight tins of milk, 11b. of coffee, 61b. of sugar, an electric torch, one blanket, two pairs of boots, carving-knife, and 50 cartridges, of the value of .£2O. The property of Samuel H. Ramsbottom. He was also charged with the theft of three bicycles, two of them being stolen in Wellington, and the other in Masterton. O’Callaghan, who is just over sixteen years .of age, was first in trouble in 1909, and in the following year he was committed to the Weraroa Industrial Farm. He escaped from Weraroa in March last, and committed the offenced with which he was charged. At Masterton he was ordered to be returned to Weraroa, but the Magistrate said that he did not think returning him to Weraroa would do him any good. O’Callaghan, who had pleaded guilty, was sentenced to three years’ reformative treatment. Albert F. Makin was sentenced to fourteen days’ imprisonment for unlawfully deserting from the s.s. Woodarra. He was also charged with the theft of a, bottle of sauce, 21b. sugar, and half a pound of tea. of the value of 45., the property of the Union 'Steam Ship Co. On this charge he was convicted and discharged. For drunkenness. William Elliott and C- F. Smith, each with one previous conviction, were fined, the former 10s., and the latter 20s. Jabez Woodridge, with two previous convictions, was ■fined 205., and for a second broach of his prohibition order he was fined 40s. and costs 7s. James Baldwin was fined 40s. and 7s. costs, and Elizabeth Wilson 20s. and 7s. costs, for breaches of their prohibition orders. Agnes Groig pleaded guilty to using indecent language in Holloway Road.' SubInspector Willis stated that th© language was used to young boys. The woman was fined .£4, and costs 40s. Robert Hanson, for whom Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared, was charged with stealing timber valued at 255., the property of John Baird. The evidence showed that Hanson was foreman carpenter in the employ of the complainant, a builder, who had a contract for the erection of a house in Wadestown. Some timber was missed, and the police were notified. The accused’s premises were searched under warrant, and there two pieces of totara, also two small blocks were found. These were lying outside in full view. When the complainant first went to the accused’s house some time previously, he saw this timber, but made no inquiries, nor did he complain. The accused stated that Baird had given him some scraps of timber for firewood, and ho got a carter to bring the firewood to his house. The cartel' must have included the timber in question, which the accused thought had been condemned, and took no further notice of it. The Magistrate-said the case ■ had not been proved to his satisfaction, ami ho therefore dismissed the information. For using insulting language at the Thorudon railway station, Gerrard C’orvissiano, a taxi-driver, was fined 405., with costs 7s. For failing to send in returns as required by section 22 of the Census and Statistics Act, 1911, J. E. Fitzgerald was fined 40s. and 7s. costs, and A. H. Nixon, "20s. and 7s. costs. A Chinaman named Leong Ming was fined 10s. and 7s. costs for eelling cigarettes after the hour fixed for the closing of tobacconists’s shops. For failing to attend drill, Ernest E. Mace-Humphries and R. C. M'Arthur were each fined 20s. and costs 75.; Herbert 11. Jessep, 4Os. and costs 75.; and A. E. Mason, with several previous convictions, £5 and costs 7s.