MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 121, 15 February 1921, Page 9

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

POLICE AND MAINTENANCE CASES Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., dealt with tho police cases in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Duncan Cbasland, alias Scott, alias D. Butcher (for whom Mr. J. F. B. Stevenson appeared) was charged with stealing a camera value 15s. 6d., the property of Ethel Ford. The facts were said to bo that on February 10 last year the premises of the Challenge Heating Company, Victoria Street, were entered, and a camera belonging to the lady accountant and money belonging to somebody- else were stolen. The camera was sold to a second-hand dealer for 3s. 6d. The police on being notified of the theft traced the camera to the second-hand dealer, from whom the name of the accused and his address were obtained, but it was only tho other day that the man was arrested. Spolski, tho second-hand dealer, identified the accused from among ten others. Tho accused, in his evidence, said he had never seen the camera previously and had not stolen it. Ho had only one dealing with Spolski, and that was over a year ago. He admitted that he was known by three different names; Chasland was his stepfather’s name, Scott was his mother’s name, and his mother had. on certain occasions given the authorities the name of Butcher. Accused was given a good character, and the Magistrate ea.id there was a doubt, in view of which) he would dismiss the information. William A. E. Atkinson was remanded to appear at Hawera on Wednesday on a charge of having forged the name of IV. Candy to a cheque for £lO on the Bank of Australasia, Mantua, and uttering the same to William K. Wallace with intent that it should be acted upon as if genuine. _ For drunkenness, Richard H. Colgan, Joseph A. Davis, Joseph J. Dixon, and Joseph Johnson were each fined 10s., with the option of 48 hours’ imprisonment. Richard H. Colgan was remanded to appear this morning on a charge of stealing a clock, value £l5, tho property of Percy Mills. MAINTENANCE CASES.

Hugh Owen was ordered to pay 15s. per week towards the support of his wife. Thomas Tyree, who allowed maintenance payments in respect of his wife to fall into arrear to the extent of £29. 18s. was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended so long as he pays current maintenance and reduces the amount owing. A charge of allowing his payments to fall into arrears to the amount of £4 14s. was preferred against Henry Rupert Barlow, who was sentenced to fourteen days’ imprisonment, the warrant to .be suspended for a fortnight to enable him to nay the amount due. Eric Albert Relph, ’ who« 4 arrears totalled £25 75., was sentenced to three nfonths’ imprisonment, t'he warrant to be suspended for one week. He was ordered to pay' 21s. solicitor’s fee.