MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 206, 26 May 1921, Page 9

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

ASSAULT ON TRAM CONDUCTOR.

The police business in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday was taken by Mr. J. S. Evans, S.M. George Smith* was charged with assaulting H. E. Santi, a tram-conductor. The facts were said to be that the defendant boarded a car bound for Karon. He was then in a drunken condition, and when asked for his fare tendered a penny. He was told that the fare was 4d., and that if he could not pay the amount he would have to get oft the car. Smith then struck the conductor several blows, and knocked him off the car. SubInspector Willis pointed out the necessity of protecting tramway officials when in the execution of their duty. Smith was also charged with, drunkenness, and on this charge he was fined 10s., with the option of twenty-four hours’ imprisonment. For assaulting the conductor, which the Magistrate regarded a serious offence, Smith was sent to prison for seven, days.For using obscene language in Courtenay Place, George Bertie Moore was sentenced to fourteen days’ imprisonment, and for drunkenness he was fined 10s., with the option of twenty-four hours*’ imprisonment. William Garrett was charged with using threatening behaviour in the Terminus Hotel. Sub-Inspector Willis said that the defendant had extreme provocation. Ho went to the hotel with several others, one of the part)' being under the influence of liquor. 'The barman refi.sed to serve the drunken man, but served the others, and tlu> drunken man, becoming annoyed, knocked over the defendant’s beer, and the defendant then struck him. The Magistrate agreed that the defendant had extreme provocation, and convicted and discharged him. Jamas Jenkins Evans was charged that on October 13, 1916, he made a false declaration to the Registrar of Births at Wellington touching the particulars required in connection with a registration of birth, by falsely representing that he had been married to the mother of the child. The defendant, who was not represented by counsel, admitted the facts, and after hearing formal evidence in support of the charge the Magistrate committed him to the Supreme-Court for sentence. Bail was allowed in one surety gf_J3loo or two of ,£5O each.