POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 19659, 12 September 1927, Page 3

POLICE COURT

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12. (Before Air H. BurnUe, S.AI.) . FOWL RUN RAIDED. John Ernest Webber, single, aged twenty-six, pleaded guilty to tbe theft of two fowls valued at £1 10s, the property of Robert Anderson Morrison. Chief-detective Cameron said that at 2 a.m. on Sunday the accused, who resided in Elm row, climbed complainant’s fence and killed two pullets. Ono he left in the run and the other ho took homo. On being intoryiewed by Constable Jcnvcy ho admitted the offence.

The Magistrate: Is this.the value of the fowls, 15s each? The Chief Detective: They are laying pullets. The accused said it would not have happened if he had been sober. He had been drinking all day, and was coming from a party when ho committed the offence. The Chief Detective pointed out that much more serious damage might have been caused; fire, for instance. The magistrate adjourned the matter until Friday to allow of inquiries being mado by the probation officer. AFTER HOURS. John Henry Poekington, Arthur Ernest Pino, and Victor Herbert Langley pleaded guilty to being found on licensed premises after hours. Senior-sergeant Qnartermain said the three young men had been found in Wain’s Hotel at 9.25 p.m. by Sergeants JPCarthy and Turner. They had admitted being in the hotel for ten minutes. No excuses were tendered, and defendants were each lined 20s and costs. DRUNKENNESS. James Berry did not appear, and was fined the amount of his bail (20s), in default twenty-hour hours’ imprisonment. SLEPT IN WASHHOUSE, Charles Nieper (Air J. B. Irwin), a carrier, was charged with disobedience of a. maintenance order, the arrears upon which were stated to he £6O. Defendant said that four of the six children concerned had now reached sixteen years of age. He and his wife had parted years ago, hut were reunited and live logetlier. At Easter this year lie hired his motor truck to the family to go to Taiori Mouth. There was an accident, and damage to the extent of £5, and he was told that if ho did not pay it ho could get out. And he was kicked out. Afterwards he slept in the washhouse on an uncovered wire mattress. He. left there alter being roughly handled by two of bis sons, ono of whom pounced upon him while the other kicked him. Incidentally they took £2 out of his pockets. He had paid hi.s wife all the money lie could, averaging, he thought, £2 a week, as well as supplying the lainily with fuel, (lour, sugar, and other necessities. Ho did. not drink at all. From the sale of a hut he obtained £2o, out of which the wife got £l2, and he had bought a big Ninas dinner. 11 is wife paid £6O a year in insurance premiums. She had thirteen children, three by a former marriage. His wife owned the house, but bo contributed largely towards it. Similarly with the furniture.

To Mr Irwin (for complainants) : Tie <lid not consider lie owed anything to liis wife. Witness produced a bookshowing his earnings. Mr Irwin said the wife denied that she and the defendant had lived together when ho returned to the premises. Ho had been put out on account of his drunken habits. There was not a word of truth, the wife declared, in all defendant had said in the box. The Magistrate said that the statement of earnings submitted by defendant was unsatisfactory, and he adjourned the matter for a week so that fuller particulars might be procured. OALCLUTIIA GASH. On the grounds of persistent cruelty and failure to maintain, Jennie M'Brido Toller (Mr G. 'l'. Haylce) proceeded against David M. Teller (Mr 11. S. Brenmer, Balcluthn) for separation, maintenance, and guardianship orders. Complainant said she was married lo defendant at Dunedin in 1917. There was one child of the marriage, and another child had been adopted. Her husband’s fortnightly wages varied from £8 10s to £9 4s. Everything was all right till she went to Balcluthn in i 920. In November trouble started, and defendant told her to do as she pleased. She had reprimanded him for using an offensive phrase before some visitors, and he had hit her. The visitors loft after the incident. Telfor’s actions wore queer, and he would creep about the house listening, as he thought people were talking about him. That state of affairs existed until June 4 of this year, when she left the home, taking the children with her. Teller objected fo her “poke, poke, poking” at knitting or sewing. When complainant had interfered when Teller was hurting a little girl he had exclaimed “111 show you who is boss in this house, mv lady,’’ whereupon he hit her over the mouth, breaking a false tooth and clip. He had also hit her on the face shortly before she left the house. To Mr Hremner: Her husband had expressed his regret that she would not accept his invitation to return. They had been quite happy until her husband’s illness in November, T 920. The man mentioned in a note, named Trainor. had been a fairly regular week-end visitor. Ho had been first invited to the house on business by her husband. Later the man had gone to live at Milton and Miller’s Flat, hut visited the home on Saturday nights. With defendant’s permission .she had gone out on the back of Trainer’s motor cycle. ('Proceeding.)