POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 20056, 22 December 1928, Page 12

POLICE COURT

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21. (Before Mr 11. W. Bundle, S.M.) .MAINTENANCE. Thomas Arthur White, who was charged with the disobedience of a maintenance order, the arrears amounting to £5 15s, was sentenced to ten days’ imprisonment, the defendant to bo released on payment of the arrears. ■NO HEAVY TRAFFIC LICENSES. James 0. H. Wilson, for whom Mr E. J. Anderson appeared, was charged with failing to obtain a heavy traffic license. : Mr Anderson said that the defendant had carried a heavy load to oblige another carrier whoso lorry had broken down. The traffic inspector because of this isolated breach wanted him to take out a heavy traffic license. Mr Anderson contended that the defendant should he allowed to take out a lightcarrying license. Ho would then bo liable to a fine if there were a breach.

The Magistrate agreed with Mr Anderson, and the defendant was fined 30s and costs (10s).

A similar charge against James May no was adjourned until January 28 to allow the defendant to take out a license. NEGLIGENT DRIVING.

Albert Magnus pleaded not guilty to a charge of negligently driving a motor car and guilty to a charge of driving without a license. Mr A. C. Hanlon appeared for him.—Evidence was given by William Hcwitson Fraser to the effect t'bat the defendant cut a corner while lie was travelling at thirty-five miles an hour, and that he came into headlong collision with witness’s car.— Constable Hamilton also gave evidence, r—The. defendant, in evidence, said that he was travelling at fifteen miles an hour on his correct side of the road, and that Fraser had cut the comer.— The Magistrate said that the constable’s evidence showed that Fraser’s version of the accident was correct. The defendant had been convicted in February, 1927, on a_ charge of driving a motor car while in a state of intoxication, and prohibited from driving for two years. In His Worship’s opinion the penalty provided for in cases of driving while prohibited was not sufficient. The fact .that offenders could be charged only with driving without a license really encouraged them to flout the order of the court.—On the charge of driving without a license the defendant was fined £5 and costs (10s), and on the charge of negligent driving he was convicted and ordered to pay costs (£1 3s). Graham Beaumont Massingham pleaded not guilty to a charge of negligently driving a motor cycle.—The police evidence was that the defendant, who had been travelling in the middle of the road, had knocked a woman

down.* —The Magistrate stated that the defendant had been clearly negligent, although there was no suggestion that lie had been speeding. He would be fined 20s and costs (£1 16s). William Henry Miller, who, as a result of driving a motor cycle on the wrong side of the Main -South road, near Fairfield, struck a workman employed on the road, was charged with negligent driving, and was fined 40s, with witnesses’ expenses (21s 8d) and costs (13s).—On a further charge of being an unlicensed driver the defendant was convicted and discharged. WOMEN BECOME HOSTILE.

Mary Agnes Hutchison, represented by Mr C. J. - L.White, pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting Maud Proctor., Senior-sergeant Quartermam stated that both women had an argument which culminated in the accused hitting the complainant so severely on the head with a lemonade bottle that the latter bad to bo admitted to hospital, where she remained for nine days.

The complainant, giving evidence, stated that the argument arose over a bottle of beer, which the accused stated she had taken from her house. Mr White produced an envelope of hair, and asked the complainant if she had pulled it from the head of the accused.

The complainant strongly denied doing this. She added that the accused used a fine comb, and if counsel liked to go to her bouse he would find far more hair than that.

Constable Johnston, who arrested the accused, said that when ho arrived at the house shortly after the alleged assault ho found the complainant lying on the Jloor bleeding profusely. The accused admitted having struck the compainant, and said she wished she had given her more. The accused admitted that she had struck the complainant, but she considered slio was justified in doing so, because the complainant bad been abusing her (the accused’s) mother, and also bad pulled her hair out.

At this stage she removed her hat and showed a bare spot on the side of her head.

Senior-sergeant Quartermaiu produced a list of previous convictions against the accused, and remarked that there was little difference between the two women.

The Magistrate said he had no doubt of this, but it was obvious that an assault had been committed. The accused would be fined 40s, in default forty-eight hours’ imprisonment.