POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 23698, 4 October 1940, Page 4

POLICE COURT

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4. (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. Laurence Imrio was charged with drunkenness, having once previously been convicted in the last six months. Senior-sergeant Vaughan stated that the defendant had engaged a taxi to go to Green Island. He did not have the money to pay for it, but was drunk, and the taxi driver took him to the police station. The defendant was fined -10 s, in default 48 hours’ imprisonment. BREACH OF LICENSING ACT. Thomas Cuthbert, licensee of the Empire Hotel, who was represented by Mr J. M. Paterson, was charged with employing a person under the age of 21 vears in the bar of the hotel and was fined 20s and costs. On a charge of allowing liquor to be supplied to a person under 21 years of age the defendant was fined a similar amount, the Magistrate stating that he was satisfied that it was not a case of deliberate selling bv the licensee himself to a youth under 21. CATTLE DROVER CHARGED. James R. Stephens, who was charged with driving cattle through Green Island without an attendant preceding the cattle, was fined 10s and costs (10s), and he was also ordered to pay witnesses’ expenses (£1 6s 8d) and solicitor’s fee (£1 lie 6d). ARMS ACT BREACHES. Hugh Augustus Butel was convicted and fined court costs (10s) for procuring a firearm without a permit. Maud Lockwood was convicted without penalty for delivering a firearm without a permit, and Eric John Smart was similarly dealt with for procuring a firearm without a permit. CHIMNEY FIRES. For permitting a chimney to catch fire John King was convicted and discharged. FINE IMPOSED. Allan M.uir Weir was fined 5s and costs for casting offensive matter in a public place. .MOTORISTS DEALT WITH. Frederick William Bamfield was fined 10s and costs for having no warrant of fitness. David James Kirby was fined 15s and costs for failing to yield right-of-way to a pedestrian. For operating a motor cycle without a silencer Colin Thomas White was fined 20s and costs. Thomas Evered Steel, for operating a heavy traffic vehicle without a license, was fined £2 and costs. WANDERING CATTLE. Archie Clark was fined 10s and costs for allowing cattle to wander. COURT DECLINES TO CONVICT. Leslie Cole Rosenbrock and Ronald Henry Wilson, who were represented by Mr O. G. Stevens, pleaded not guilty to the theft of motor tyres, valued at £7 os. the property of Alexander Edward Malcolmson. Detective-sergeant Hall, who prosecuted, said that about 12 months ago the complainant drove an old car chassis, which he left outside the farm of his father-in-law, William Gilchrist Bell, at Pine Hill. Arrangements were made for a truck body to be built on the chassis. In September last, motor tyres, tubes, and rims were found to be missing from the car, and later they were found in possession of Rosenbrock. Rosenbrock and Wilson admitted they had taken the tyres from the chassis. Evidence along the lines of the detective sergeant’s statement was given by the complainant, and Detective Berry produced statements made by the accused, who said they thought the car had been abandoned and that they had been told by complainant’s father-in-law that the tyres were of no use and would only rot if left there. Mr Stevens said that the accused were men of good character. The whole prosecution had been brought by Malcolmson, being conceived out of spite to this other branch of the family. His whole object was to get a criminal conviction against Wilson in regard to a car which was abandoned two years ago. The accused Wilson said that the car had been, left outside the farm from 18 months to two years ago. Bell, who was also witness’s father-in-law, tola him that he might as well have the tyres as leave them to rot. Witness thought his father-in-law had authority to dispose of the tyres. At this stage the Magistrate instructed that Bell should be called. Bell said he told the two accused that he thought the car had been abandoned and that no harm would he done if they took the tyres. After reviewing the evidence, the Magistrate said that in the circnnistnnros lie must dooliue absolutely to convict these men of theft. He would adjourn the matter for a week to enable' witnesses’ expenses to be paid, ami if (bey were paid ho would dismiss tlio charge.