MAGISTERIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2413, 30 January 1909, Page 6

MAGISTERIAL.

- . FRIDAY, JANUARY 29. (Before Air. W.. A. Barton,'S.Al.) 33RJiA.CH OF BOROUGH BY-LAWiS Adolph . llall sen pleaded guilty to a charge of driving a horse and cart round a corner within the borough at other than. a wiliking pace. "His Worship said that it was a most dangerous practice, and.it was only .a very short time ago that he saw a fema'le nearly knocked down m such a case. A fine of 10s, and 14s costs, was imposed. A MAINTENANCE MATTER. Leslie M. Oman was charged with Hint. he 'being the father of the me«dti?nate child of Alice Bennett, hau failed to .provide for the maintenance of such child. ' ~ iAIr. 1:1. Bright apeared for me plaintiff, and Mr. J. R. Ivirk for i-iie defendant. Defendant gave evidence that die IVUS employed in a brewery a Acw Plymouth at a weekly wage « 1 oos. • He. was in indifFerent health, and m the twelve months he had . been tnore had spent- 12s in chemists fees. When Tn Gisborne, prior to leaving for Taranaki, he had been earning 35s or £2 per week, but he could not remember which. Mr. Kirk pointed out. that the parentage o'? the child was admitted, and the only thing to be settled was the amount of maintenance .to bo paid He suggested that m view ot all the circumstances os per week was •i reasonable amount, but counsel lor the plaintiff had refused to -accent an offer for this amount. Counsel further pointed out that urn or section 10 of the Destitute Persons Act,'born father and mother of uu •llegitmiam c-hlkl were responsible for its mamtonancc- In this instance the mother of the cldhl had freeboard and l*(lg- . in,or, and was earning 14s per weci . His "Worship stated that he did rot think it would he possible to Pud any person in the district who won d undertaivo to look after a child fer os a week. He rather thought it would hike 14s or 15s. yir. Bright stated that The child was now thirteen months old, and since its birth defendant had contributed nothing to its support, The girl bad been extremely ill, and had incurred medical aond i* nr sing lioVilities to the extent of £l7 13s. A sum of £5 had been paid to nor by defendant’s parents on account- of nursing expenses, hut she had received nothing else. His Worship said that detenu-nt had contributed nothing to the support of bis child. Instead of facing the matter out and coming forward to help the unfortunate girl ho had left the district, .and the oo'ice had experienced considerable ticnb e m finding him. It had -ilfo teen reported that defendant bad been going under an assumed name. “There is too much of tills sort of thing going on,” continued His "Worship. “'and it is not fair that an unfortunate girl should have to bear the cost. Defendant is no man to do wliat be has done, and I have no hesitation in. saying so. He ought to he heartily ashamed of himself.” a An order was made for the payment of 7s weekly, and also for the payment within six weeks of the balance of the medical expenses, .1.12 JIT VEN-ILE CO UR T. ‘A lad of 16 years, named Frederick Martin Ryan, pleaded guilty to a charge of the theft, at Te Arai, of £l. the property of Albert Riclmrd Tout. '■. • Mr: H. Bright appeared for t-lie accused. Sergeant .Hutton said that the boy bad taken a £1 note out of ids employer’s pocket, and bad stated that lie wanted to come to the theatre in Gisborne. There bad been no actual complaints about the lad,‘but he was inclined to be wild and wayward, :and if be was not chocked he would get into serious trouble.

The boy’s father, who was present, -stated that he was making arrangements to hatye the boy indentured to the engineering: trade at Palmerston North.

Air. Bright admitted that the boy was wayward, and asked for leniency* ais the boy’s father was prepared to make reparation. His Worship admonished the llvd, and said that he did not like to.send him to prison, but it was difficult to know what to do with him. He would discharge him without a conviction on the understanding that the money was refunded, and costs (£1 13s) paid within seven clays.

A -further change was then -preferred against- the ,'nd of having, at Alakaraba, defaced and damaged the goods and chattels of one. John Downes, to the value of 30s. -Accused pleaded guilty. Sergeant Hutton said that the hoy in compuny with others had 'ransacked Air. Downes’ van, and thrown the contents to the ground. He- h'ad also suggested to his companions that they should wait for the old man, who had •a considerable sum of money in his possession, and “ease” Brim cf it. Air. Bright said that the ilad -had told him that these remarks were made in fun.

His Worship said that it was easy for the hov to say tlhit now. He was old enough to know better, and the old man (Downes had been subjected to a lot of annoyance from such larrikins as be was. Accused would be convicted and fined 10s, and 7s costs, and also to pay for the damage done to the goods.