MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 June 1924, Page 11

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

WEEKLY SITTING. The weekly sitting of the Hawera Magistrate’s Court was held to-day, Mr J. S. Barton, S.M., presiding. BY DEFAULT. Judgment for the plaintiff with costs against the defendant, was given in each of the following undefended civil cases: A. H. Shaw v. R. T. Wallis, £5 18s od; Kaupokonui Daii'y Co. v. W. Parkes, £7 3s; Charles Jackson v. Reginald Lett, £4 7s. JUDGMENT SUMMONSES. Orders were made in the following judgment summons cases : Marv Chandler r. John Munro, £2O 15s 6d, by instalments o-f 7 s Gd per week, in default 22 days’ imprisonment; W. E. Jones and Percy Coffey, £l3 12s, in default 22 days’ imprisonment ; W. E. Jones v. Percy Coffey, £l3 12s, in default 15 days’ imprisonment; Jurv and Co. v. C. Ingle, £9 2s 6d, in default 10 days-' imprisonment. FIRST OFFENDER FINED. A first offending inebriate was fined 12s 6d. BY-LAW CASE. A fine of £1 and 7s costs was imposed on Norman Johnson, who pleaded guilty to a charge of leaving a car in Nelson Street without lights. A COSTLY RIDE,. Stanley Ernest Hart appeared for sentence on a recent conviction of appropriating a bicycle to his use. Mr Bayley, for the defendant, said that the' bicycle haa .*,een restored to good order, Hart having paid the costs and 10s for depreciation on a tyre. Worship inflicted a fine of 10s and 7$ court costs.

FAILURE TO REGISTER. Albert E. Hovind was fined £1 10s and 7s court costs for failing to register for military service.' LAD’S FOOLISH ACTION. George M . E. Leech was charged with the theft of a butt gauge, the property of Purdie. L 1 J Sergeant. Henry said that Purdie had missed the article from a buildino- job and later saw it in a rccond-hand shop. Ihe police had found inquiries, and had found that the defendant had deposited the gauge and received 3s. Leech had told the second-hand dealer that he Had bought it for 18s.

Honstoi h for defendant, said the lad had found the gauge, and after keeping it lor a. while had realised upon Purdie, in a written statement, said the gauge was left in the house they were building. Defendant was convicted, and ordered to come up for sentence on Thursday next, pending a report from the probation officer. A YOUTHFUL ESCAPADE Four youths, the publication of whose names was suppressed oy the' magistrate, were charged with being in possession of .303 rifles.

Messrs O’Dea and Houston appeared on their behalf.

Sergeant Henry said the boys went hunting out at Meremere. Two'of them got tired and remained in a. hut, but the other two went on some distance further. Upon returning to' the hut, the two hunters who were the more energetic decided to have a shot at the building from a distance of what they thought to be 1000 yards, in order to give their mates a scare. Three shots were fired, and a bullet struck one of the boys in the shoulder, with the result that lie spent 12 days in the hospital, and was an out-patient for some, time later. The rifles were defence rifles, taken contrary to instructions.

His Worship described the escapade as a. most foolish one, and said it was a surprise to him that boys survived to grow up. He pointed out that a conviction for theft of the rifles and ammunition would mean the boys’ dismissal from their employment," also a fine of £IOO or three months’ imprisonment could be inflicted. The boys would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence on June 11, 1925, the lads in the meantime to report each, month, to the police. The boys were instructed to carry out their military duties, and a condition imposed on one was that he pay the injured lad's hospital expenses (over £10), at th 8 rate of 7s 6d per week, and he was not to attend a picture show fo,v six months. If any of the conditions were broken the boys were to come up immediately for sentence.