COURT NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 January 1928, Page 1

COURT NEWS.

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. GREYMOUTH, Jan. 10. A charge of attempting to commit suicide, one which the police indicated might be the prelude to a more serious indictment, was yesterday brought at Hie Magistrate's Court, before Air A\ . Aleldruin, S.AI., against Francis Joseph Ruane, of Dobson, who appeared in custody.

In applying for a remand until Atonday next. Detective Alurcli said that there was the possibility of a more serious charge being brought against the accused.

The accused was not represented by counsel. He asked that his name should he suppressed. The Magistrate refused to order the suppression of accused’s name. The remand was granted. The charge is said to have arisen out of a quantity of laudanum having been placed in tea, by which others as well as accused were affected. A DIFFICULT CASE. ,

A seventeen-year-old girl belonging to Grey mouth, who on Saturday was, along with a youth of 21 years, charged at Hokitika with being idle and disorderly, appeared on remand before Air W. Alcldrum, S.M., at the Greymouth Court yesterday, on the same count, and as being without lawful means o! support. She had pleaded guilty. Senior Sergt. Roach said that this seemed a case for the Borstal Institution. The girl, who was just under 18 years of age, had been a source of worry to her people for months past. In a period of three months she had cleared out no fewer than eight times. She had picked up with the youth in question, who evidently was not of much account, and continually left home to go to him. She had gone on New Year’s Day to him at Kuniara, where he lived, and they had slept out together in the bush. Last Saturday the pair had been arrested at Hokitika, where the youth had been convicted and ordered to keep clear of her, and to get work, while she had been remanded to Greymouth, where she had since Saturday been in custody. The Magistrate asked if the Child Welfare Officer had a report to offer.

It was stated the officer was not present. The Magistrate said tlie case was one for the Children’s Court, and had better bo remanded until Saturday, while the Child Welfare Officer could meanwhile make a report. He asked the girl would she undertake to stay at home until Saturday with her parents, and she said that she would promising to obey her father’s orders meantime. The father ol the girl stated that he had not a great deal of influence over her. hut would do liis best to keep her at home. ATE KINGA CASE. An elderly man, Noils Afortensen, of Te Kinga, against whom there is a charge of wounding Klaus Robert Nord. berg on October Btli at Te Kinga with a shotgun, so as to cause him serious bodily harm, was further remanded until February 2f)tli, bail being renewed in self CIOO and a surety of a similar I amount. 1