MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 26 November 1929, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

GREYMOUTH SITTING

GREYMOUTH, Nov, 26

At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Mr W. Meldrum, S.M., the business included:

USELESS BRAKES

As the result of an incident which occurred on the Cobden hill on September 29th. when a bus ran backwards until it came in contact with a rock on the roadside, John Low, the driver, was charged with failing to report the accident, which involved injury to George Steele, one of its passengers. Low pleaded guilty. He was also charged with driving a vehicle on which the brakes were inefficient. He pleaded not guilty, and conducted his own defence.

The Magistrate pointed out that Low as taking a risk by carrying passengers and the brakes would have to be remedied On the charge of failing to report the accident, Low was fined os, with 10s costs On the charge of having inefficient brakes, lie was fined £l. with 10s Court costs and £1 2s 6d witnesses’ expenses.

THEFT AT BRUNNER* Tlutee young hien appeared on charges arising out of a theft committed at Brunner on Oct.ber 24th. George Featherstone was charged with stealing £1 17s 6d, the property of Charles Qhamljey, butcher; also an electric torch valued at 9s Gd, the property of James Hill. He pleaded guilty. ' . Harry Collins and Samuel Carter were each charged with receiving 12s 6:1 .the property of Charles Chainlev, knowing he money to have lieen dishonestly obtained. They also pleaded guilty.

Sergeant Smyth said that one of the other voting fellows told Featherstone that the money was in Chamlev’s shop. Featherstone went and stole the money and it was later divided between them. Featherstone had appeared in Hie Juvenile Court some time ago, and some restraint was needed in his case, as lie seemed to be shaping for a criminal career. The torch had been - stolen from bis employer at Dobson. The money had been refunded, and the torch had also been recovered. Featherstone stated that be bad

used the torch often in the course of his employment, and on this occasion left it at his home/ where Constable Rodgers found it. He had no intention of stealing the torch. Collins had nothing to say, except that lie had repaid the 12s 6d he received from Featherstone.

Carter said that he told Featherstone the money was in the shop. He had also refunded the 12s 6d.

The S.M. pointed otit that Featherstone had been before the Court previously, and seemed otr the wny to becoming a criminal. He would be given one more chance, and on the charge of stealing the money, would be convicted and ordered top come up for sentence within 12. months if called upon, and to report monthly to the police at Brunner. , If he again came before the Court, he would be sent to a Borstal institution. On the charge of stealing the . torch, Featherstone would be convicted and discharged. Collins and Carter were equally guilty in the theft of the money, as they had shared the proceeds. They would each be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within twelve months if called upon.

“A FAMILY FEUD.”

McCarthy v. Mclntosh. A feud has existed between two Preston Road neighbours, Arthur McCarthy and Thomas Mclntosh, for a considerable time. The latest encounter occurred on November 11th. when, despite the fact that it was Armistice Day, hostilities took place at Harley’s factory, where Mclntosh is employed. McCarthy subsequently laid an information, charging Mclntosh with assault. McCarthy was represented by Mr W. J. Joyce, and Mclntosh, who pleaded not guilty, was defended by Mr J. W. Hannan.

The S.M. said that, as usual in such cases, the evidence was very contradictory. McCarthy had no right to interfere with Mclntosh nt bis bench. Judging from the appearance of the two men in the witness box it seemed that McCarthy was much more likely to be the aggressor. Certainly lie was much more aggressive in his language. On the evidence, he could not hold that Mclntosh was the aggressor. It wa.s probably a case of “fifty-fifty.” in which McCarthy was rather inclined to look for trouble than to avoid it. The case would be dismissed. Mclntosh was allowed £1 10s witnesses’ expenses, and £1 Is solicitor’s fee.

PIRRIE FINED FOR ASSAULT. A plea of not guilty was entered by Ackini Pirrie, who was accused of assaulting James Levings, a non-union-ist, during a demonstration at Blackball on November 7th. He was represented by Mr W. J. Joyce. Inspector Fitzpatrick stated it wa.s alleged that Pirrie rushed out from the hostile crowd and pushed Levings from behind with both bands, causing Leving to fall to the ground. The S.M. remarked on the conflict of evidence, but said that of the police was very clear. He could not take the evidence for the defence as being suffi-

cient to contradict that of Constable Drummond. He could come to no other conclusion than that it was Pirrie who assaulted Levitigs. He would be convicted and fined £1 with 14s 2d witnesses’ expenses. Pirric was allowed a fortnight in which to make payment.

Alexander McDonald, who was represented by Mr Joyce, pleaded guilty to a charge of using bad language to Livings on November 13th. After outlining the circumstances, Inspector Fitzpatrick said that McDonald was an elderly man, and bad not previously been before -the Court. “I do trust,” said the Inspector, “that this will lie the last ease from Blackball of this nature, and that quietness will prevail in the township. The S.M. convicted and fined McDonald 10s with. 13s costs.

On the information of the Inspector of Machinery, Robert Muir, employed by the Terawhiti Sawmills Ltd., was charged with allowing the pressure of a boiler to exceed that permitted by the certificate, the offence occurring on 14tli October. A written plea of guilty was entered by defendant. M,r W. Meldrum, .S.M.', fined Muir £2, with 12s costs.