MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1932, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

VARIOUS CHARGES. TWiO MEN FINED. WELLINGTON, October 3. , A fine of £3, in default 14 days’ imprisonment, was imposed by Mr h: Page S.M., on Duncan Morton Cameron, ior striking Alar tin William Tier in Victoria Street. Cameron did no-t appear, and the case was decided in his absence. Evidence was given by -Albert Victor Pearce, who said that he -saw accused strike Tier about 4.35 p.m. on August 30. He took the, names of both and reported the case to fh e police. p “T submit (it was a hasty, ill-consid-ered action,'’ said counsel appearing for William Henry Boyce, who- was charged with assaulting Herbert Mitchell in a city street. Counsel -suggested that Boyc e thought . that AWchell had been instrumental in causing him to lose h's job. The magistrate fined Boyce £l, in default .seven days’ imprisonment. A fortnight was! allowed in which to find the money.

. TOBACCONIST BOBBED. A charge of breaking and entering the shop of Lewis M. Willetts, 143 Featherston Street - and stealing money and goods, to a total value uf £l2 Is Qcl was admitted by Thomas F. Haywood, motor driver, aged 32 f and denied by Alexander Herd, both if whom appeared before Messrs A. -Longniore and H. W. iShortt, VLP. ’s, in the Police Court yesterday afternoon. Haywood was committed to the -Supreme Court for sentence and Herd for trial. It -was stated that on the afternoon of -Saturday, September 7, Air Willetts returned to his shop, and -heaid a noise. H e and Constable 'Mcßae entered the shop and it was found that a panel in an inside door had been broken and that an attempt had been made to force the lock. An iron bar was also found on the premises. Mr Vll letts discovered that a’ sum of money and a quantity of his stock' were missing. John Hammond, a salesman, said that he saw Mr Willetts and Constable Alcßae entering -the shop and also saw two men hurry out of tlie entrance to the old Returned Soldiers’ Club. One of them appeared to have cut his -hand. They went toward Customhouse Quay. Witness told the constable what h e had seen, and the two men drove in wit- , ness’ car in pursuit. They picked up their quarry nearby and took them to the police station, where Haywood admitted that he and his companion had made arrangements to break into a shop and that they had done -so. Herd denied all knowledge -of the offence.

GAUGE IN THE ACT. When three detectives were driving along' ‘Tory Street on the evening of September 11, they heat'd a noise coming -from t‘he direction of Moore and Dole’s warehouse. Two men were seen standing outside the building) and when the detectives approached one ran down Tory Street and the other was. Seen to go through a trap-door in the main door of the warehouse.

-Detective-Sergeant Revel! opened the trap-do or and found a man standing inside. The man said, ‘T’ve been caught on the job. I did this job alone, and I’ve nothing more to say.” H e ‘-had a jemmy in his possession.

Yesterday afternoon, Clarence Frank Rw.s, cabinetmaker, aged 33, \ appeared before the court charged with breaking and entering the countinghouse ot Moore and Cole with intent to commit theft, and with being found by day in unlawful possession of a jemmy. Accused pleaded not guilty to ' both charges and was committed to th e Supreme Court for trial.

THEFT OF JEWELLERY. Watches, rings, a quantity of miscellaneous jewellery, Post Office Savings Rank money-boxes arid articles of clothing were displayed in the court when Ronald Donaldson, miner, aged 24, appeared to answer charges of stealing jewellery from ' the shop of Charles Norman Smith, Petone, and of break-

ing and entering the premises iof the Dominion, Dental Supplies, Boulcott Avenue, and of Vickery and Inkersell, Boulcott Avenue. Accused, pleaded guilty and was committed to th e Supreme Court for sentence. Anradeo Joseph Millanta, painter, aged 23, and Thomas Fearon, barman, aged 34, who were charged with receiving jewellery valued at £3O 19s from Donaldson, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained, pleaded not guilty and were committed to the Supreme Court for trial. THEFT QF GRAPES ALLEGED. Noticed by Detective-Sergeant Tacklebank to be leaving the wharf carrying an overcoat which appeared to be bulky, Russel Hunter, wharf labourer, aged 48, was searched and found to be in possession of 3Hb of grapes. Hunter was charged with the theft of the grapes, which were valued at 4s; He pleaded not guilty. At the conclusion iof the evidence tlic magistrate said that lie considered accused’s action fn in,'minted to theft. He would take time to look into tb e question of entering a conviction. Accused said he- saw some grapes ,]y-; mg among the dunnage in the hold of the vessel, and considering them to he of mo value, as they were dirty, he took them ashore with him. Tile magistrate said that it might be that the barrel was accidentally broken, and the grapes not purposely piHaged. At the «ame time he did not think that by any stretch of the imagination one foe Id think that the grapes were worthless. “t think,” Mr Page added, ‘‘that accused's action in taking away the | goods, which were obviously not his I property, amounts to theft.”