POLICE COURT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4649, 16 January 1924, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1924.

(Before Mr J. G. L. Hewitt, S.M.)

ASSAULT AND BAD LANGUAGE.

At the Paeroa Police Court yesterday Joseph Gray, miner, of Owharoa, was charged with assaulting Kartar Singh and using obscene language in a railway carriage on December 22, 1923. Mr E. W. Porritt appeared.for accused and pleaded guilty. It was stated that accused was a hardworking man, and was married and had four children. The offence took place during the Christmas holidays, and accused was under the influence of liquor at the time. Regret was expressed for his behaviour, and he was willing to have a prohibition order taken out against himself. in reply to the magistrate’s inquiry the police stated that nothing was previously known against accused. The magistrate stated that the public must he protected, and obscene language could not be tolerated. Accused was convicted and discharged on the assault charge, and on the charge of using obscene language was convicted and fined £3. A month was allowed in which to pay the fine. MAINTENANCE ORDER. Robert Stevenson applied tor a variation of his maintenance order of £2 per week towards the support of his wife. Applicant conducted his own case, and stated that he had lost money in a picture venture last winter. It had not been passible to do in..re .than he had done. His people luv.l purchased a carrying outfit, and he was going to work for them. A sum of money to ’ partly pay off the arrears of £63 had been accumulated, but had been swallowed up in arrears for rent. He still owed for the expense of his recent divorce proceedings, and he admitted that lie had nbt contributed towards his wife's medical expenses during her illness. To His Worship applicant said that he fully intended to find all the money, but had no hope of paying the amount in a lump sum.

In reply to His Worship Mr Porritt, who opposed the application for the wife, said that in his opinion the defendant had defied the law all through, and nothing had been paid towards the support of his wife anul five-months-old child.

His Worship said that applicant would have to face the fact that he would have to support his wife or else take a term of imprisonment. At Mr Porrittls request the magistrate agreed to take the charga brought by the wife for failing to provide maintenance under the order with the application for variation of the maintenance order.

On resuming after the luncheon adjournment Mr Porritt Intimated that Stevenson had paid £lO into court and had undertaken to pay £1 a month off the arrears.

The case was adjourned until February 12,. to give defendant an opportunity to carry out his part of the arrangement.