POLICE COURT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5061, 6 December 1926, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

PAEROA, THIS MORNING.

(Before Mr F. W. Platte. S.M.)

A sitting of. the Paeroa Police Court was held at ..the Courthouse this morning, Mr. F. W. Platts, S.M., presiding. A DEFECTIVE CHIMNEY.

William Henry Smith, billWd-room proprietor, Paeroa, was charged with permitting the chimney of hist dwellinghouse to catch fire, contrary to the borough by-laws, Mr E. A. Porritt 'for the defendant and entered a plea of guilty.' In mitigation of the offence he said that the chimney had bqen in use during the winter months, but a fire had not been lighted for about two months. In the meantime starlings had built a nqst, and that had been the cause of the fire. A conviction was, .entered, aiid defendant was ordered to pay 7s costs. CHARGE OF DRUNKENNESS.

Hugh Lennane, miner, Majatotip, was charged with being drunk at Hikutaia on November 22.

After hearing the evidence of Constable McClinchy the magistrate entered a conviction and ordered defend .to pay 19s costs. DANGEROUS DRIVING.

A charge of driving a motor-car in a.manner dangerous to the public on the Paeroa-Thames. road on October 21 last was. preferred against Edward Charles Young, Auctioneer, Matayfiata. A second charge of negligently driving a motor-car on the spine date was also preferred. 'Mr J. Buchanan (Matamata) appeared for the defendant.

On the application of .the police the second chairge was withdrawn,, and a plea of guilty was then entered. The defenice was that the brakes of the car were defective, otherwise the accident -would not have occurred. No one had been hurt.

The magistrate said that it was 'the duty of motorists to see that their vehicles were in good order. As no persons, had been injured, and the cost of repairs to the car would be heavy, a lenient view would be taken of the offence. A fine of £1 would be entered, with costs amounting to £4 2s. t CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Leonard Martin, farmer,,'Hikutaia, was charged with ill-treating a horse by driving it when suffertng from open siores. s • . •

A charge was also preferred against Mrs. M. I. Majrtin of allowing the animal to be worked under such conditions. ' Mr E. W. Porritt appeared on behalf of the Inspector of Cruelty to Animals. A conviction was entered and a fine of 30s imposed, together with costs amounting to &i 13s 6d. A MAORI IN TROUBLE. A young Maori named Tu Karu was charged with drunkenness in Normanby Road, Paeroa, on Saturday last. A second charge of using obscene language in a public place was also preferred. Mr C. N. O’Neill appeared for the defendant and entered a plea of guilty. He said the language was used under provocation. Defendant was very drunk at the time, and had since expressed sorrow •for his behaviour.

The magistrate remarked that the used were disgusting, and not to be tolerated. Although a Native, defendant knew the value o'f the words used.

Oh .the charge of drunkenness defendant was convicted and fined £.l, and on the charge of obscene language a fine of £3 was entered.