POLICE COURT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5437, 19 June 1929, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

MONDAY’S SITTING AT PAEROA. CASES DEALT WITH. At the Paeroa Police Court on Monday, before Mr F. W. Platts, S.M., the following cases were heard :— BREACH OF PROHIBITION. D. J. Evans, who did not appear in person, was charged with being drunk in Belmont Road, Paeroa, on the 11th inst. and obtaining liquor while being a prohibited person. Police evidence showed that defendant pleaded guilty, that his prohibition order was just about to expire, and that he had not been up before. Mr E. A. Porritt, counsel for Evans, said defendant had only two weeks to go to complete the term of his prohibition order. Being a man who had been used to his daily liquor, it had been very hard for him to withstand it, but he had made an honest effort. In answer to the magistrate Sergeant Calwell said that defendant’s wife had taken out the order against him.

Evans was convicted and discharged on the first charge, and fined £2 and 10s costs on the second.

TRAFFIC INFRINGEMENT,

Archibald James Carmichael was charged with failing to stop before coming into contact with the railway line while driving a motor-car along the Paeroa-Te Aroha road on March 16. Defendant, who appeared in person pleaded guilty. Police evidence was to the effect that defendant went over a’railway crossing just before a train passed. The enginedriver had reported the matter. Mr Carmichael had admitted that it was the only possible thing for him to do under the circumstances. The law said a railway crossing must not be crossed while a train was near. The Railway Department asked for prosecution. . Defendant said he was already on top of the line when he heard the train whistle, and it was either a case of get hit or go on, which he did. Defendant was convicted and ordered to pay 10s costs. TRADING ON SUNDAY. A first offender was fined 10s and 10s costs for selling sweets at Paeroa on the 16th inst.—a Sunday. TOBACCO SALE TO YOUTH. A Netherton first offender was fined 10s and costs for selling tobacco and cigarettes to a youth under 15. Evidence showed the boy to be only two days under 15, and that the tobacco in question was purchased at the same time as family groceries, defendant not inquiring the boy’s age as it was understood that the smokes were for an elder brother. Mr C. N. O’Neill, for the defence, said that defendant had never been in any sort of trouble before, and suggested that the terrible shock on receiving the summons was punishment sufficient to fit the case. He also ventured the opinion that the police would agree with him that defendant had assisted them in every way. Sergeant Calwell said that with all due respect to defendant, he could not concur with the last statement. The magistrate, in refusing the request that the case be kept but of the Press, said it was quite out of the question to do so. There was nothing serious in the case, and defendant had probably been merely careless. The conviction was made in order to act as a deterrent to others. UNLICENSED CAR. T. H. Johns, of Waihi, appeared to answer the charge of failing to obtain a license from the Paeroa Borough Council for a car with which he was plying for hire within the borough. * Mr E. A. Porritt, for defendant, said Johns pleaded guilty, but that he had not been ksked to pay. The inspector recently asked him if he had a licence. It was a borough by-law. It appeared necessary to have a license for every borough, etc., passed through, and several cases of the kind had come up in various Courts recently. Defendant had already his own driver’s license, a license to ply for hire in Waihi Borough, and his license plate. Johns honestly believed that he was complying with all laws. It was purely a mistake on his part. Mr C. N. O’Neill, for the Borough Council, said he understood that the town clerk or his assistant had asked defendant for payment. Johns was fined 40s and 10s costs.