MATAMATA MOCK COURT.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 96, 5 September 1918, Page 2

MATAMATA MOCK COURT.

Red Queen's Function. A mock court, in support of the Bed queen, was held in Matamata on Tuesday.. The composition of the court was: Judge, Mr J. Price; King's counsel, Mr H. Smales; defending counsel, Mr B C. Taylor ; clerk of the court, Mr A. G. Yardley ; assistant, Miss Majorie Edwards; chief of police, Mr W. Darby; constables, Messrs J. Cartwright, D. Laird and R. Burke. The first charge, that of being late> was preferred against; the judge, who was fined ss. Defending counsel was charged with stealing a pig off a hen roost, and was also fined ss. W. Randall, who denied that ho was hawking fruit, said he was travelling with the Darcy-Smith fight picture. He paid 10s. W. Graveson junr., was fined 2s 6d for warming his hands by holding them up to a constable's red nose. N. Blackburn pleaded guilty to cutting a cow's hide, rendering stitches necessary. J. Morgan for selling undressed bananas was fined ss. Mrs Green paid 2s 6d as a penalty for leaving her grown-up family on the farm for three weeks whilst the frost was on. H. Buckley for selling good boots also paid a penalty. It cost two young ladies Is each for winking at a soldier in daylight. W. Palmer for retailing treacle in a sock, contributed 5 lovely shillings to the fund. The most serious offence dealt with at the afternoon session, concerned a large framed individual named Jimmy Kelso, who was charged with having stolen the wind from W. Miles' tyre, and blowing up a football in Arawa street. He was found guilty. Miss E. Banks was acquitted on a charge of selling goods without a license, the accused explaining that the cushion was being sold for Bed Cross, purposes. Many cases weie dealt with in the evening, the court sitting till eleven o'clock. There was a good attendance. Some of the cases were : M. McDormott, for attempting to shoot game out of season, was fined 2s 6d. W. Miles was fined Is for running over a mongrel dog and ridding the town of a nuisance. Accused explained that he had but saved the chairman of the town board the job. Miles, being pleased with the nominal fine, added £3 19s to it. W. Batchelor, for driving nails against their will, was fined is 6d. For not having practised economy and dressing his sheep and cattle too well during the war period, W. C. Vincent was fined 10s. For harboring Northern spies, the Misses North paid up like men. James Mclntyre pleaded guilty to having " Record "-ed "Times" which never should have been " Chrouicle"-d 2 having " Herald "-ed the advent of a new "Star " ; stating which was not the " Truth " in the " Christchurch Press" that he, with another "Observer" named " Weldon," an " Independent " "Witness" from Otago, had studied the " Luminary " to the detriment of his " Health and Strength." (3) For having "Mail "-ed or" Post ".ed to the "Gazette" the " Sporting and Dramatic News " that the "Call" had come for all married men in the "Domiuion," with over

ten children to go to the front. : Charles Wallace,farmer, Waharoa road, i pleaded not guilty to having stripped cows i n a cold night. Several witiiHSfv -, w. ii called in this case and the l.p.v j'niy disagreed Accused's son Li \\ ,-i ;a.e was chsirged with aiding an.: ni.Miii!.- his hither. ' Both acHiMiJ were tincd 2s 6d for; being not guilty. T lieips' refusal to shave a customer without cutting his hair cost him 10s Fred Williamson a similar charge was found guilty. He shouted a cigar for the judge. Inspector Darby and Sergeant Laird, for having accepted a bribe of a " spot" and one guinea from one Edwin G. Beeson were fined £2 each. Both prisoners said the " spot" was worth the money. Charles Chaplin, G. Vogt, for making goo-goo eyes at the jury was fined ss. Another jury had to be empanelled for this case. H. AllanSmith pleaded guilty to huving a W.ckett in his possession, but ex plained also that he stocked pads and gloves.—Another 6s. James Steen, for having caused jealousy and strife in the whole district by outbidding married men for their wives' baskets, and several bachelors for their prospective wives' baskets was fined 10s. Edwin Beeson, for bribing the police, was fined one guinea. For practising as a gumdigger without a license, J. H. Hooper was fined ss. The fact that he was unable to cure bacon cost Dr Carolan ss. W. A. Turkington and Edward Strong both pleaded guilty to selling properties which did not belong to them. They paid, as also did Joseph Finnerty for selling parts of His Majesty's Dominion. Annie Cummings and Mary Montague admitted having sold "glad rags" to soldiers' wives and sweethearts, but pleaded that a special reduction was made iu the cases specified. R. A. Walton, for having juggled with jellies, scrambled eggs, tossed tea, softened soap, coiffeured coffee and sold gold dust at tho price below anything*offered by N.Z. Government, and (2) using scales off Miss North's schnappers to weigh flour with was fined 2s 6d and 2s 6d costs. A most serious charge was that brought against an ill-nourished man named Samuel Salisbury. Inspector Darby, on oath, said he saw the ac-

cused slide down a rainbow. The evidence was endorsed by Constables Egan, Laird, and Burke. He was fined Is, and added to this the amount of £4 19s. Owing to the applause which greeted the accused's action the court was cleared at 11 p.m. Numerous other cases were dealt with during the evening.