MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2217, 18 December 1920, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

The monthly sitting of the Magistrate’s Court was held before Mr J. L, Stout, S.M., yesterday.

BIKES WITHOUT LIGHTS,

Alfred Miuchin was convicted and fined ss, with costs 7s, for riding a bicycle at night without a light. Anna D ufresn.e, similarly charged, was convicted and ordered to pay costs 12s.

UNREGISTERED MOTOR CYCLE. Howard Arden was charged with being in possession of an unregistered motor cycle. Constable Owen staled that defendant bad taken the number off an old motor cycle and used it nit another machine be had purchased. Defendant was convicted and fined 10s, and costs 7s. ■

ILLEGALLY ON LICENSED PREMISES.

John O’Reilly, who did not appear, was charged with being found on licensed premises when such premises are, required by law to be closed. Constable Owen slated that he saw the defendant come out of the Manawatu Hotel on Sunday, November 28th, at. 9 a.m. There was no suggestion, however, that he had had any liquor there. Defendant was convicted and lined £2, with

costs 7s. UNLIGHTED MOTOR CAR

E. S. Procter was charged with having left his motor car standing in Main Street at night without lights, and was convicted and lined 10s, with costs 7s. ALLEGED ASSAULT.

Madeline Robson was charged, on the information of Isabella Andrew, with, on December 15th, assaulting the complainant by throwing water on her, and throwing a jug and striking her on the arm. Defendant pleaded “guilty, under very great provocation.” Constable Owen said the parlies were neighbours, there being only a small hedge dividing the properties, and they had bijen at loggerheads for some years. The present trouble arose through defendant’s husband cutting (he.hedge and allowing purposely or otherwise, the clippings to drop over on complainant's properly. Complainant complained to Mr Robson about this, but he had the good sense to go away and leave her. Defendant then came out, and one word led (o 'another, and defendant, who had a jug of water in her hand, first threw the water over complainani, and then threw the jug, which struck her on the arm and broke, making a wound which necessitated medical attention, and a. piece of the broken jug,was found in the arm, It seemed to him that there were faults on both sides to a certain extent. The defendant staled,, that they had been neighbours for about seven years, and during that time complainant had been a great source of annoyance to them, as she was always singing out over the fence and annoying I hem in other ways. On one occasion witness’ husband found complainant picking up snails from her property and throwing them on witness’ lettuce patch. On another occasion she had told witness to go into her house, or she would knock her head off with a shovel. On Wednesday last her husband was triming the hedge, and complainant started to annoy him, hut he did not reply to'her. Witness came out of the house with a jug of wafer to put in the chickens' pen, and complainant started to use most insulting language to her. "Witness threw the

water she had at her; she did not intend to throw the jug, hut it slipped out of her hand. She did not think that the jug struck complainant. Complainant was y woman that would not think twice about cutting her own arm and sticking a piece of the jug in it in order to "get one on to’- witness.

The Magistrate said it was a pity that neighbours could not get on better. On this occasion he would dismiss llie information, hut if there should he any further trouble between them in the future, then he would have to tine the one that was to blame. CRUELTY TO HORSE.

Lewis Hilton Robert, of Oroua Downs, was charged with cruelly illtreating a horse by causing it to he worked whilst suffering from sore -boulders and girth gall. Constable Owen stated that he visited the Oroua Downs cheese factory and inspected the horses being used by the farmers iu their milk carts, and found them ail in good condition, with the exception of defendant’s, this animal suffering from two sore shoulders and girth gall.,

, Mr Berlin said ho was instructed by defendant’s father to plead guilty. The position was that the farm belonged to defendant’s father, and until recently he had a manager on it. Defendant, who was only 20 years of age, and a motor mechanic by trade, was ordered into the country for his health, and went on to the farm. A fortnight after he got there the manager disappeared, and had not been heard of since, and the boy had to carry on in the*best way he could. He knew nothing about farming or horses. His father had since the manager's disappearance made arrangements to lease the farm. Under the circumstances, Mr Bergjr. asked that the defendant be treated as leniently as„ possible. The Magistrate entered a conviction, and inflicted a fine of 30s, with costs 15s. UNDEFENDED CIVIL CASES.

Judgment for plaintiffs was entered up iu the following undefended civil eases,: —Commissioner of Taxes v. W. Peterson, claim £7 11s lOd, costs £1 3s, and A, N. Smith v. J. Kennedy, 17s Gd, costs Bs.