MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2360, 26 November 1921, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

I The monthly sitting of the Magistrate’s Court was held yesterday, before Air J. L. Stout, S.M. - MILITARY OFFENDERS. Privates Edward Withers and Charles‘Procter, charged with being absent from a parade held in Fox- . ton on the 22nd September, were convicted and fined 10s, with 7s costs. ILLEGALLY ON LICENSED PREMISES. Johnstone Roundtree, charged with being illegally on the licensed premises of the Family Hotel, wa'S convicted and fined £2, with 7s costs. Joseph Barber, on a similar charge, was convicted and fined £2, with 7s costs. ABSENCE FROAI SCHOOL. Alabel Graham was charged with failing to send her child to school on the 2nd and 3rd October. AH Skinner, truant officer, said that an excuse had been made that the boy had been away owing to home circumstances. The lad admitted that he was whitebaiting on the day in question. Convicted and fined ss, with 7s costs.. Joseph Hofmann was similarly charged. Airs Hofmann stated that on the days in question her little girl had been absent as she (defendant) and her baby were ill. She produced a doctor’s certificate to that effect. Air Skinner said that the attendance at the school up to October had been deplorable. Seventy children were absent at the beginning of October. The Atngistrnte said that in this case‘he would give the defendant the benefit of the doubt, and dismissed the case. Anne Prcw, on a similar charge of failing to send her two children lo school was convicted and fined 2s, with 7s costs in each case. Frederick Short, similarly charged, said that he lived over the maximum distance. He lived at the Beach, and had proved that his residence was outside the statutory area. He had made enquiries about ■in exemption, but had been told that the Acting-Headmaster would not Svrant one. Air Fume, who was living next to him, had measured the distance with his car, and found it jo be seven miles to and from the Post Office. Mr Skinner said he was under the impression that the distance was less than three miles. Defendant was convicted and lined 2s, with 7s costs. Harry Procter, similarly charged, was convicted and fined ss, with /s costs.. Jack Nelson was similarly charged. Defendant produced a doctor’s certificate, and said that his daughter was ill on the date in question. He had given the boy a note to take to school about his sister’s illness, but the boy had kept it in his pocket. The Alagistrate pointed out that the doctor’s certificate was absolutely useless, as it did not apply to the dates in question. Convicted and fined 2s, with costs 7s. Dave Williams, similarly charged, was convicted and fined ss, with 7s costs. Accused also produced a doctor’s certificate, but it was pointed out that it had no bearing on the case. B. G. Gower was charged with failing to send his son to school on two separate occasions. Mr Skinner said that the case was one of the worst. He had been absent 195 times this year. Air Skinner pointed out that the child had been taken to the recent Show on (he second occasion. The Alagistrate said that if the child had actually been taken to the Show it was-not so bad. The Show was educational. Accused was convicted and fined Ids, with 7s costs in the first case, and 2s in the second. James Hasp, charged with failing (o' send his daughter to school on (lie 21st October, forwarded a letter, staling that they had left Foxion before that date, and the child was attending school elsewhere. Air Skinner said that that was not so. They did pot leave Foxton until the 25th of October. Convicted and fined ss, with 7s costs. Alfred Smith, William Preston and Arthur Lockwood, on similar charges, were each convicted and lined ss,•with costs 7s. Samuel Davey, on a similar charge, pleaded sickness and residence beyond the school area. He stated further that his child had been under medical treatment in Wellington, and that the doctor had told him not to allow the boy I'o.atIcnd school if there was a recurrence of his sickness. That was his reason for keeping the child at home. Ah’ Skinner pointed out that the boy had been at school one day, absent the next, present the following day, and then absent again the day aft er. The Alagistrate said he did not think the sickness would break out on alternate days, and convicted and fined accused 2s, with 7s costs. Ethelyn Wanklyn, guardian of Ended Wanklyn, was charged with keeping the latter from school. Ah Skinner said that rather than let. the hoy go to school on a wet day, lie was taken to Palmerston in a motor car. Proper provision was made Jpr children at the school on wet days. The boy had been absent 38 half-days in the year. Convicted and fined ss, with 7s costs. Sidney Smith, on two charges, was convicted and fined ss, with 7s costs in eaefi case. ,

Albert Taylor was similarly charged.

Mr Skinner said that the child had been absent 252 limes. Part of that time he had been sick. Convicted and fined 2s, with 7s costs and 14s 6d service.

Thomas Staff, George - Scadden and John AfeColl, charged with failing to send their children to school on November 4th (Palmerston Show Day),,were convicted and fined 2s.

John Coley, similarly charged, produced a doctor’s -—certificate to say that his child had been ill on the date in question.

The case was dismissed, and defendant told to get an exemption in future.

L. R. Freeman, charged with failing to send his child to school on Palmerston Show Day, said that he had applied for an exemption, but had been refused. He produced a telegram from the Education Board to the effect that his summons had been withdrawn.

Mr Skinner said that the child had been absent 45 half-days (his year.

Mr Freeman said that, he had taken his child to the Show. He had been refused an exemption by the Acting-Headmaster, and told when he went to the Chairman of the Committee that they could do nothing in the matter. Subsequently he had written to the Board.

Mr Skinner said that no blame could be put on the Acting-Head-master for refusing the exemption, as the attendance in the past had been a disgrace. He had received a telegram from the Board, ordeiing him to withdraw the summons against Mr Freeman. He questioned whether the Board had authority to do so. It was not. fair to the others who had been similarly summoned to withdraw this case. The Magistrate said that if the officer asked him to withdraw the “Show” summonses he would do f>o.

Mr Skinner said that in the circumstances he would ask for all summonses for Show attendance to be withdrawn, which was granted. 11. B. Cress well was convicted and lined ss, with 7s costs, for allowing his son to be absent from school. W. Andersen was similarly

charged. Mr Skinner said that the child had been absent on the Bth, 9th, 10th, and Hth of November. Constable Owen said that word had been left by the Health Officer that he had ordered the child to be kept away on the 9th and 10th. Mr Skinner said that that 101 l two days. The child had attended very irregularly. This year he had been absent 80 times out of 106, and last year 222 times out of 384. The Magistrate said that as the Health Officer had intervened in the case it would be dismissed.