S.M. Court.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8199, 28 May 1906, Page 5

S.M. Court.

PALMERSTON—MONDAY. {Before Mr- A. D. Thomson, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. ' JaSi C. Dench, charged with being drunk while in charge of a horse ajid 'trap on the Lorigburn 'Road, was fined 10s, cab hire 10s, and doctor's expenses 10s 6d, in default three days' imprisonment. •' ' '■ ' BREACHES OF THE FACTORIES . " ACT. ,-Y: Sollitt Bros, were charged on the information of the Inspector of Factories with failing to report an accident to G. ■, E. France, an employee at the defendants' factory. Mr Sollitt did not deny the fact, but. stated pressure of business had caused him to forget to make a formal report. The S.M. said it was a serious matter and imposed the minimum fine of £10 with costs. 11. Hansen (Mr Y. Baldwin) was charged with failing to close'her shop in the Square at one o'clock on Wednesday afternoon the statutory weekly half-holiday. A fine of 20s and costs was imposed. j MAINTENANCE. ! R. Belfit (Mr Beale) was charged with j disobeying a maintenance order of the Court in connection with the support of 1 his child, of which Fanny Pearson is the mother, the arrears totalling close upon £40. Mr V. Baldwin appeared for the grandmother of the child,/who has been practically in her charge all along. The case has been before the Court several times, and was adjourned last time m order that arrangements might j be made for the adoption of the child. On the case being called on this morning, Mr Beale produced a letter from the mother, objecting to "adoption, though she had previously consented. He, accordingly, asked for a week's ad- ! journment in order that fresh arrange-! ments could be made. Mr Baldwin objected to the adjournment. The S.M, said that the proposals for adoption must be considered at an end. Defendant had not done what he should have done in connection with the payments and he would be sentenced to a month's imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended for one week to permit defendant making, satisfactory arrangements with regard to payment. ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES. B. F. Graham (Mr Beale) pleaded not guilty to three charges of obtaining money by fals'e pretences (1) 19s from F. M. Jack, (2) 18s from Joe Ming, and (3i 19s 6d from W. F. Davis. Evidence was given by each of "the informants that accused had gone to their respective business premises and after making a small purchase tendered cheques of his own in payment. He assured informants they were good but in W. F. Davis' case asked that the cheque might be held for a day or two till funds were in the bank to meet it. A. D. Hammond, cleric, Bank of New South Wales, said, accused had had an account at the bank but drew a cheque that exhausted the balance. Accused had on, perhaps, a couple of occasions received remittances from Wanganui. Detective Quirke said that when he arrested accused he said he had expected funds from his brother-in-law in Wanganui. Counsel for the defence said accused had acted unwisely but not with criminal intent. He had expected funds from Wanganui and had asked in each instance that the cheques should be held till funds were in the bank to meet them. The S.M. said that the circumstances might be as detailed by cpunsel in Davis' case, but he was satisfied there had been false pretences in the other two cases. Accused was sentenced to a month's imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to run concurrently, A RONGOTEA CASE. John Go££ (Mr Innes) was charged (1) with using obscene language in the Square, Rongotea, on May 17th; (2) with cruelty to a horse he was driving on that occasion; and (3) with being drunk while in charge of a horse and trap. The first charge was dismisse'd without going into it. The remaining two charges were heard together. Evidence as to accused, while drunk, flogging and over • driving a horse attached to a gig on the day in question was given by F. Howie, Jas. Person, and Constable Gleeson. The defence was a denial that accused was drunk. Counsel showed that the mare accused was driving had bolted twice before she was put in the vehicle and after. On the first occasion accused, wiio was quite sober, ran after her and when she was caught rode her back at a smart pace. When she was put m the trap she set off again at a sharp pace. Accused attributed the mare's excitement to a desire to get home to her foal. Evidence in support of the defence and in corroboration of counsel's statement was given by R. Hammond, E. Jarvis, the accused, and W. H. Forster. The S.M. said accused must be cohvicted on both charges.. He was satisfied that he was drunk and that he illtreated the horse by overdriving it.KFor, ill-treating the horse he was fined 40s, with costs totalling 425, and for being drunk while in charge of the animal he was fined 20s with costs 7s.