MAGISTRATE'S COURT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10274, 8 May 1919, Page 7

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

YESTERDAY'S CASES

BREACH OF WAR REGULATIONS.

Mr F. V. Frazer, S.M., presided at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Erie Johnson and Alice Learmoth both pleaded guilty to being on board. the ocean-going ship Kahala without obtaining a permit from the military authorities. Acting-Sub-Inspector Emerson saio. that the char.es f - the vessel by a member of the crew. Each accused was hoed ±,l. >n default seventy-two hours' imprison, inent. AN EXPENSIVE HAT.

James Herbert Oarr, a.young man pleaded guilty to theft lhe poUce evidence was to the effect that two men, H. W. De Castro and &**s*> Wilkins, attended a dance at the Alexandra Hall on May Ist. lhe former left a hat, valued at £3 17s 6d and the latter a coat and scarf, valued at £6, in the cloak-room. lhe articles were missed, and /'^lfj"* Constable Wallace traced the stolen property to the possession oi the accused, who was wearing the-ctottung when arrested. • Can- stated that he attended a dance at the Now Century Hall on tho night of May Ist, and had his hat and overcoat stolen. He then went to the Alexandra Hall and replenished his wardrobe. When in Chnstchuroh ho obtained work, but a doctor would not allow him to continue at it. At present he was in receipt of a pension of. £b' 10s per month. If given a .ch-ince he would leave New Zealand, or get work in the country. The magistrate said the defendant had been in troubie previously for theft, but ho would be given another chance. Ho had been to the war, and was not yet in a condition to follow any employment. In the circumstances he would do convicted and ordered to come up for "sentence when called upon within three years. During that period he would be under tho supervision of the Probation Ohioer. ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE.

James Scott appeared on remand charged with being absent from tho ship Tainui without leave. The purser of the vessel said that Scott had given considerable trouble, and when the Tainui was at Colon he was ashore the whole time. Since the ship had been in Wellington harbour Scott had been absent from duty on two occasions. .*

The accused said that if he went aboard tho Tainui it would be as a passenger, as ho did not intend to work for nothing. It was tho engineer who was tho trouble as far as he was concerned; the captain was a perfect gentleman. The accused was sontenced. to fourteen days' imprisonment, and is to be placed on board the Tainui before she sails.

John Hunt, who had,got drunk and failed "to 'commence his duties at the appointed hour on tho ship Tainui, in which he was employed as a fireman, was ordered to pay £2 7s coats, and to bo placed on board the ship. ROBBED A MATE. 'Edward James McLean, assistantsteward on tho R-aranga, was charged with the theft of £2 7s 6d from a fel-low-employee on the vessel. ' Louis Le Lamar, linonkeeper on tho Raranga, said he was awakened by a fellow-occupant of his babin at 1 o'clock on the morning of May 2nd ana asked if he had lost any money. On going to his trousers, ho found that the sum of- £2 7s 6d was missing. Hearing that the accused was soon in tho cabin during the night, witness accused him ol the theft, and offered to take £1 5s to square the matter. Later McLean otforedhim that sum, but he refused to accept it. Tho previous day McLean was very drunk, and witness locked him in a cabin.

Arthur William Sharp statod that he saw tho accused go into tho cabin, search tho drawers, tho mattress upon which witness was lying, and afterwords the_ trousers belonging to Le Lamar, which wero hanging on a peg. Ho hoard the jiuglo of money. Tho accused said he had been drinking, and tho first he knew of the case was when charged with theft by Le tmar. In order to avoid any trouble, ho said ho would pay Lo Lamar £1 ss, which ho demanded. Ho was never in the complainant's cabin in tho early morning of May 2nd, as, when ho woko up, ho was in his bunk with his trouyors on. Le Lamar came in bofore breakfast and demanded £1 ss, and later said it was not enough and wanted £2 10s. Sharp and witness had been before! the captain of the ship ;>!■ .being tho worse of liquor and fined. The accused was convicted, fined £2, arid ordered to refund tho sum of £2 <"s Cd to tho complainant. A BROKEN NOSE. Kristian Henry Janson was charged with assaulting George Basan on May 4th so as to do him actual bodily harm. Dr. H. C. Faulke stated that Basan called at his surgory on May 4th. Ho had a cut across the top of his noso extending to tho bone. Tho noso was broken and deformed through tho break. Tho wound had practically . culed, but there was still some dolor. mity which could be remedied by ati operation. Tho injury could havebeen caused by a blow from a man's clenched iirst.

George. Basan, labourer, said lie was standing in Manners street talking to a man named Henderson, when the uucusod came up and struck complainant a severe, blow on the face. Fifteen minutes later ho found himself in a chemist's shop in Mannej-s street. Me tiad known the accused for over lil months, and seven or 'eight, moutihs ago Die accused struck liim with a. kniic On Thursday nighl,, May Ist, the ac-m::-ed struck . witness a blow on the head without iirovocution. They had words in regard to the war .some time

In answer to Mr Mellisr,, who apJjeared for the accused, the complninant ndmJfteJ ha'in;; been convicted of being a rogue and vagabond, but said tliut riad nothing to do with the woublo between him and tho accusod. Ho bid

'■•formed a policeman that he fell on (ho footpath, had hurt his iu-e, ind was not sure if Jensen hit him.

Vadia Gomon said that '.e saw -tho accused push Basan on thoneud and ISasan fall. (unstable Do Muth stated tliat Basan t :>ld him be bad fa lien 0.11 the footpath, !i!;t, upon making inquiries, ho came to conclusion that tho accuser* mid struck him.

Sergeant McHohn said that be ar-

rested Jensen. At first Jensen said ho did not know Basan, but afterwards admitted that he did. Ho denied having assaulted Basan, butj, at the police station ho stated ho struck him. He had a hand bound "up. Mr Mollish asked that tho charge be reduced to ono of common assault. The men wore bad friends, and the defendant alleged that the complainant and othors had a grudge- against him on account of his having given evidence against Basan. Tho accused was committed for trial, bail being allowed in a sum of £25. MOTOR-OAR, THIEF. Charles Edward Rossiter Ruddiok was charged with stealing a Ford motorcar valued at £2CO on March 11th, the property of Ernest Smith Baldwin, and with the theft of a Ford motor-car at Wiinganui on z\pril 26th, valued at £240, tho property of tho "VVanganui Meat Freezing Company. Mr G. W. Mellish appeared for tho accused. Kobe-it James Moore livo stock buyer, in the employ of the. VVnnganui Freezing Company, and residing at [Marton, said his firm supplied him with a live-seated motor-car. On Saturday,' April 26th, he had the oar in Hill street, Wanganui, and left it unattended v/hilo be transacted some business. Two hours later tho car was missing, and its) loss was reported to tho police. Tho car was shown to him yesterday. The spare wheel had bosri romoved and the registered number had been altered from W. G. 1579 to W. G. 1685, while tho engine number C. 166649 had been removed from tho front of tho engine.

i.etective-Sergoant Andrews said that on May Ist ho saw the accused attempting to drive a five-seated Ford car up. I'irie street. AVitness, who was accompanied by Constable Black, spoko to the accused, who said that his name was Graham. At first bo said the car was his own property, but subsequently he stated a friend had lent it to him, though he did not know bis name. After heaving the evidence- against him Jluddick decided to plead guilty and was committed to tho Supreme Court for sentence.

On tho charge of stealing Mr Baldwin's car the accused was remanded till this morning.'