CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19475, 9 May 1925, Page 19

CITY POLICE COURT.

Fkidat, Mat 8. (Before Mr H. VV. Bundle, S.M.) A Shiftless Individual. —\\ iliiain Theodore Jackson, aged 21 years, was charged with stealing 85 chaff bags, valued at ±.4 ss, the property of James Alumoiland; futher, with stealing a rneta) watch valued at £2 10s, the property of William Waite; and further, with stealing an overcoat, valued at £2 1&, the property of William Dainton Smithurst. —The accused pleaded guilty to all charges. —Chief Detective Lewis said the accused had been out ot work and Air ‘Mulholland had taken pity on him and permitted him to occupy a nut in Ward street with Mr Waite. The accused stole the watch from the latter and ,pawned it. The watch had been recovered. He later went to an hotel and stole the overcoat. That liad been recovered Irom the man to whom accused had given it. He had sold the sacks to a dealer, but they had been recovered. He received £1 18s 4d for them. 'The accused was wandering about helpless and useless and was in trouble with a girl —Ensign Coombs said she had visited the girl and had learned that she had already given birth to one child to the accused. j.hey had lived together as mail and wife, but they were not married. • Witness had seen the uocused the worse for drink a few days before.—The accused had nothing to say. — The Magistrate said he needed straightening up. On the charge of stealing the overcoat he would bo sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour. On the loTarge of stealing the watch he would be admitted to probation for a period of two years with the special conditions that he be prohibited, and that he made. restitution of £2 6s 4d. He would be convicted and discharged on the first charge. Charge Dismissed. —Ernest Alfred Wood was charged with unlawfully assaulting Roderick Matheson. —Mr C. J. L. White appeared for accused, who pleaded not guilty.—Roderick Matheson, corporation employee, stated that shortly after boon on April 4 ho was in the Terminus Hotel. While he was at the back of .the premises the accused assaulted him. Witness was punched and kickfel. He knew the accused to speak to. The trouble was that there had been some talk regarding the wives of the respective men. —To Mr White, witness denied using provoking language:—Constable Milne said he arrested Matheson in High street for drunkenness. He bore evidences of blows on the face. —Constable Harris stated that on April 14 he interviewed the apeused, who admitted striking Matheson. Ho had also stated that Matheson had used insulting language.—Mr White said the assault waa. not denied, it was a question 'of provocation —The Magistrate said he would not go on. The ponce were custodians of law and order and not of private differences. The charge would be dismissed. “Not Enough Care.”—Philip Thomas Ruston pl.eaded not guilty to a charge of driving a motor car along Princes street south in a negligent manner.—Arthur Robert Holden, milk salesman, said that about 4.20 am. on April 5 ho was delivering milk near the Oval. He was about four chains from the intersection of Princes street and Anderson’s Bay road. The defendant came irom behind and crashed into the milk cart. Witness was thrown on to the mudguard of defendant’s car. The horse in witness’s cart was knocked over and then rose and bolted, finally coming to grief against a post. The streets were fully lighted at that hour. —To Defendant: He had one light—on the left-hand side o| the cart. There was nothing to obscure it. —Leslie Gordon Stewart, aged 14 years, said he was assisting the previous witness m delivering milk. Ho was near the cart when tiie motor car struck it. Witness saw the car approaching some distance from the caxt. It had three lights burning. The oar was travelling about 20 miles an hour.— Constable Forsyth stated that he interviewed the defendant from who he obtained a statement. In that statement he said he was travelling about 12 miles an hour. He did not see a lamp on the cart. —Defendant stated that he was a pie-cart owner. On the morning in question he was driving along Princes street south. He had no chance of seeing the light, as it was on the wrong side of the cart, and the misty morning made it impossible to see. —To Seniorsergeant Mathieson: The defendant said his lights would not show any distance. He would have a plain view in front of him for a distance of about eight yards. If the milkman had a light he contended that it was obscured. He was travelling about 12 miles an hour.—The Magistrate said ho failed to see why defendant did not see the cart. He thought there should be some alteration in the manner of lighting carts. He was of the opinion that defendant did not exercise necessary care. He would bo fined 20s with costs (275). Negligent Driving,—George .Laward Pearce (Mr Hay) pleaded guilty to a charge of driving a motor car in a negligent .manner in Maclaggan street.—Seniorsergeant Mathieson stated that a man named Roberts was driving his motor lorry down Maclaggan street when he experienced . engine trouble.. He stopped, and got underneath the vehicle. While attending to the trouble defendant drove into the lorry. The impact was such that the car was overturned and tne lorry damaged.—Mr Hay said the facts were correct, but he pointed out that defendant was used to driving a right-hand car, and ho did not allow enough room to p ass- _The Magistrate said ho would take into consideration the fact that the cur bud been damaged, and he would impose a fine of 20s, and .costs (7s). Turning on , Wrong Side.—Patrick Shiel was charged with failing to take a proper turn when turning his motor car from Stuart street into Cumberland street.— Defendant said he was in a peculiar position. The summons had been issued a week after the alleged offence, and he could not recall the circumstances. —Constable Bush gave evidence as to seeing defendant fail to keep as near possible to the left hand side of the road when taking the turn. —Defendant was fined 10s and costs (7s). Failure to Stop.—Gertild Clark pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to stop his car when signalled to do so by a constable. —Senor-sergeant Mathieson said the defendant had ignored the signal.—The Defendant said he did not understand what he had to do.—The Magistrate said it was important that the signals of the constable on point duty should be observed. A fine of 10s was imposed and costs (7s). A similar charge was preferred against Alfred Clark, who did not appear.—Senior-ser-gent Mathieson said that when interviewed defendant had admitted the offence.—He was fined 10s, and costs (7s). Charges of Speeding.—A charge of driving a motor truck along King Edward street at a speed dangerous to. the public was preferred against James Sinclair Baillie.—The defendant did not appear.— Constable Watson stated that at 8.20 a.m. on April 15 ho saw the defendant travelling along King Edward street at an estimated speed of 20 miles an hour. He returned later and was travelling at a faster pace. When interviewed he said that he was in a hurry to got to Gore.—He was fined 40s, and costs (7s). George Arthur Sykes, who did not appear, was charged with driving along the Main road to Ravenshourne at a dangerous speed.—Constable M‘Kenzie said he saw defendant travelling about 30 miles an hour.—The Magistrate remarked that the road was a dangerous one, and imposed a, fine of 40s, and costs (275). -Arthur Stewardson did not appear to answer a charge of riding a motor cycle at a dangerous speed.—Constable Clark stated that he saw the defendant travelling from 30 to 35 miles an hour across the intersection of George and Union streets.—The Senior-sergeant said the defendant did not admit the speed, but admitted going fast. —He was fine £3, and cost (7s). _ , , An Unlighted Motor Car.—William Jefferson was fined ss, with costs (7s), for leaving a motor car without proper lights. Wandering Cows.—William John Sabiston was fined 10s, and costs (7s), for permitting three cows to wander at large. Chimney on Fire. —A fine of 10s, and costs (7s), was imposed on Wilfred Brooks for permitting a chimney to catch fire.