COURT NEWS

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 207, 14 July 1939, Page 4

COURT NEWS

MACISTR ATE’S SITTING NUMEROUS TRAFFIC BREACHES jhe monthly sitting of the Opotiki Magistrate’s Court was held on Tuesday, before Mr. 15. L. Walton, S.AI. Police casts‘were conducted by Sergeant J. Isbister. STOLEN WATERS 115 J ,ONS William Johnson ,and‘ R. Lawson were charged with stealing watermelons on the 4th. April. Johnson did not put in an appearance. A letter was received, from Johnson in which he admitted thevtheft.

Sergeant isbister stated that on 3rd. April, Air. A. J. AV. Kemp, of AVaiockn, discovered melons were missing. Hcj liadi about a {-acre patch, there being a prolific crop. Air. Kemp had found that melons had disappeared on three nights. Alost of the melons were taken and the vines damaged. AVhen the police made enquiries Lawson denied taking the melons. Further enquiries were made and a young fellow who had appeared before the children’s court had 1 admitted the theft. The youths had .secured /a taxi to drive them .out but the taxi driver had no knowledge that the melons had been stolen. Constable Cooper then read a statement in which an admission was made that the throe young men concerned had"stolen four melons each. Lawson told 1 the court he had nothing to say. Each of the defendants was convicted and lined £2 and ordered to make restitution. CHILDREN FIND £5 NOTE . TAKEN BA’ TAXI DRIVER Eric James Philpott, was 'charged with stealing, on 3rd. June, £5. the property of some person unknown. Accused pleaded guilty. Sergeant Isbister told the court that accused was a taxi driver. Some school children had been walking along near shops in Main Street when one of them found a £5 note. As the children were walking past the taxi stand the accused noticed one of them with the. note and questioned the boy. Accused suggested that he take charge of the note to hand over to the police. Accused, however, kept the note. The children told their parents about the Until and one of.the parents asked tin. police later about it. At lii'st the accused said it was a £l note but later said it> was £5 and lie had put ii into his Post Office account. Accused who pleaded guilty, said Ip* had nothing to say and was; fined £5. ’’TRAFFIC OASES Topi Koonu was charged be the

police that on 27tli. Alay lie drove on the'main highway at an excessive speed, over the bridge at Kutarere. Defendant was also charged with having no driver’s license.

Sergeant Isbister said that defendant’s car collided with another car eti a one-way bridge at Kutarere. Both cars were considerably. damaged, hut no one was injured, "Defendant admitted travelling too fast. i On the first charge defendant was fined £l. and costs, and on the second charge lie was convicted and ordered' to pay costs. AV. N!v Kerry was, charged that cn 17tli. Alay, lie negligently drove his car in attempting to ■ pass' another car on a one-way bridge. Sergeant Isbister said that defendant was driving, 1 at Nukuhou on a straight road and saw another car approaching. Defendant drove at 30 to So miles an hour and collided with the ot-lier car on the bridge. Both cars were badly damaged. The occupants received a severe shaking only. Each tried to get over the bridge first. Air. Murray, for defendant-, said his client approached the bridge at a normal speed and the other car appeared to slow up then came on again, defendant being misled.., it was a pure Amsundersta ndin g. Defendant was fined £T and costs. AA r ik> AVijlker was charged with driving a, car in Church Street Avliile not having a drivers license. He was further charged with drawing out- from the kerb without signalling. Defendant admitted the offences.

Sergeant Isbister said defendant had parked in front- of the police station. He pulled out suddenly and another car crashed into defendant’s car. “On the first charge AYalker was lined os and costs and on the second charge he was convicted and' ordered to pay costs.

James Biddle was charged with riding a cycle at AVainui without a light. DefefitHrnt pleaded guilty and was filled and costs. Inspector Delves said-hohad let defendant off a charge oPhavfhg in) reflector. AN charge in connection with the new regulations concerning the cartage of sheep was brought against Amalgamated Transport Co. by Inspector Delves. Air. Hodgson for the defendant company asked for an adjournment. Inspector Delves said he had . no. objection. Al'r. AValton gave a tentative date (17th. July) for tint hearing of the case but said lie was not certain that the case could be held on that date in Gisborne as there were other cases to he heard. Traffic cases brought forward by Inspector Alorell were: Norman Howard, riding a bicycle without a light. Fined 5/- and costs. Fines of 5 - were also imposed oil James Mo ice and 1. Parkinson for the _samo offences. Charges of having no warrants cf fitness were brought- against Alan Cameron, David Crawford and Raymond Davidson and fines of 10/- with costs made in each instance.

Joseph Keller for driving without a warrant of fitness was similarly fined. C'lias. Pearce, whoi drove without a Warrant of fitness was fined 10s and costs ami for having no- driver’s license' was convicted and ordered 1 to pay translation fee ss. O. H. Hawkins and G. H. Henderson for having no driver’s license were each fined 5s and costs. - T. ifidcl was charged with driving in excels pf SUiiUi.p.h..in the-borough. Inspecter’Alcryll stated that the speed in Bridge Street was 12 m.p.li. Dol'd id a lit was lined £3 and costs. Geo. 'LL Jones, who stated that he had driven for the first time on 29th. June alter his license expired and was comiHg" into Opotiki for his license When stopped, was lined 5s and costs. Defendant, who. said he lived ’at Olio'-* pe was told by air. Walten could have secured his license in. Whakatane. " l For driving without, a driver’s license Normal! H. Parkinson was lined 5s and costs. <• William S. Findley (Mr. Murray), was charged with exceeding the speed limit in the borough. 'llie inspector said defendant drove along St. John.

Street over the limit. Defendant, in evidence, said lie had luen driving about eleven years. Ho wa’s going out to the Waioeeka pah. Lie didn’t think he was going over 80 m.p.li. iii the borough and increased his speed to 40 m.p.li. after passing the boundary. The inspector told the court he did no: eat;h up to defendant until the factory was reached. Fined £2 and costs. For driving a lorry without a tail light, Peter Crawford was fined 1 5s and costs. For a similar offence, Norman Lovell was fined 5s and Costs. F. G. Mahv 'was also fined for driving a ear without the necessary taillight. Fined 5s and .costs.