PUKEKOHE S.M. COURT.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 58, 19 July 1915, Page 1

PUKEKOHE S.M. COURT.

(Befora Mr F. V. S.M.)

At the Pukekofte Magistrate's Court on Thursday lest tfce following cases weie dealt with, viz AN ALLEGED THEFT.

Samuel Ca-dy, laimer, wss charged with having stole.i oa or about May 30th, at Paerata, u drum of oil, value 265, tie property of William Wardleworth. Mr H. G. R. Mason defended

Sergeant Cowan, in prosecuting, stated thit the dium of oil was missed and was reported to the police. The accused, whilst in custody on another charge last Satuiday, had admitted to Corißtable Thornell that he had had the drum of oil but bad found it on the Paerata road.

Constable Thornell, in giving evidence, deposed that the accused mentioned Mr Wardleworth's name as the owner of the drum of despite the tact that be (the Constable) did cot tell him who had lost it. Three drums of oil were found on the accused's premise?, one in a hay shed with a little oil in it bung a new one and being supposed to be the one lost by Wardloworth. The lid of the drum in question was missing, and although a search WBs made it could not be discovereß. William Wardleworth spoke to ordering a drum of oil, which arrived with his name on the lid. It was placed outside a building he was erecting at Paerata, and was later on found to be missing.—ln answer to Mr Mason, the witness said he had not seen the drum in question thai was found on the accused's premises, and so he had not identified it. Mr Mason submitted that the plaintiff frequently purchased oil and had maoy drums on his premise?, He did pick up an oil drum on the road side in ttfe neighbourhood of the residence being built by Wardleworth, but it was empty and it was not the drum mentioned by the police. The accused gave evidence to the foregoing effect, and maintained that Constable ihornell mentioned Wardleworth's name before he (accused) mentioned it.

Ernest Edward Haskell deposed that he lived on the accused's larm at Paerata, and was able to say that there were several drums cf oil on the farm. The drum referred to by the police wss on the farm when witness arrived there seven months ago and he had thrown its lid away,—Questioned by the Magistrate, the witness made some contradictory statements. William H»nry Caddy, son of accused, corroborated as to oil for painting purposes being used on the farm.

Frank Perkins, storekeeper, gave evidence as to eelliug oil to accused. The Magistrate thought the circumstances were supsicicuj, especially so because if the drum said to have been lound by the road side by accused was empty it maant that someone must have come alonp and have emptied its contents into another tin. However, there was uo possibility of identifying the drum and bo the case would be dismissed.

NEGLECTING HIS FAMILY. John Willis McConachie, labourer, was charged at the instance of his wife with having fairled to comply with a maintenance order in reepect of herself anl four childixq. Mr C. 0. Mahony represented the wife. The defendant did not appear, bat the Magistrate imposed a sentence of two months' imprisonment, the warrant net to he ksued provided the defendant kept up current payments under the order and also paid 5s a week towards the arrears.

AN UNWELCOME SIGHT. John Patterson, contractor, cf Puni, was charged with having on July 2nd, at Puni, left a dead horss upon a public road. —The defendant pleaded guilty and explained that after shooting the horse ke had to come into Pukekohe over some Court business. He admitted that the dead animal was on the road from the Monday to the following Saturday.—Fined 10s and costs. CIVIL CASES.

Judgment was entered for the plaintiffs in the following cases: P. Henry and Sons v. Wm. Stensen ior £5 4s 3d and lis costs; E. Bilkey v. A. J. Tozer fir £9 16s 3d and 14s costs and Frank Perkins and Co., v. Geo. Dix £l6 2a 6d and 15s ccsts.