COURTS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 8958, 25 October 1907, Page 3

COURTS.

Per Press Association. Wellington, October 24 In connection with the novel point of law raised iu tho Magistrate's Court by Mr Wili'ord, Magistrate Riddoll held that counsel had cited no authority to support his contention, that as the contract was made in South Africa tho law of that country should bo applied in deciding the dispute. The rule as to enforcement in cue country, of a contract validly made in another, was that the law of the country in which tho action was brought applied. Judgment was therefore given for plaintiff with costs. Mr Vfilford gavo notice of appeal. j iNVtBCAEGiiiL, October 24. j A case under the Juvenile Srnok- | ing Suppression Act, was decided by the Magistrate to-day. A boy under 15 was charged with smoking a cigarette on the stairs leading to tho dross circle of tho theatre. The Magistrate held that this was not a public place within tho meaning of the Police Offences Act, and dismissed tho case. If tho Smoking Prevention Act was to be effective it should bo made to apply to anybody found smoking, no matter where. In the meautimo the Act must remain to a largo extent a dead letter. Wksti'Obt, October 24. At the Magistrate's Court to-day three men r. - ero charged with stealing two cases of wine from tho railway goods sheds. One was discharged, and the other two (G, W. Thompson and John Larson) were convicted and fined £5, or a mouth's imprisonment. ' Norah Mary Flimiigau and Nelson Campbell Hodges, on charges of fraudulently obtaining from the Bank of Now Zealand £]';> Is Id and £l7 Is respectively, by tho sale of gold iu which copper aud brass were concealed, were committed for triad at tho next Supreme Court, Nelson. Auckland, October 2J-. A case iu which R. Kenwood w:i.charged with cruelty to a greyhound at Mungero, by refusing to terminate its sufferings, after having fired a shot at it, and also with threatening Arthur Neville with a loaded gnu, ami with using insulting language, was continued at the Police Court before Mr Kettle, S.M., yesterday afternoon. His Worship expressed the opinion that the act of shooting at the dog, intending to kill it,'was not of itself cruelty, while tho fact thai ho failed to destroy it afterwards did not affect the position. He had no doubt that tho shot was illegal, but an action in tho civil Court would bo tho remedy in that case. As for tho threatening behaviour, ho was satisfied that the gun was pointed at Neville, and also on the ovidenco that tho alleged insulting language was used. On the charge of cruelty, tho information would be dismissed, and a conviction would be recorded in each of the remaining two cases, with a fine of 5s ami costs in both. Mr Kettle commented on tho gross liberty taken by people with coursing dogs in trcspassing upon the properties ot farmers, whose income often depended on their sheep and cattle, and to whom such trespassing was in the last degree annoying.