COURTS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9101, 21 March 1908, Page 5

COURTS.

Per'Press Association. Wellington, March 20. An application was made in Chambers to-day for an order on behalf of the petition in the Wanganui divorce case, Georgetti v. Georgetti, for leave to issue a Commission to take evidence of several witnesses in England. Mr Justice Chapman considered it would be necessary for petitioner to take evidence, and made an order, such order not to he used until the expiry of 30 days, except with respondent’s consent. Dunedin, March 20. At the Police Court, to-day, James Geddes, licensee of the Douglas Plotel, was charged before Mr Widdowson, S.M., with unlawfully permitting drunkenness on his licensed premises and with selling liquor to persons already in a state of intoxication. The case was dismissed on the ground that there was no evidence that the person obtained the liquor which made him drunk at the hotel in question. The Magistrate said, however, that this case emphasised the prevalence of juvenile drinking. It showed a deplorable state of things in regard to the young men of Dunedin and to the young men of the Dominion. To all hotelkeepers, he would say it would be better for them if they gave young fellows only one drink. That young men were entitled to drink there could be no question, but it would be better to serve them with only one drink and no more.

Palmerston, March 20. The criminal sittings of the Supremo Court concluded yesterday. John Gascoign Weightman pleaded not guilty to a charge of perjury arising out of the hearing of a charge of assault and robbery against Wm. Low and J. C. Robinson. Accused conducted his own case, and the jury returned a verdict of not guilty on the ground of mistaken identification.

The compensation case in which Mr E. J. Riddiford claimed £2200 from the Minister of Railways in respect of a piece of land taken from the frontage of his property at Long burn in connection with the FoxtonNew Plymouth railway, was heard at the Supreme Court to-day, before Mr Justice Cooper. A large amount of evidence was given, and an arrangement was arrived at whereby the claimant should receive £3OO in full satisfaction of bis claim, and also two level crossings giving access to his property, each party to pay their own costs, and 15 guineas jio each of the assessors. Wellington, March 20. The Government has decided that no further proceedings shall be taken against John Lloyd, the Nightcaps’ mine manager, who was tried on a charge of manslaughter, the jury failing to agree. Eleven of the jury were for Lloyd’s acquittal, and one for his conviction. Invercargill, March 20. Adam Middlemen, a lad, was remanded to-day on a charge of having placed a quantity of material on the line sufficient to have derailed the train.

George Holmes (alias Albert Patrick Newman) pleaded guilty to having forged the name of W. Stewart to the authority for J. H. Kirk and Go. to pay George Holmes £ls, and having altered same to John Brookes.. Accused was remanded for sentence by the Supreme Court. Dunedin, March 20. At Milton to-day John McNeill, farmer at Circle Hill, was fined £lO and costs on a charge of having in his possession a carcase of sheep not having lawfully come by the same, and on a charge of being in possession of a sheepskin,' from which the ears had been removed he was convicted and ordered to pay costs.