MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Southland Times, Issue 24875, 15 October 1942, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

WEDNESDAY (Before Mr R. C. Abernethy, S.M.) For falling to comply with the lighting restrictions, Ella Winsloe (Mr H. E. Russell), manageress of the Southland Club Hotel, was fined £3, with costs and witness’s expenses £2/2/-. Senior-Sergeant W. T. Kelly said that wardens had warned the defendant several times about the lights which were showing in various parts of the Club Hotel and she had ignored the warnings. The matter was then reported to the lighting controller, who wrote a letter to the defendant threatening to cut off the electricity if there was no improvement. That warning was ignored. Alexander Gardner, a printer and senior controlling warden in the area, said the Club Hotel had been a source of worry to wardens for months. The kitchen lights were unscreened and there were no shades or blinds on the windows of the staff quarters. To Mr Russell: It was in his power to order the screening of the lights. Mr Russell: Did you call along to the hotel with some light shades for sale?—l may have. I don’t know. You are on your oath. Did you or did you not? Has it not been your habit of selling your own shades to these people?— Yes. Could you tell the Court what you pay for the 'shades and what price you sell them at?—That is my own business. I reIfuse to tell you. What profit do you make on these shades? —I object. That’s my business. Would you deny that you have made between £5O and £6O profit on the sales of shades ±o people in this area? —That has nothing to do with this case. The Magistrate said he did not think it had a bearing on the case. In a statement made by the defendant and read to the Court the defendant said that Gardner called to sell shades and he said that if the lights were screened by his shades that would comply with the regulations. In convicting the defendant the Magistrate said that sufficient precautions had not been taken. "With regard to the allegations against the witness Gardner,” he said, "I do not need to take any more notice than say this: Wardens should be careful not to let personal business interfere with their E.P.S. work. They must be careful not to leave room for suggestion. I am not suggesting there is anything wrong here, but I repeat, wardens should be careful.” BURIAL WITHOUT CERTIFICATE For burying the body of a deceased person without having the prescribed certificate John Robert Fraser (Mr G. J. Reed) was fined £l, costs 10/-. ‘‘This case has been brought forward more as a warning than anything else,” said Senior Sergeant Kelly. “There are no sinister circumstances. It is really a technical breach and we received instructions from the deputy-registrar of births, deaths and marriages at Wellington to prosecute. Mr Reed said that because of a misunderstanding brought about largely by pressure of business the burial was conducted before the necessary certificate was obtained. The defendant had an excellent record in business in the city and the medical profession had every confidence in him and his business. "I think it is right that I should say that the prosecution does not bear any sinister aspect whatever,” commented the Magistrate. "The defendant is well known: he is a well-esteemed man of business in this city. It should be borne in mind, however, that nobody is allowed to be buried without a death certificate or a coroner’s order for burial.” TRAFFIC BREACHES For riding a bicycle without a light Walter Mann was fined 10/-, costs 12/-. For riding bicycles on the wrong side of the road Harold Robertson, Raymond Kerr, Keith Beer, Allan Warburton and Henry Elm each were convicted and ordered to pay costs 10/-. Charles Wilson, for drinking liquor in a public reserve, was convicted and ordered to pay costs 10/-. M. O- Hood, a soldier, for passing a stationary tram when driving a car was convicted and ordered to pay costs 10/-. Alexander Francis Barr (Mr H. E. Russell) pleaded guilty to two charges of failure to pay the unemployment levy and was fined £l. costs 10/-. on each charge. Edric Ivan Davidson Heads (Mr H. E. Russell), for employing a man for more than seven days who had not paid registration fees, was fined £2, costs 10/-. OTHER CASES A further remand was granted to October 22 in the case of Harry George Batchelor, a farmer, of Rimu, charged with assaulting James Watt, of Rimu. Senior Detective R. Tliompson said the police would be prepared to proceed with the case on that date. For failure to report for military service when commanded to, John Angus, a single man 43 years of age (Mr J. C. Prain), was convicted and ordered to pay costs 10/-. Senior Sergeant Kelly and Mr Prain both explained that the reservist had not tried to evade military service: he had failed to notify a change of address and had not received notice to report. He had been engaged on work of a military nature and was prepared to go to camp immediately. For having liquor in the vicinity of a rinnee hall Cyril Francis Murphy was fined £1 costs 10/-. Peter Alexander Ogilvie was ordered to pay costs 12/-. For allowing chimneys to catch fire John I Wnilowav and Lloyd A. Tattersfield each were ordered to pay costs 10/-