MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 87, 15 July 1916, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

WEEKLY SITTING. The weekly sitting of the Stratfoid Magistrate’s Court yesterday was presided over by Mr W. R. Haselden, S.M. CIVIL CASES. Judgment for plaintiff by default was given in the following civil cases: _Mary A. Colder v. Win. Jones £2 Is, costs 10s; J. Masters v. John Petersen £1 Os sd, ss; George Sparks v. Thomas Judge £ll ss, £1 10s 6d; Betsey M. McCallum v. J. Petersen £t) Os cd, £1 3s 6d; Masters Ltd, v. -J. Oodunski £G 8s 7d, £1 13s Cd. In the judgment summon ease, A. Richardson v. Harry Webb, there was no appearance of defendant and an order was made to pay the amount, £6 las Bd, in default six days’ imprisonment. Mrs H. Messenger v. Herbert Sanderson, there was no appearance, of defendant and no excuse offered, and an order was made to pay the amount, £6 7s 3d, within fourteen days in default six days’ imprisonment. WANDERING CATTLE

. A. Meredith, who did not appear, was charged with allowing two horses to wander on the public road. Charles Milner, County ranger, said he found the two horses' on the road at Tututawa and drove them to Meredith’s place, hut he acknowledged ownership of one and not of the other. He refused to pay the driving fees. A fine of 10s and costs 7s was imposed, J. R. Stanford, Huiroa, was charged wil,h permitting horses to wander on railway property. Defendant stated that there were no cattle slops at one end of the station and horses could wanted on railway property at will, * > The Magistrate, stating that he had to protect the travelling public, imposed a fine of 20s and costs. CYCLIST TN T TROUBLE. George Christian, a lad of 15 years, was charged with riding a cycle at night without a light. The hoy was convicted and discharged with a caution. ALLEGED ILLTREATMENT OF A r cow. W. H. H. Young, who was charged with illtreating a cow between June 14 and 19, pleaded not guilty, and conducted his own ease. Sergeant Dale said the case was laid under the Police Offences Act. Defendant had bought some cattle and had instructed a drover to take them to a paddock and on the way one of the cows went lame. It had either a broken or dislocated joint in one of the hind legs. The cow did not receive , sufficient attention between June 14 to June 19, though it was given food and water on certain dates.

R. Hart, drover, said on June 13 he received instructions from defendant to remove some cattle to a paddock. While on the road he noticed one of the cows was lame and it laid down in a by-road, where he left it for the night. When he went to see the animal next day it was in a paddock neai by. He removed the beast lo a Mr Martin’s section. On the 14th and told defendant that he thought the leg was broken. Defendant instructecf him to feed and attend to the animal. The cow was subsequently destroyed. He feed the animal on one day and on the Saturday defendant asked him to give it some grass on his way home.

Cross-examined by defendant, witness said when lie rang defendant up on the ’phone be told him the cow was in a paddock opposite Alger’s store. Witness said he had instructions to feed and attend to the animal.

J. Martin said the Cow had been placed in bis yard on June 14 and left there until the following Monday morning. During that time he did not go near it or see it fed. He rang u defendant and told him the cow was in his yard and he came and inspected it on the Saturday or Sunday. One of his boys fed the beast on carrots.

Cross-examined by defendant, witness said he had not complained of ill treatment and in answer to the Magistrate, said bo did not think the cow was ill-treated. He saw the cow standing up and told defendant that the leg was not broken. He may have told the constable that the beast should have been destroyed. Ei Mason, vetenary surgeon, said on ''- the Saturday night defendant rang him up and told him to look at a cow in Mr Martin’s yard. When

he visited the section next morning the cow was in such a position that he could not make a close examination as he could not shift the animal single handed. He inspected it again the same day and told defendant that if the cow was taken home and tended it would come alright. There were not signs of a dislocation or a brake. Defendant told him to do the best he could could for the cow.

| Cross-examined witness said he had told defendant not to destroy the cow as it .would be alright. Samuel Thompson also gave evident to the effect that they were no signs of a dislocation or a hioken limb.

The Magistrate said he did not object to the police being keen in the matter of the ill-treatment of animals. Ho knew the difficulty the police were under in collecting information before laying the' charges and 'sometimes the information was not' j correct. Had the cow suffered from a broken leg, the case would have been entirely different, tint he could hot then say that a conviction would follow. The information was dismissed. THEFT OF A DOG. Edward Hansen, on remand, plead guilty to a,;, change, of, stealing a dog valued !at j£l6 from A. G. Edwards, Whangamomona, on June 9. Accused elected to be dealt with summarily. ! Sergeant Dale said • accused previously lived at Whangamomona and while there tried to purchase the dog hut was unsuccessful. Edwards bought iho dog and tied it outside his house, ft was missing on June

9. The prisoner had been arrested at Ajfokau and the dog recovered. Accused was out on probation uu.il October 12 on a charge of breaking and entering.

Accused asked tor another chance

The Magistrate af.er looking up the man’s record said he wished he could do something for him. Under the circumstances he would sentence accused to six months’ imprisonment with hard labor.

DEFENCE CASES

W. J. Coates, and Norman Burke (Mr T. C. Fookes. instructed by Messrs McYagh, Morrison and Stewart, Eltliam) wore charged with failing to attend the annual training camp. Mr Fookes pleaded not guilty and said that the exemption had been applied for in the Eltham Court but the Court did not sit until after the camp was held. The Magistrate

had granted the r exemptions at the last Court sitting in .May and evidently the. Court official had failed to notify the Defence Department. Staff Sergeant-Major Mcßae appeared on. behalf of the Defence Department. The Magistrate said be wished to removp a false impression as regards applying for exemptions. The procedure was for the men to apply to tlio Magistrate through the Clerk oi the Court, who sent a copy to the Regimental Headquarters and the officer in charge should send word to the Clerk of the Court whether the Department would oppose the exemption'or not. If the Department did not oppose the exemption the Magis trate would grant it in chambers amt if it were opposed, then it would m heard in Court. On the suggestion of tlnj Magistrate, the cases were withdrawn. PROHIBITION ORDER GRANTED Sitting in chambers the Magistrate granted a prohibition order.