POLICE COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 36, 10 February 1903, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

Saturday, February 7'h.—Before Mr. ! R. L, Stanford, S.M. i A MAINTENANCE CASE. j Thomis Wariisworth, a young man who was arrested on a warrant by Constable Heather, at Okito, oti Friday, wai charged with failing to provide for his illegitimate male child at Stirling, Ofcigo. Sergeant Haddrell applied for a re- ' mind to Balclutha. His Worship remanded accused to ' appear at Balclutha on February 16th, |. OBSCENE LANGUAGE. | A lick Mallon, a yoang man, was ! charged with using obscene linguage in ! ifigment-streefc on Friday evening, He pUaded guilty. . S rgeint HaddrJl explained that 'the accused when refused at tho Commonwealth had become violent, and on a omplaint (Jonatable Buttimore wens down to Egmont-streat and arrested Mall-in and locked him up. Accused was fined 40* and costs. ! Th-s fine-was paid.

Monday, February 9th. -BeforeMr JR. L. Ssanford, S.M. PASSING VALUELESS CHEQUES. Robert IbelJ, on remand, wag charge! that on February 4th he obtained from Jacob Vincent Rurta, a restaurant ke»per, tbe sum of £5 5s by of a valueless cheque. Accused, for whom Mr 0. H. Weston (Wtston and Wts'on) appealed, pi nded not guil'.y. Sergeant Haddrell called Constable Mcßae, who s'atdthat he arrested accused on the ni b '- t of Fdbruaiy sth on the pr*-sen*. oh irge, \ reuse 1 mtde co rem irk. Th <chq le (produced) r t o«ived from Kurta, was pieseuted at the Bank of New Z lland an ire marked 'noa count." Martin Johnson stated that abju' 11.30 p.m. on 4ih February acsusod and a mate cime to the eating hou>eanl callel for supper, Accued called for th-i m-a's. Witness saw accus d pass ach qu' to Kurta. Acjus.-I si'd he had o moaey, but wo ild piy t>y cheque, which he 8 .id was on > from the contrac or foe whom h • worked. I£ur;a, casho-l the chique by hiuding him his own cheque for £5 ss. ' Jacob Yicuri Kurta, proprietor of the Silver Grid, bung sworn siid, re-memb-rei We'nesil v, 4 h Februiry. The gentleman in the ojx wis at my placa; he had a mate with him; he call-.d for suppar, supplied it oharging 2s—one shilling each, for it accuse j gave me a chequs for it for £5 7s. I asked him who the cheque belonged to and he said it belonged to Bell. He said B:ll lived between Waitira and New Plymouth. He said he had been working for Bel', and tha o ieque was for wages. [ ga'-o hi n my cheque for £5 5s and it has baen charged to my account at the Bmk of New Zaaland. Presented the cheque in Court to the Bank, but could not c i i> it,

To Mr Weston: No conversation took place before supper. I was cook--1 i g, and my partner served the supper. Oinnofc say wbafc phased between them. My partner called me, as he had not chinge. Did not notice the men had been drinking. Merely a<ked for particulars about cheque. P- esanted the cheque about 10.10 o'clock iu the morning. I then handed tho cheque to the pjlica. M. Jones, livery etaSh keeper, carrying on business in New Plymouth: Accused was in my stibla about 9 o'clock one evening, He wanted a horse and trap fo: Monday, 8-, h February. He said his name was T. A. Bell, He came bick about half an hour af r erwards and asked for a blank cheque. Produced is the ooe I gave him. He also spoke about buying some oats for soms teams ho said he had working at Uruti. Accused stirt-d to write on the chfque in my office, and I l:ft him. To Mr Weston : Did not know the accused previously. Was not aware of any of his name at Ui'iti, and bis talking about wanting some bushels of aroused my suspicions. He was dressed such as he is now.

Thomas Arthur Berridge, contractor; residing in New Plymouth. lam in pr ne'ship with Charles Kyngdon. Accused has been working for us for about nine months. Mr Kyngdm has usually piid him. Toe cheque in Court was not drawn or authorised by U', To Mr Weston: There are orders against accused's wages. Charles Courting tvyogdota, contractor, carrying on business with last witness. . Generally pay wages by cheque on the Brnk of Australasia. Did not gire accused or any one else the cheque produced. Oa Wedoeslay 4th gave accused a cheque for £1 on the Bank of Australasia. A. F. Thompson, accountant at the Bank of New Zealand, siid the cheque produced was presented last Thursday morning. Told the person presenting it there was no account, Took the signature for O. A. Bell. There is no such account at the Bank. The acousad was then formally charged and pleaded no!: guilty, and reserved his defeuoe. Mr. Weston appli'd for bail on accused's own recognisance. j Tho S.M. said as accus"d was on j probation he could not dispan»e with! bai l , bu i would grant bail on two sure-i ties of £25 each.