Our Stratford Page

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 209, 2 March 1912, Page 3

Our Stratford Page

I Stratford, Friday.

MAGISTRATE' COURT.

DEBT CASES. In the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr. W. G. Kenrick, S.M., judgment was given by default in the following cases:—Bert Burgess (Mr. Thomson) v. B. Keith, claim £1 7s 6d, and costi 7s; A. D. Carbery (Mr. Stanford) v. W. Bellve, for balance of a claim 2s, and 5s 3d solicitor's fee; William Winmill (Mr. Stanford) v. John Harvey, claim £l2 Is 3d, costs £1- 10s 6d; A. J. Davey (Mr. W. G. Malone) v. W. Blair, claim 15s, costs ss; F. M. Mario w (Mr. Thomson) v. R. V. Edwards, claim for rent and possession of tenement, judgment for £3 and costs £1 12s, possession having been given up since the. issue.of the summons; New Zealand and Mercantile Agency Co. (Mr. Malone) v. D. Favier, claim £3 12* and costs 10s; National Bank of New Zealand (Mr. Malone) v. D. Favier, claim £lOl 13s 2d, court costs £2, 'solicitor ! £3 10s; John Leydon v. Wm. Wright,' ; | claim £1 6s Bd, and costs ss; R. H. Bright (Mr. Fookes) v. Wm. Burgess,, claim £1 17s Od, and costs ss; same v. P. Coldstream, claim £2 17s 6d, costs 18s; same v. H. Blandford, claim £2 8s < 6d, costs 10s. In Wilson, Drake and Co. (Mr. Malone) v. Mark Cronin, a judgment summons case, the court was not satisfied that the debtor had had the means to pay, and refused an order.

In thei case of Philip James (Mr. Thomson) v.-W. Hoskin, adjourned from last court day, Mr. Thomson announced that Mr. Dingle, the arbitrator agreed upon by the parties, had, inspected the stumping contract at Huiroa, for payment of which the plaintiff sued. He had considered the work unfinished, and allowed the defendant £ I.los off the claim, payment for three days' work. They had also agreed upon the costs, solicitor £2, and costs £1 10s. The parties wished to express their appreciation of Mr. Dingle's action in not asking any fee for his services. The S.M. said it was a pity the plaintiff hadn't thought of arranging for a practical man like Mr. Dingle before. But some men were very precipitate in bringing matters into court, and it generally cost them something for their haste. BOROUGH BY-LAW BROKEN.

Arthur William Huggett pleaded "not guilty" to a charge of breach of the borough by-la.ws by cycling on the foot-1 path. The inspector gave evidence that ] he had seen the defendant riding on the J footpath in Juliet street from Regan street to Mr. Harkness' shop. Constable Macintosh, who served the summons, by leaving it with his mother, said the latter had remarked that her son had ridden for only a short time, and that'"Bartow was a. bit too hot." Huggett admitted having ridden a few yards on the path, merely "free-wheeling" from a crossing to the shop. He had been away from Strafford for a couple of years, and didn't know footpath-riding in this way was prohibited. The Magistrate said Huggett had made a mistake.in pleading ] "not guilty" and then admitting the-J offence. He should have pleaded guilty, and asked permission to make an explanation, which permission would have been readily granted. By pleading not guilty he had made it necessary for the borough solicitor to appear in'the case, thus doubling or trebling the costs. It was immaterial whether the distance j cycled was 20 yards or 100 yards. He ■ had broken the by-law, and would be fined 5s and costs. POLICE BUSINESS. OLD. AGE PENSIONER IN TROUBLB. An old age pensioner named Kathleen Hangley appeared before the Magistrate's | Court this morning charged with having [supplied intoxicating liquor to a proI hibited person. She pleaded not guilty j tp. the charge of supplying Ruth Evans with a bottle of whisky, explaining that Mrs. Evans, when ill in bed, had sent her into the yard to get a bottle of whisky from there. The aceused, who took a leading part in the proceedings* at" times' "hastened ' to assure the court that witness (Evans) supplied.his wife with drink, locking her in her bedroom and drinking with" her The sergeant had told her (accused) that the woman was prohibited, but the woman herself said she'wasn't. The Bench: And you believed her before the sergeant, of course. In answer to the Bench", the accused said she had not known she was doing any serious wrong, and that she had never been fir court before. The S.M.: Well, you've done it this time. Witness": Can I tell vou the.facts? The sergeant: He'll keep vou here all day, your Worship."' Then the witness told the court that he had had much trouble in endeavorin" his wife from "this woman" and the sergeant added that he had made a special point of warnW the ac- | cused, as he had known Mrs. Evans was getting drink from her. It came out that the accused was an old age pensioner, and now she declared her intention of going awav into the country to look for work. The aceused pleaded not guilty to a charge of supplying Margaret 'Davies with liquor, a "square" bottle of beer almost full, forming an exhibit in the case. Constable Mcintosh said he had watched the accused cnme out of the Stratford Hotel, woariiu: another wo- ! man's coat, and walking down the middle of the road in order to escape the lights. She went to Marcraret Davies' he jumped -,ve,- the back fence just as she reached the door, and he' heard Davies sav : "It's all right." Then he was seen by the aceused, who hid the bottle away. She said she wasn't living with the woman Davies, but merely" came there to drink the beer. He had previously warned the accused that Davies ' was prohibited, and she (accused) had told him she didn't drink beer. The accused explained with some fervor that although she might have a glass of beer occasionally it was not to sav she a drunkard.

His Worship severely admonished the offender, savins it was a very had case in which he should inflict a hoavv fine, and he would do this but that' it would probably load to her poinj to prison and he was reluctant to send an old woman there. He would fine her 10s-and oosts. and deal later with the question of her pension, probably arranodnsr that the money should be received and flisbursed for her by someone else to prevent her spending it in drink. A TOO FTIEQUF.XT CPJMR Arthur Evans, a prohibited person, was charged (his morninsr with having been found on licensed premises. He was represented by counsel. Mr. Malone, who stated that the prohibition order had been taken out in accused's own interests. He was sorely tempted, and he fell. There was something ahout cashing a

* From Our Resident Reporter. * * Office: No. 3, York Chambers, Stratford. * * 4»

cheque, but he would aot advance that on behalf of the accused. The Bench: The bank is the place for cashing cheques. He went on to remark that there had been a great many of these cases lately, not so many in, Stratford, bat there seemed to have been little else in Hawera since New Year, and he had had to increase the fines there. The order Jiad been taken out in Eltham, and His Worship said it was a practice of such, men to obtain liquor in other towns, where they would not be known. Sergeant McNeely said that as a matter of fact the accused had been in the hotels here more than once, but accused knew that the local police were in I ignorance of the order. It. wa« only found out when making inquiries in another case.—-Fined 10s and 7s costs. LAWN TENNIS In the match between St. Andrew's and W.Y.M.I. second teams on Thursday, the teams were not at full strength, i W.Y.M.I. suffering most from absentees. I The detailed results of the games were as follows, St. Andrew's being mentioned first:— Men's Singles.—H. W. Douglas 7 v. ] A. King &; P. Anderson 7 v. D. Everiss j 4; W. Syme 7 v. H. Wilson 2; W. f i Stewart 7 v. W. Everiss 4. 1 Men's Doubles.—-Douglas and Anderson 7 v. King and Everiss 1; Syme and) Stewart 7 v. Wilson and Everiss. 5. Ladies' Singles.—Miss Irvine 3 v. Miss Everiss 6. Combined Doubles.—Douglas and Miss Irvine beat King and Miss Everiss, 6—5. St. Andrew's therefore won by 51 games to 30. h^ STRATFORD GUN CLUB The second competition for the Nobel J Ballistite Cup was fired on Thursday at ( the racecourse. A. Scott led with 32 ) points, G. Hunter 29, H. Campbell 28, - E. Kirkwood 26, H. Voyle 23, R. Handley 22, A. Stewart 20. After the cup shoot a sweepstake match was fired, H. Campbell. (2) and A. Stewart tieftig for first place, E. Kirkwood (2) 21, G. Hunter (2) 21, A: Scott (0) 20, H. Voyle (4) 20. STRATFORD A. & P. ASSOCIATION'S GYMKHANA. \ Details in connection with the gymkhana tp be held on Easter Monday, under the auspices of the Stratford A and P. Association, are now,well in hand. This great novelty fixture is being looked forward to with interest by the public, and as the programme of events is very attractive, no doubt a large crowd will gather on the show grounds on the day. As well as hunters' steeplechases, pony jumping, ladies' jumping .competition, motor-car driving, and trotting races, there will be a number of novelty events. Amongst the novelty competitions there will tie a man v. horse race and a menagerie Tace. The man v. hoTse race will be run over a triangular course, the sprinter being allowed to swing round the poles at the angles. The menagerie race will berun over- a, course of 120 yards, any animal except dogs being allowed to compete, animals to be driven by a single string. There are two trotting races on the programme to be run under the rules of the New Zealand Trotting Association. The Maiden Trot will be run, over a course of one mile and the OpenV Handicap over one mile and a half. The ] course round the oval on the show \ grounds is four laps to the mile, and as | the horses will be close to the spectators throughout the races a splendid view will be obtained from start to finish. The inclusion of trotting races on the programme should be-very-pleasing to owners of trotters in-the-district. A pony trotting race will'also be run during the day. The programme of events has been printed and may be had free on application to the secretary, Mr. E. Jackson. Entries dose oa 30tn March. • ■ ' ' GENERAL NEWS. What shall we do with our boys? The querv Avhich often suggests itself to ye-uthsipn. towns-pf the _sijze of Stratford is, what stall W'do with/our'evenings? One young fellow, "a quiet- well-behaved, boy," according to the sergeant of police,' sought solace in billiards, and this morning was charged before the court with being unlawfully in a billiard saloon, he being under the age of 18 years. Sergeant McNeely said the case had been brought to make it clear to young fellows that thev must leave billiard saloons alone? His Worship, told.the Jjvl he must find something better to do, for he was too young to start playing billiards, and was apt to get led into company which would be bad for "him. He was a senior cadet, and would soon be a Territorial. The course of drill would' be.good for}

him, give him good physique, and give him opportunities of making the acquaintance of good companions. "Take care," he said, "that you are in good company." A conviction was- entered, without fine.

Constable Macintosh leaves shortly for Christehurch. During his stay in Stratford he has been a most zealous officer, as keen after offenders' against the law as a constable can be, and still maintaining his popularity amongst a large circle of acquaintances. He will be much missed. "This case illustrates- a remark made about so-called honorable actions amongst so-called honorable men," said Mr. Spence in court this morning. "A man says, 'I owe you the money all right, but, owing to your previous character, I don't know that you have treated me fairly.'" The S.M. remarked something about "honor among thieves,'' and said they didn't ex-' tend the same consideration, probably, to men outside that circle.

The Ackland school picnic, held in the schoolgrounds ©n Thursday, was very successful. A«glorious afternoon succeeded the showery morning, and there was a fine gathering of settlers from miles around, including a drag load from Stratford, brought out by Mr. F. Gooch without cost to the committee or the passengers. Races, games, afternoon tea and high tea, and the presentation of the school prizes by the chairman of the school committee, Mr. Frank Mackay, made up a jolly afternoon, for the management of which the settlers, and the settlers' wives are to be commended.

Portion of the new school building will be ready for occupation next Monday, and the Salvation Army barracks will then cease to be used as a schoolroom. To-day's meeting of the licensing committee, for the purpose of granting a couple of temporary transfers, lapsed for want of a quorum. On Thursday afternoon the threatening aspect of the weather cleared early, and as a consequence-there was a good gathering at Mr. H. Sander's residence on the "■ ".ivwick road, where a garden party "■- s held in aid, of the funds of the Primitive Methodist Church. The lawns and gardens, always a beautifnl sight, looked all the better as the result-of the copious trains of the previous 'night-, whilst the sun and light breeze had sufficiently dried the grass to allow of tennis and croquet being played. The afternoon proved most enjoyable, and the financial results were also fairly satisfactory.

A member of the local bar has either been practising in tfie Supreme Court recently *or he is in training for the New Plymouth sessions next week. This morning he referred unconsciously to "the lower court," when he'meant the Magistrate's Court in another place. At the Ackland school picnic on Thursday afternoon .the opportunity was taken to farewell Miss Mace, who is very popular among the children, and who has done excellent work at teacher. Mr. Frank Mackay, on behalf of the children, presented Miss Mace with a handsome timepiece, wishing her every happiness and prosperity in her new walk of life, broadly hinting the timepiece would keep time sufficiently for two Miss Mace carries with her the goodwill of all the parents and scholars. The heat on Thursday' was very de pressing, but a man , from, the warm valleys east tells me that we don't know what heat is.- He said the fierce rays of the sun in the warms sheltered valleys brought from the soaked ground a humidity that gave everyone "that tired' feeling" in a highly developed state. He expressed it more briefly and forcibly than this, but the daily paper is read by ladies and children. ; , Foreman T. Wilson, delegate of the Stratford Fire Brigade to the annual conference at Rotortia, left by this morning's mail train.