MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 June 1916, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

DRINK AND POULTRY. ' Whenever lie takes to drink, it's a peculiar thing that two fowls go," remarked Senior-Sergeant Bowden, yesterday, when prosecuting in a case in which Geo. Hunt, of Spotswood, wa?. charged with having between the dates of December IS, lOln, and May 23, stolen eight white Leghorn pullets and two white Leghorn roosters, valued at £(i lis, the property of his broth®. Accused at first pleaded not guilty to stealing the fowls, but guilty to having some of them 011 his property# 1 finally amending his plea to guilty of stealing six. Senior-Sergeant Bowden said that the man was in every way an honorable man and a good fellow when not drinking. He suggested that it was one of those cases in which the man should take a prohibition order out against himself. 111 reply to Mr. A. Crooke, S.M.. accused expressed his willingness to do so. He was accordingly convicted and ordered to pay 12s (Id police expenses and £1 damages for poultry not recovered. \

RETURNED SOLDIER IX TROUBLE. Drink was the cause of a returned soldier from Oallipoli, who had also served in the South African war. appearing before the -Court on a charge of using insulting words and behaviour in Devon street on Tuesday evening. Accused pleaded gililty. Senior-Sergeant Bowden said accused, who had received an injury to liis head in the Boer war, was all right as long as he left the drink alone, but when he took to drinking brandy he became "non compos mentis." His behaviour was such that but for the action of Mr. Saunders in advising people to leave him alone there might have been serious trouble. Mr. .T. E. Wilson, chairman of the Patriotic Committee, who was in Court, spoke 011 behalf of accused, in whom he was interested as a returned soldier. He knew that' he had injured his head in the Boer war and was at time not altogether normal. He was now in good I employment. Accuser said he intended to try and return to the front with the South African contingent that was being organised. He agreed to the Magistrate's suggestion that he should apply for a prohibition order, and on that condition was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon within three months.