MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 March 1918, Page 2

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

YESTERDAY'S SITTING. , (Before Mr. A. Crookc, S.M.) A(; tlio Magistrate's Court, New Plymouth yesterday, -before Mr. A- Crooke, S.M., t'lio following eases were dea.lt with:— \

BREACH OF PROHIBITION ORDER. ■Hugh Early, was charged with obtaining liquor on March 2, at New Plymouth during the currency of a prohibition order agaiinsi. himself. The Sub-In-spector of Police stated that the man had not heen before the Court for 11 years. The prohibition order was taken out in March 1917. Accused was convicted and ordered to pay costs (12s).

BY-LAW CASES. For cycling at night without a light, A. Wells was convicted and fined 10s (costs 7s). For failing to stop when called upon by the Borough Inspector (Mr. R. Day) the same defendant was fined 10s (costs 7s). C. -E. Coldrieh pleaded guilty to a charge of ownership of a motor car. Defendant stated ho had purchased the car nearly 12 months ago, but had not been aware that he was required to give notice of the change of ownership. Inspector Day said the case was brought in order to call attention 1o the obligation on-the seller of a motor-car to notify the change of ownership as ■well as the purchaser. In that respect a similar charge had been laid against Newton King as the seller of the car. D. Cameron, garage manager for Newton King, appeared and pleaded guilty to a technical breach of the regulation. He said bis firm had not been aware that they were required to notify the change of ownership of ears sold by them. It was their practice to tell purchaser that they mus.t notify the change of ownership to the local bodyHe could not say whether Coldrieh had been told that, as it was some time since the sale was made. Coldrieh was convicted and ordered to pay costs (7s) and Newton King was similarly convicted and ordered to pay costs (7s).

Wm. Johnstone, Auckland, who did not. appear, was charged with riding a motor cycle after dark without a light and was fined 10s (costs 7s); for riding at an excessive speed he was fined Hi I (costs 7s); for carrying a passenger on a motor cycle otherwise than in a sidecar he was fined £1 (costs 7s); for giving a wrong name and address to the Borough Inspector ho was fined £1 (coats 7s). For driving exposes within the borough after dark without having proper lights, B- Martin and E. H. Martin, were each fined os (costs 7s).

Wm. Stevens, for allowing a motorcar to stand in a public street after dark without having proper lights thereon, was fined 5s (costs 7s). Leslie H. Jury and Michael Healy, on similar charges, were fined 10s (costs 9s) and 5s (costs 7s) respective!) T, H. Bransgrove pleaded guilty to a charge of riding a motor cycle at an excessive speed. He urged in explanation that he. was carrying the mail to Waitara and on the day in question he was late, and being under the impression that a mail carrier was exempted from the speed limit, travelled faster evidently, than ho was supposed to. The Magistrate pointed out that there were no such exceptions made and fined defendant 10s (costs 7s). C Christiansen was fined 10s (costs 7s) and Royce Hooker ss, (costs 7s), for cycling at night without lights. F. Taunton, who was charged with riding a motor cycle without a light, explained that when he tried to turn on his light (an electric light) he found the battery had been removed, and afterwards discovered that one of his fel-low-employees had taken the battery. Inspector Day stated that defendant hnd tried to light up in Ms presence 'but had been unable to do so.

The Magistrate dismissed the charge as being a trivial one.

Emma O. Curtis, pleaded guilty to cycling on a footpath and was fined 5s (costs 7s)- • '. Ed. Bcere, for driving a motor car,at a speed of 30 miles an hour was fined 10s (costs lis). It was explained that dependant had driven a powerful motor car, to which the speedometer was out of order, from the New Plymouth racecourse to Waitara on the. last race day, for another man who bad been in charge of the ear and who was arrested that day as a military deserter. It was also staled that defendant was a careful and reliable driver. The Magistrate said that but for the explanation given he would have had to impose a much heavier penalty- ,