MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1918, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

, YESTERDAY'S BROOBBDMOS. (Before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M.) At the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr A- Crooke, S.M., the following cases were dealt with:— WANDERING STOCK. On the information of the inapectoi for the County of Taranaki (Mr. 0. D Grant), for whom Mr. J. H. Quilliam appeared, charges of allowing cattle to wander on public roads were preferred against a number of Bounty residents. Convictions were recorded and fines imposed as follows: —W. Bishop, G. Brewer, and W. H. Hurlestone, 5s (costs 17s 6d); A. Nitz, 5s (costs £1 15s); F. Stansfield, 5s (costs £1 8s); H. Young, 5s (costs £ll 14s); A. Cole and Annie E- Harold, each of whom had been previously warned, weTe fined 10s (coste £1 13s). J.Lamlbess was charged with the more serious offence of allowing a bull to wander on the roads with other cattle. Mr. Quilliam said that for such an offence defendant was liable to a fine of £2O if the bull was over nine months old The inspector gave evidence that tie bull was fully 12 months old, and also that defendant had been previously warned. A fine of £1 was imposed (costs £1 8s). J. Sharrock was charged with allowing a team of 10 bullocks to wander on the road. Mr Quilliam said complaints were constantly being received from residents of the Tariki Road regarding defendant's cattle. The inspector had visited the locality and found the bullocks on the road in the evening One of the mob was a somewhat wild animal. A fine of £1 (costs £1 13s) was imposed. pure rooms act. On the information of the Taranaki dairy produce grader (Mr. C. C. Robertson), for whom Mr. H. R. Billing appeared, the Kaimata Dairy Company was charged with sending to the Moturoa grading stores, for the purpose of being graded, one box of tatter which contained more than 16 per centum of water—to wit, 18.6 per cent. Mr. IV E. Wilson appeared for the company, and pleaded guilty. He said the manager could not account for the fact. The only possible explanation was that, as in war time they bad to depend on what labor could be secured, the box had been put up by a man who was not an expert, and the manager was not ahle to closely inspect everything that was done. He admitted that it was not the first occasion on which the company's butter (which was only one of its side-lines, the factory being a cheese factory) had been found to contain excess of water. Mr. Billing said on previous occasions the excess percentage of water had reached as high as 8 per cent. He accepted Mr Wilson's explanation of the reason as the most likely one under the circumstances. The Magistrate said it did not seem to him that the excess amount of water in the case constituted a serious offence. Foods, however, must be kept from adulteration A fine of £5 (costs £1 8s) was imposed. A similar charge was laid against the Maketawa Dairy Company, the percentage of water in the box complained of being 16.4. Mr. A Patterson (Inglewood), who appeared for the company, said the facts were identical with those stated (by Mr. Wilson in the previous case. Mr. Billing said it was the fourth occasion on which butter from the company had been found to contain excess of waterA fine of £2 (costs £1 8s) was* imposed In a similar charge against the Moa Dairy Company (for whom Mr Patterson appeared), a fine of £1 (costs £1 Ss) was imposed. LIGHTS ON VEHICLES. In the case heard last week, in which the validity of the borough by-law, requiring vehicles to carry lights after sunset and until sunrise, was contested on the ground that it was repugnant to the provisions of the Lights on Vehicles Act, 1915, which allowed half an hour's grace after sunset before requiring lights to he carried, the Magistrate gave, his decision, in which he held that the by-law was repugnant to the Statute law. He held that because it exjendeif the period during which lights were required to be carried, and because it imposed a greater duty tfian that required -mder the Act, it was therefore inconnstent with the Statute. He gave iidgment for defendants, with costs Mr. A. A. Bennett appeared:) for th* lefendants and Mr. J. H. Quilliam for :he Borough Council. Leave to appeal >vas granted. :