MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1918, Page 7

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

YESTERDAY'S SITTDJiR. (Before Mr A. Crooke, S.M.) In the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr A. Crooke, S.M., tbi following cases were dealt with;— ON LICENSED PREMISES. Six natives were charged with being found on licensed premises, namely the Breakwater Hotel, after hours, on Sunday, August 18, at 9.30 a.m. Defendants, who all pleaded guilty were, Hapara, Puni, Te Hapararo, Kathi Fisher, Kaihu and Teot Ivairimu. Sub-Inspeetor Hutton explained that on the morning of Sunday August 18, Sergeant Trehey and Constable Blakie went to the Breakwater Hotel at 9.30 and found the defendants on the premises in the sitting-room near the slide. One of them was standing.up, with 3s in his hand. They had had no drink, but admitted that they would have, had drink if they could have got it. gome of them had driven in from Opnnake. The defendants wero each fined 10s and costs 14s. in the case- of Hapara the costs were 18s, A VALUELESS CHEQUE. A young native fanner named Eiki Kahui was charged with obtaining from Alfred Wooller, baker and confectioner, New Plymouth, certain goods and money by means of false pretences—to wit, a valueless cheque. Defendant pleaded guilty, and elected to be- dealt with summarily. | Sub-Inspector Hutton said the man borrowed a cheque from Mrs McKean, filled it in for £3 10s and signed it. He then went to Wooller's shop and purchased 9s worth of goods and received £2 lis in change. It was admitted that a mistake had been made in giving the change. The cheque, when presented, was dishonored. It was clear defendant knew his account at the bank wa3 exhausted as he had applied to the bank for a loan, but had been refused, and some nine other cheques had been Ashonored. His conduct was becoming dangerous to the public. There were no previous convictions against accused, The Magistrate said he did not want to send accused to gaol for a first offence, and he inflicted a fine of £ls, in default one month's ■ hard labor. He was given till Saturday in which to pay the fine. BREACH OF STOCK ACT. Arthur Condon (Mr J. IT. Quilliam), of Awakino, pleaded guilty to a charge of removing inoculated cattle from the No. 3 infected area, to Mokau in less than the time prescribed (seven days). Mr Quilliam said there were no technicalities involved in the case. The facts were that defendant had bought 28 weaners which had been vaccinated, but defendant wished to have tliem re-in-oculated, and he notified the Department, but it was unable to send a man at the time. Defendant was faced with the difficulty of either being cruel to the cattle because there was 'no feeding available for them at the place they were bought, or with disobeying the regulations. The regulations required that cattle could not be removed from an infected area until seven days after inoculation, lest the disease should develop in some of them as the result of inoculation. The cattle were inoculated at Uruti and moved across the river two days later.

The stock inspector stated the cattle had been removed within two days of inoculation. It was necessary, in order to prevent the spread of the disease, that the regulation should be enforced. The wiiole of Taranaki was an infected area, and the disease had been known for over twenty years. To Mr Quilliam: This was the first case he knew in which a prosecution had been made. He did not think it was a case for a heavy penalty., Defendant was fined the minimum amount of £2 with costs lis.

REGISTRATION OP ALIENS. Samuel Edward Doyla was charged with that being an alien he had engaged in certain work on the New Plymouth wharf without a license issued by a competent authority, contrary to the War Regulations. He pleaded guilty, but stated he was ignorant of the fact that it was necessary for him to have a license. It was pointed out by Sub-Inspector Hutton that defendant had registered as an alien, but had failed to obtain the license to work on the wharf. He thought it was a case of misunderstanding of the regulations. Defendant was convicted and ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution, 7s. Ellen Lena Doyle, was charged with that being the wife of an alien, she had failed to register within the time prescribed under the Act. She pleaded guilty, and stated that she was borne in Ireland, and did not know that by marrying a Norwegian she became an alien. Defendant was convicted and ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution, 7s. Hedvig Brainsnas, a married woman, of Mahoenui, who did not appear, put in a plea of guilty to a charge of failing to register under the Registration of Aliens Act. It was stated she was a Dane, and that during most of the time within which she should have registered she had been ill, in the bush about 20 miles from Awakino. After hearing the evidence of Constable McGregor, the registration ofiiccr for the district the Magistrate inflicted a fmo of 10s (costs £3 15.?.) CRUELTY TO A HORSE. Ralph Collins (Mr T. P. Anderson) inspector for the S.P.C.A., proceeded against R. E. B. Bettis, hotel-porter, New Plymouth, for cruelty to a horse. Accused pleaded guilty. Mr Anderson stated accused had been seen riding a horse which was in very poor condition, and which looked as if there was something the matter with it. Upon examination it was found therewere three ugly open sores under the saddle, which >vas a rery old one, and under which there was an old piece of sacking. Defendant had promised not to ride the animal until it was better, but was seen on it later the same day. The next day the horse was found in a paddoek with some black substance smeared over the sores, as though to hide them. Defendant stated the horse was in that condition when he bought it. The Magistrate said that the case was a bad one and accused was fined £5 (costs £1 lis). He was ordered to pay half the amount within two weeks, and the balance in a month. COUNTY BY-LAWS, For allowing cattle to be at large on the roads of "the Taranaki County, R. P. Roebuck (Okato) was fined £1 (costs £1 Sa); A. Roebuck (Okato) os (costs £1 8s); and J. Ingley (Smart Road) 5s (costs 17a 6d). For a breach of the heavy trafflo by-law Sydney SobmQ,

New Plymouth, was fined >£V (costs 17s 6d). BOROUGH BY-LAWS. Tor allowing a motor car to stand in a- publio street after dark, without proper lights thereon, George E.. Henwood (iDglewood) was fined s§j>/(costs 7s). For a similar offence in respect to a motor cycle David Prestaey (Fitzroy) was fined 5s (costs 7s). For placing building material on the roadway in Hobson street without the written authority of the Borough Council, John E. Nixon, engineer, New Plymouth, was fined 10s (costs 7s). Arthur Fearce, expressman, employed by the N.Z. Express Co., was fined Cs (costs 7s) for driving a lorry across a public footpath, whore there wa'i not a properly constructed crossing. A charge against Frank Ernest Bremmuhl, Vogeltown, of wilfully, negligently or carelessly impeding traffic on the tram, route in Devon street, was dismissed. The motorman and conductor of the tramcar said to have been obstructed gave evidence identifying defendant as tjie driver of the motor which blocked the traffic. Defendant produced his work record book which showed that at the time of the alleged obstruction he was engaged in work at Albert Road. The Magistrate decided that a mistake as to identity or the date of the occurrence had been made.