MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1919, Page 7

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS. ILLEGAL WHiTSBAITING, (Before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M.). The sequel to the recent eases ol breaelies of tho white bait fishing regulations was heard in the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, when the Collector of Customs (Mr. R. B. D. Eyre) proceeded on amended informations under general regulations against Edgar Coleman, Leonard Abbott, James Tanner, Clarence Dennis, Claude Revell, Wm •Stroude, and George Feok, for using a race and set net for catching whitebait in Te Henui river. Mr. Ronald H. Quilliara, who appeared for several of tho defendants, said they were merely school jboys, and were only doing what they had seen adults do. He doubted if the informations actually disclosed an' offence but in view of the evident intention of the Collector to secure convictions of some sort lie had advised his clients to plead guilty. The regulations were badly drawn, and were not easily understood, particularly by school boys, even if they knew of them. They were so far unintelligible that he hoped the authorities would have them revised at wee. The Magistrate said the law was against the defendants and he had no option but to convict them. He imposed the minimum penalty of 20s without costs in each case, and intimated to Mr. Quilliatn that he might apply for a remission of the fines. EVADING AMUSEMENT TAX. N. O. Andrews, proprietor of a registered entertainment at Opunake, under the Finance Act, was charged with failing to issue a stamped ticket to eacii person who paid an amount exceeding sixpence for admission to an entertainment. Senior-Sergeant Willis conducted tho prosecution. Mr. A. R, Sfcandish, who appeared for defendant, raised some technical objections to the information, but on the Sen-ior-S'ergennt stating he would apply to have it amended he waived the objection and admitted the offence, which, he eaid, was committed innocently. Senior-Sergeant Willis said that defendant had been giving out half-tickets to patrons of his entertainments instead of the whole ticket, a portion of which 6hould be retained by the purchaser and the other portion by- the doorkeeper. The result was that a half-penny was lost from the amusement tax on every ticket. When defendant had been approached on the matter by officers of the stamp department, he admitted he had been following the practice as stated, but had done so without realising it was an offence. He afforded them every facility for investigation. Mr. Standish pleaded ignorance oil the part of defendant, and asked for a lenient penalty. A fine of £1 and costs was imposed, the Magistrate remarking that it was very strange that defendant had not known that his method of issuing tickets was defrauding the department of income tax. He supposed the Department would investigate the amount involved, PROHIBITION ORDER, On the application of his mother, a prohibition order was issued against D. M. Crozier, to take effect in the Taranaki, Waitara ai:d Stratford electorates. Complainant said her son was a good fellow when not in drink. He had not long returned from the war and had been drinking heavily almost the whole time. She wished to save him from himself. Corroborative evidence \vtn given by Constable Wroblenski. Defendant, who protested against the order ■being made, said lie did not drink. It was only the superstition of his mother, because she did not know where he had been. The Magistrate remarked that he could tell from his appearance that he was a drinker. Defendant still protested iand asked for an adjournment for the purpose of getting a solicitor and evidence to prove he did not drink. The Magistrate refused the adjournment and made an order, counselling defendant to get to work and help support his mother. BOROUGH BY-LAWS. On the information of the New Plymouth Borough Inspector a number of informations for breaches of the by-laws .were heard. H. J. Eaves and D. Cameron were fined 10s (costs 7s) for leaving motor cars standing in a public street at night without having proper lights attached. G. M. Gilbert and T. V. Mackay were fined 10s (costs 7s) for riding bicycles on the footpath within the borough. D. Carmichael (Mr. C. H. Croker) was fined 10s and costs for riding round a street corner at a greater speed than that allowed by the by-laws. A. Lander was fined £3 (co3ts 7s) for riding a motor cycle at an excessive speed. Percy Roberts was convicted and discharged for cycling at night without a light on his bicycle. The inspector :>x- [ plained that the reason given by defend- | ant, thai he was on an urgent errand ill a case of sickness, had been verified, and lie did not, therefore, wish to press for a penalty. LIQUOR CASES ADJOURNED. On the application of Mr. Quilliam some liquor cases from the Mokau district, in which three men were concerned, Were adjourned till Monday next, on account of two of the men being on the launch Marakopa, which .was recently wrecked along the coast. AFFILIATION. A further echo of the Corbett v. Eaves case was heard yesterday when an order for the support of the'child concerned : was sought by Francis Young against Thomas McCulioch. After hearing the evidence his Worship said lie was unable to satisfy himself as to the paternity of tin? child and the application was dismissed, costs being allowed againsl plaintiff.