MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1920, Page 6

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

IVESTERDAY'S SITTING A sitting of the Magistrate's Court, New Plymouth, was hold yesterday, before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., 'when the following cases wen: dealt with: STRAYING STOCK. On the information of Benjamin Tippins (Ranger for the Taranaki County Council), for .whom Mr. Ronald If. Quilliam appeared, the following were convicted and fined 20s (costs 17s (id) for allowing cattle to wander on tlie county roads: A. Zurcher, F. W. Scott, G. Ward, W. Prior, E A. o ,; ver, and A. J. Reeve. H. .(. Sharroek was fined 30a (costs 17s Gd), and B. L. Longstaff stOs (costs 28s), UNATTENDED MOTOR CAR. 11. R. Gibson (Mr. C. H. Croker) pleaded guilty to leaving a motor car unattended, and failing to stop the engine running. He \vas convicted and fined os without costs. BREAKING STREET LAMPS. Samuel Medway and Robert Johnston, two lads of about 16 years of age, were charged with breaking four electric light bulbs, the property of the New Plymouth .Borough Council, and valued at £l. The occurrences took place in the early hours of the morning of January

The boys admitted breaking two globes, but were unaware of any others, though they had been throwing stones at them. One of the boys earned 30s per week and the other £ 1 per week. Each accused was fined 40s, and ordered to pay 10s towards the cost of the damage. THEFT OF UNION'S FUNDS. William Thomas Duffin pleaded guilty to a charge of fraudulently failing to account for a sum of £7 5s to the Waterside Workers' Union, of which he was the treasurer. He elected to be dealt with summarily. Sub-Inspector Hutton stated the facts of the case, in the course of which he read a letter from accused admitting the deficiency and holding himself wholly responsible therefor. He had been drinking and gambling and got into difficulties. He also said he had made arrangements for restitution of the money, but he had not made good, and in consequence the Union instituted proceedings. Mr. S. W. Fitzherbert, who represented the accused, had hauled to the police in court the amount of the deficiency. Mr. Fitzherbert asked the Bench to treat, accused leniently, as he had no criminal intention, and was willing to consent to a prohibition order against himself. He intended to "pull himself together'' and go to work the next dav. -Ihe Magistrate said he would convict accused and order him to come up for sentence if called upon within six months, and issue a prohibition order against him. OBSCENE LANGUAGE. Jack Ness appeared "on two charges or using obscene language within the hearing of a public place. Mr. C. IT Croker who appeared for accused! pleaded guilty.

...lib-Inspector Hutton, who prosecuted. I said he had seldom come across a case of a worse character. Accused's previous record of convictions for similar it. dices was a disgrace. He was recently sentenced to a term of imprisonment for using obscene language, and immediately upon his release he went. i i" a nejprl»bor's place and abused the lady of the house and threatened to murder her and her children, whom he referred to in particularly disgusting language. The police were communicat" ed wiJi, and when a constable went out to accused's house he was met with a blast of abusive and filthy language stahieT v isi > , was ,mia the stable t„ Ness house, m company with Mr Anderson, and accused was found in . m a stfl te of drunkenness and lie again assailed the visitors with offensive anguage and when they went outside on to the road, he came out in his shirt toils and shouted the most disgusting language at the men. He was a menace to the whole neighborhood, and his language was most offensive to men, women and children. Mr Croker submitted that language of the kind complained of was most disgusting, and he was quite sure would never be used by any man not badly under the influence of liquor. As a matter of fact accused, when last befare the Court, believed ho had been prohibited from getting liquor, though an order had never been issued. He therefore took the first opportunity of getting a supply of liquor to his homo '"/' ew the prospective dry period, and directly he came out of gaol he hail had a beano," and the offensive language had been used while accused was ?/ drunkenness. Counsel stated that if accused was prohibited and convicted and ordered to come up for sentence, if called upon, he would undertake to leave the district and m and live at Stratford. He had work he could go to almost immediately. It was also pointed out that to be thoroughly effective a prohibition order should also be made against accused's wife.' The Magistrate said he recognised the seriousness of the charts, and the man ought to be sent to gaol. lie was liable to twelve months' imprisonment on eacli charge. He recognised that drink wa? at the bottom of the trouble, and accused would be convicted and ordered to come am for sentence if called upon, He would also be prohibited from obtaining liquor, and his wife was ordered to attend at. Court at' 10 o'clock on Saturday morning and consent to an order against herself also. Any liquor in the house at present was to be destroyed immediately. Accused was; ordered to pay costs, amounting to £1 i>s. BREACH OF PROHIBITION ORDER.

Beorge IT. Blane was charged with entering licensed premises during the currency of a prohibition order. Accused pleaded not guilty. and protested he did not know an order had been issued against him. The Magistrate declined to believe accused's story and imposed a fine of 20s and costs.

Accused declared: K T shall appeal against it," and though the Magistrate counselled him not to do anything sn foolish, unless lie wished to incur a bill of ton- or twelve guineas for coistc, he went away from the Court repeating his intention. JUVENILE OFFENDERS. Two-small boys appeared in the Juvenile Court, before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., cliarged with the theft of a number of books from a dwelling house in Vogeltown. After hearing the evidence the Magistrate severely admonished the.