MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 March 1922, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

NEW PLYMOUTH SITTING. POLICE CASES. Mr. A. M. Mowleiji, S.M., presided at a sitting of the Court at New Plymouth yesterday morning. Frank Fiveash, who had pleaded guilty at a recent sitting to the charge of being an idle and disorderly person, appeared before the Court for consideration of his case. Detective-Sergeant Cooney said the police had communicated with Fiveash’s relatives and a sister in Waverley was prepared to take care of him. His Worship said he would enter no conviction against the accused, who woilld be discharged. In reply to a question the detective said that Fiveash had no money, but he would personally see to getting him away. ON LICENSED PREMISES. A plea of guilty was made by a young man, John Fitzgerald, to the charge, that on March 19, he was unlawfully on the licensed premises of the Red House Hotel. For the police Detective-Sergeant Cooney said that Fitzgerald had apparently gone to the hotel parly in the morn’ ig of the date mentioned, looking for liquor. He was refused this by his brother, who was a barman, and also by the licensee’s son. Fitzgerald was apparently annoyed and before -going away he created a little disturbance. Defendant was convicted and fined £l, court costs ?s. and on his o\vn request was given 24 hours in which to pay. HOW AN IMMIGRANT FARED. A man named Austin Carroll, who was recently arrested in Wellington, admitted the charge of having failed to provide his wife with maintenance. According to the statement made to the Court by Detective-Sergeant Cooney, Carroll brought his wife to New Plymouth about three weeks ago. They were strangers to the place and Mrs. Carroll was an invalid. They had no money and Carroll cleared away leaving his wife to do the best she could. Fortunately she met some people who came to her 'assistance. Carroll was arrested on the Wellington wharf and it looked as if he wanted to get away from her altogether, and it was rather an inhuman act. The detective did not know what was best to be done in the case, as neither of the parties had any money, being stranded. “Nothing to say, sir,” replied Carroll in answer to the Bench.

Defendant was questioned by His Worship as to his previous movements. While he was in New Plymouth he could get no work and decided to go to Wellington. He was a week on the road, starting out by walking, and he got a lift part of the way. He had been in New Plymouth a fortnight, coming from Auckland, where he hod spent five days after arriving from England. His Worship: You mean to say you were only here three weeks and you deserted your wife?—Yes. His Worship: Well the detective was quite right in calling it an inhuman act. His Worship: You are not in work now ?—No. You will have to keep your wife you know, you married her. —If I can get work I will keep her with the greatest of pleasure. Detective-Sergeant Cooney to accused: She has been keeping you for a long time, hasn’t she? —According to her report. Replying again to His Worship. Carroll said he had no relations in the colony, but had some friends in Auckland. An order was made that Carroll should pay 25s per week towards his wife’s maintenance, £lO to be allowed for maintenance. The question of whether or not defendant would be asked to find security would be adjourned for a week, His Worship intimating that in the meantime he would like to know more about accused. The Detective-Sergeant said he would make further inquiries. CARPENTERS’ WAGES. The Labor Department proceeded against Andrew Yardley and S, J. Reid for breaches of the carpenters’ award concerning the rate of wages. Both pleaded guilty. Inspector ATountjoy said Yardley was a carpenter and some time last year he entered into a contract for the erection of a dwelling on the Huatoki soldiers’ settlement and during the job he employed men named Reid and Bradley. It was admitted by the. .Department that neither of the men was a qualified carpenter, but. they were employed on carpenters’ work and were not paid even laborers’ wages. Reid was underpaid £24 4s lOd, and the other man was paid £4 7s 2d short. Yardley had not applied for a permit to employ underrate workers. A case against Bradley was also pending. For defendant Yardley Air. QuilUam said that the facts as far as defendant was concerned were that he really gave the men work to help them along, and they assisted with general operations in connection with the building of the house. In the caso against Yardley judgment was given fox' the defendant for £2, and against Reid for 10s. CIVIL CASES. Judgment for plaintiff by default was given as follows: Webster Bros. y. Fred l\irk £1 10s 9d, costs Us; Weston and Billing v. John H. Robson £l6 8s 2d, costs £2 14s; Newton King, Ltd. v. Patterson and Company £7 4s 9d, costs £1 10s fid.