POLICE COURT NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1926, Page 6

POLICE COURT NEWS

NEW PLYMOUTH SITTING. TRADESMEN WORK ON SUNDAY. “As the law stands, persons who work at their trade on Sundays within view of a public place are liable to a fine of £5,” said Mr. R. W. Tate, S.M., in the Police Court at New Plymouth yesterday, in issuing a warning to Edward Brown, Sid. Rowe and Charles Charmor,, who appeared to answer charges of the nature indicated in the magistrate’s statement. Charmon and Rowe were eaeh fined 10s (costs, 7s), and Brown was convicted and ordered to pay 7s costs. The offences, which were admitted, were committed on the South Road, Opunake, on November 7. Charmon was the foreman plasterer, in charge of work being done on a building, and Brown and Rowe were employees working under him. Charmon explained that wet weather hud held the job up, and the men were trying to get it finished in a hurry. Brown, he said, was in straitened circumstances at the time, having suffered through being out of work for some while, and it was for this reason that the magistrate treated him leniently. ILLEGALLY ON PREMISES. For being illegally on licensed premises on November 2, Edmund Bennett was fined £1 (costs, 7s). Constable Small explained that defendant was a prohibited person, and when in company with Detective Meiklejohn, witness found him on the premises of the Red House Hotel on the date mentioned. Ho was practically. drunk at the time, and gave no excuse. ARREARS OF MAINTENANCE. In arrears with his maintenance to the extent of £3, Thomas Martin was convicted and sentenced to one month’s imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended so long as defendant pays his current maintenance, and 5s a week off the arrears until they are paid. Defendant explained that he was out of work at present, but the magistrate warped him that he must find work or take the consequences. LORRY WITHOUT LIGHTS. An echo of the football season, and the lure of a Rugby match that led to the commission of an offence, was heard in the prosecution of Jack Bishop for leaving an unlighted motor lorry in a public place. It was stated that the offence took place some months ago, but defendant had been located only recently. He left his motor lorry standing in a dangerous position near an intersection while he went to see a football match. He did not return for it until about midnight, but meanwhile the borough authorities had removed the lorry. Not knowing where it had gone, defendant applied to the police. A fine of 10, with costs 14s, was imposed.