MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 2994, 19 September 1908, Page 7

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

"Mr W. P. James, S.M., presided at a.sitting of the Magistrate's Court at Masterton yesterday, when a number of police and other informations were disposed of. HOTEL PRORIETOR'S "GUESTS." Charles A. Pownall and Thomas .Dwyer were charged with hting on Hicenied premises (the Club Hotel) •during prohibited hours, without lawful excuse, the.offence occurring on •-tiie 6th inst. Both defendants pleaded not guilty, iMr Pownall acting for the defence in , /both cases. Constable Brown and Sergeant IMijller stated in evidence that they visited the hotel on the night mentioned in the information, and found the two defendants in a private room ■with empty glasses on a table in -front of them. There was no money passed, and Porter stated, in answer tto inquiries, that he had shouted the drinks. 'Mrs Porter had a pack of * in her hands, but neither witness could say whether any game had been played. Mr Pownall, in evidence, said the licensee of the Club Hotel was a personal friend of his, and during the whole term of Mr Porter's residence :in Masterton, about eighteen months, 'witness had not missed a Sunday ■night as a guest of Mr and Mrs Porter for supper, witness' brother (Mr W. Pownall) also beintr a frequent ;guest on the same evening. s Qn the night in question, the latter was >unwell, and witness went alone to the hotel. Witness was on hii way into the hotel when he met Dwyer, and after a cor.vjrsatio.i rej. a:clin i -the use of a 1 i yrl , wh ch the .latter wanted to ride home on, Dwyer went away and returned with two books, one for witness anil lhe • other for Mrs Porter. They went into the hotel together, and Dwyer was alno invite! to stop for suoper, 'The Sergeant then caincs into the /hotel and burst most unceremoniously into the room, in suite of knowing •that it was marked "private" cn the outside, and knowing well was Mr Porter's private sitting Toom. The Sergeant was told that it was liquor that was in the glasses on f the table; lie persisted in picking each one up and "sniffing" it. By Sergeant Miller: Witness did not tfiink it unbecoming if, as Porter's guest, he suggested sending out for whitebajt. Witness frequently . sent out for auch things when a guebt there. Witness frequently visited other hoteh as a guest on a Sunday ■without invitation. There was no money passed for the drinks. If the Sergeant could not see the supper it •.was because he did not look around. Thomas Dwyer gave evidence on "his own.behalf, and corroborated Mr "Pownall's evidence. By the Sergeant: Mr Pownall invited witness to come into supper when th 9 latter came with the book. T. J. Porter, licensee of the Club Hotel, said the room occupied by the party on Sunday night was the fa nily private sitting room/ Supper v, a i on the sideboard, having just been I brought in. Witness told the Sergeant, on his entry, that he gave the I drinks to Messrs Pownall and Dwyer | a« guests. Witness frequently visited Mr Pownfcll's residence on Sunday afternoon, and the latter returned the visit in the evening. Dwyer brought in a took by arrangement with Mis .Porter the evening previous. By the Police: Mr Pownnll wes usually late leaving the hotel cn Saturuay e\enings—sometimes leaving a minute er two after ten o'clock, but almost always a few minulei before ten. There were no cards played. This was all the evidence. The Magistrate said tne section of the Act made it an offence that unless •a person could prove that he came j under the head of a traveller, a ; boarder, or servant, or that he was j :not there to contravene the Act, he ' was liable. In the present case the evidence seemed clear that the defendants had been there at the invitation of Potter to partake of supper, and it would be hfcrd indeed if a | hotel-keeper was denied the privilege ' •of entertaining friends in the same manner as ordinary people. The : cases were dismissed. j

annoying Chinese RESIDENTS. Three young men named James '•Chisholm, Sidney Warr.er, and Bert Wilton pleaded guilty, through Mr C. A. Powndl, to having annoyed two Chinese residents named Yee Chong ■and Sam Wah, by knocking and kicking at the doors of the informants' •shops and doing damage to a winJow • also. Counsel said the three accused had - drunk rather too much liquor on the day of the occurrence, and had certainly been guilty of lurrikinism. '"*™~They had expressed their regret at vWhat had occurred and paid £3 forwards / making reparation to the Chinese for any damage which they might have committed. The Sergeant said the informant's were very much alarmed by the disturbances, which took place at night, tfche wife of one (a Chinese) being very much frightened. The Magistrate severely lectured the three accused and fined them £2 each, with costs amounting to 113 a. Arthur Jones was charged with having assaulted a Chinaman named Yee Chong. Mr Boilings appeared for informant, and defendant conducted his own cafe, applying for an adjournment until a co-defendant wa j served with a subpoena. The application was granted. CRUELTY TO A HORSE. Kong Chong admitted having ' worked a horse whilst the animal was suffering from girth-gall. \ Inspector Davidson (Mr llollings) of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, laid the information, the first so far taken out by the Society. Counsel did not press for a heavy penalty, intimating that the case was brought more to let residents know that the Society was in existence locally, and would not permit cruelty to be inflicted on the dumb creation. 1 A fine of Is, with £1 costs, was imposed. BREACH OP PROHIBITION y ORDER. James B. Vallanne, who did not ; appear, waß <charged with the breai h of a prohibition order. Accused had previously been fined for a similar -offence, and the Bench t Imposed a penalty of £2, with 7s costs.