MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 May 1938, Page 8

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

BUSINESS AT MASTERTON SITTING. POLICE AND OTHER CASES. A sitting of the Masterton Magistrate’s Court was held this morning, Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M., being on the Bench. Hector Kenneth Claude Hodges, aged about 40, was charged with the theft at Carterton, of a wallet containing the sum of £8 Ils 4Jd, ..the property of Carlyon Frederick Jacobsen. Sergeant G. Paine stated that the accused was drinking in a Carterton hotel with complainant and another man. Jacobsen took out his wallet to pay for the drinks and left the wallet on the counter. The three men then left the hotel, the accused taking the wallet with him. He proceeded to another hotel, abstracted the money and left the wallet there. Jacobsen laid a complaint and the accused was subsequently arrested and the money found in his possession. He first of all denied the theft but -afterwards made a full statement admitting taking the money. Accused, who had previous convictions of dishonesty against him, was sentenced to three months’ imprison-' ment with hard labour. James Russo was charged that on April 8, 1938, at Masterton, he did commit the theft Of a pepper cruet and a drinking tumbler, of a total value of 2s 6d, the property of Mate Kurta. Russo pleaded guilty. A similar charge against Charles Jens Jensen was withdrawn by the police. . The facts of the case, as related by Sergeant Paine, were that- three young men visited a Masterton restaurant, and the articles mentioned were taken and were found later in the possession of Jensen. Jensen denied having stolen them, stating that they must have been put in his pockets by some one else. Later Russo admitted the theft. The Sergeant stated that the escapade was more'or less of a joke. Russo was fined £2. A charge of having failed to give way to a vehicle on his right on February 12, 1938, at the intersection of Russell and Queen streets was made against lan Archibald Reynolds. Mr C. C. Marsack, who appeared for defendant, stated that civil proceedings were pending and without admitting any degree of negligence on the part of defendant he would plead guilty to a technical breach. A fine of £1 and 10s costs was imposed. The Transport Department Inspector (Mr Milne) proceeded against Charles James Broome on a charge of having operated a motor vehicle at night with insufficient lights., A fine of £1 and 10s costs was imposed. On the information of the Borough Traffic Inspector (Mr J. McGregor), C. H. Geange was charged with having operated a motor lorry without a heavy traffic licence and also without a warrant of fitness. A fine of £2 and 10s costs was imposed on each charge.