GISBORNE MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2417, 4 February 1909, Page 3

GISBORNE MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

LAST YEAR’S RETURNS

The deputy-clerk of the Magistrate’s Court, Mr, J. Dawson, lias prepared .the customary returns- of tho business done at the Court last year. The returns show tho business to have been. heavier in every department than in any preceding year. The number of sittings presided over by a Stipendiary Magistrate was 238; by Justices of the Peace, 54; total number of sittings during the year, 292. CRIMINAL BUSINESS. A summary of till© cases on the criminal list .is as follows: Persons taken into custody, summoned or apprehended, 1009 males and 46 females. Discharged for want of prosecution or evidence, 49 mattes and 3 females. Dismissed on merits, 29 males and 2 females. _ ' Committed for trial or sentence, 37 males and 1 female. Numbers summarily convicted, 894 males and 40 females. Fines only, 147 m'afles and 9 females.

Imprisonment in lieu of fine or surety, 522 males' and 18 females. Peremptory imprisonment, 61 males and 4 females. , Bound over with or without sureties, 8 males. Released under First Offenders Probation -Act, 5 males. Orders mlade, 140 males and 9 females. - . . Convicted and discharged with caution, 11 males. As usual the largest items come under the heading of “Offences against good order,” and include the following : —Drunk, 390 males and 19 females, all summarily convicted ;iniprisonnient in lieu of fine or surety, 355 ma/les and 17 -females jperemptory imprisonment, 29 males and2 females; bound over, with or-without sureties, 2 males; orders made, 1 male; con-v-ioted and discharged with caution, 2 males. . - . Drunk ..(Maoris)*: 24, all convicted and imprisoned in lieu of fine or surety. - „ , ,_ : - Drunk in charge of horses: 2 males, both convicted and imprisoned' in flieu of. fine.

-Helpless -drunkenness: 3 males, all convicted and imprisoned. Resisting police: 5 males, all convicted and imprisoned. Obscene language: 16 males, all convicted; fine only, 1; imprisoned in lieu of fine, 13; peremptory imprisonment, 2. » Disorderly while drunk: 12 males, all convicted ; imprisonment in lieu of fine, 10; peremptory imprisonment 2.

Insufficient lawful means of support : S (including one female); 1 male dismissed; peremptory imprisonment, 5 males and 1. female; discharged with caution, 1 male. Grossly indecent act: 7 (including 1 female.), all convicted; 1 -peremptory imprisonment, 6; bound over, 1 male. Wilful exposure: 3 males; all convicted and imprisoned peremptorily. Threatening behavior: 9 males;*3 dismissed; 6 convicted and imprisoned in lieu of fine.

Excessive drinking: 76 males and 3 females; 13 males discharged; 63 males and. 3 females convicted and order made against. Application prollibit-on order: 52 males and 2 females; all granted. Prohibited persons procuring liquor :50 males and 2 females; 3 males and 1 ifemulie discharged; 47 males and 1 female convicted; 44 males and 1 female imprisoned in lieu of fine; 3 males bound over. ‘ Procuring liquor for prohibited persons : 7 males j 3 dismissed on merits ; 4 convicted and imprisoned' in lieu- of hne.

Non-support of children,, wife, or mother: 12 males; 4 discharged; 8 convicted and orders made against. Disobedienco to maintenance orders: 8 males; .6 discharged, 2 convicted and imprisoned in lieu of fine. Persistent cruelty and wife desertion : o males, all discharged. Lunacy: 9 males and 5 females; 3 males and 1 female dismissed; 6 ■males and 4 females convicted and orders made. Tho other offences included: —Assault: 15 males ; 3 discharged ; 12 convicted; fine only 1; imprisoned in lieu of fine 11.

Assault causing bodily harm: 4 males; all committed for triad or sentence..

Theft (common): 40, including 10 Maoris and 1 female; 5 males (Europeans) discharged; 35 convicted; fine only 1 female; imprisoned in lieu of fine 10; peremptory imprisonment 14; bound over 1; released under First Offenders’ Probation Act 4; orders made 1; convicted and discharged with caution 4. Theft (criminal code) :12 males; 1 discharged; 11 committed for triad or sentence. Breaking and entering: 11 males; 2 discharged; 9 committed for triad or sentence. BREACHES OF BY-LAWS,. ETC. Cycling on footpath: 24 males and 2 females; all convicted and paid fines. Cycling or driving without lights: 16 males and 2 females; all convicted and paid fines. -te Other breaches of- the borough bylaws : 8 males; 1 discharged, 7 convicted iand paid fines. Breach wheel tyre by-law (County Council): 11 males; -all convicted and paid fines. Cruelty to animals (police offences): 9 males; 3 discharged, 6 convicted, fine only 1, imprisoned in lieu of fine

Infected sheep : 40; 1 male dismissed, 39 convicted and paid fines. Failure to send children to school: 11 inaJies; all convicted and paid fines. CIYLL CASES.

The following is the return of the civil cases:— In which Europeans were plaintiffs and (Maoris were defendants: Plaints entered, 74; eases tried, 52;* aggregate amount sued for, £1196 0s Id \ aggregate amount recovered, £785 10s Id. In which Maoris were plaintiffs and Europeans were defendants: Plaints entered. 5; cases tried, 2; aggregate, amount suec. for, £265 1.9 s 4cl ; aggregate amount recovered, £3. In which 'Maoris only were concerned : Cases tried,- 2; aggregate amount recovered, £8 16s. In which Eudopeans only were concerned : Plaints entered, 671; cases tried, 418; aggregate amount sued for, £8241 Is lid; aggregate amount recovered, £SOOB 12s. Amount of civil fees paid in stamps, £657 2s lOd.

Amount of licensing fees paid in stanms, £39 Bs. Amount of criminal fees paid in stamps, £125 2s 2d. Amount of fines paid in stamps, £651 11s 7d. ’Hie following is the statement of all fees, fines, and penalties payable to local bodies, collected during the year by means of stamps, in tho Magistrate's Court: Borough Council £3B, County Council £1.6. LAST MONTH’S BUSINESS.. Court business generally during last month was comparatively, slack compared with that of January last year. The amount of criminal cases also shows a falling off, there being 73 cases this January, as against 115 for the same month in 1908.