IN THE COURTS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10306, 15 January 1927, Page 8

IN THE COURTS

MUST BE CLOSED. I-50BAKA RABBIT PROOF CATE. WARNING TO MOTOIiISTS. f\ warning against the practice of .pine motorists using tlic Wairoa-Nn- ,■ ier road of failing to close the rabbit bridge across the Alohalm River v. as issued from the Gisborne Magistrate's Court yesterday, when the iCast Ooast Babbit Board proceeded against Edgar A. Collett for failing to close the gate one night duriitg I'.'scomber. Mr E. T. Barnard reprei euted the Board and Air S. V. BeanIcy entered a formal plea oi guilty on Kihalf of the defendant. Mr Burnard stated that defendant bad been quite frank and admitted (he offeucc, hut stated that he thought another car was following bo hind him. The Board did not ask fer a penalty, but merely wished it to 1 • a warning to the travelling public. Defendant was convicted and ordered to pay costs. (,\ f.r< KX'SED PREMISES AFTER HOURS. BUSY TIME AT COURT. Several men appeared at the Alagistrate’s Court yesterday before Mr C. C, Levvey. S.AI., charged with heir.g found on licensed premises after lours. John Bulger, who was seen by Con.able Gatehouse coming awhv from (he Albion Hotel, pleaded mitigating circumstances. He was convicted id ordered to pay costs. A visit to the Tauranganui Hotel i ; five men on Sunday, December 19. was responsible for similar charges, i; ieholas Somers. Thomas Joseph j’van and "John Henry Larsen were hoed 20s and costs, ’ while Albert .l ead, a married man, with three previous convictions, was fined £2 and William John Thompson was .i-.netl 20s and costs. John Thomas Watts, who was uarged with a breach of the terms i' his prohibition order and also with iitering the Gisborne Hotel while , rohibited. was fined 10s and costs ■ n t!i,- first charge and convicted and ■' iscliurged on the second.

GASSING STATIONARY TH A Alt'Alt Pa.-sing a stationary tram was a charge prelerred against 15.I 5 . \V. Alossmun at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Air IT. D. Chrisp appeared for defendant and pleaded guilty. A hue of 10s was imposed. LIQUOR TO AIAORIS. FIXE OF £2. Charged with being found on the Masonic Hotel after hours and also with supplying Alaoris with liquor for - onsumption off licensed premises, a local business man appeared before T.lr E. C. Levvey, S.AI., yesterday. Mr L. T. Jmruard appeared for defendant and Sergt. Dempsey prose- , uted.

Sergt. Dempsey said it was not a cross case. Defendant had met the Natives in the street about midnight and had taken them ■to his premises

where lie had given them several drinks of beer. Constable Gatehouse said that on /December 2-1 he had seen accused oilier the Masonic Hotel at 1.85 a.m. lie had remained there for about five minutes.

Mr Barnard said defendant had been in bu.sined. for a number of years and consequently had been in touch with the better class of Natives during that time. Both the Maoris in question were Native interpreters and it had never entered his head that he was committing an offence. Defendant had worked till late in the evening and remembered

:-.t the last minute that he had promised to call for a job at the MasonicHotel mid had gone over to get it as he knew the man wanted it for the holidays. Defendant gave evidence to tins o rfect.

To Sergt. Dempsey defendant said tho porter had told him about tijf job at six o'clock on the evening m •question. He had net gone to the hotel for beer. Sergt. Dempsey said it was the first appearance of defendant in Court and he was a reputable citizen. The charge of being found on li-

censed premises was dismissed. Defendant was convicted and fined £2 and costs on the charge of supplying liquor to Natives. The Magistrate ordered the suppression of ‘the name.

“AS BOLD AS BRASS.” YOUTHS STEAL ON MAY TO SE NTE.NCE. AUCKLAND, -Jan. 14. ‘‘They are as bold as brass and the Borstal has no terrors for them,” said Senior-Detective Hammond when tour youths came before Mr Hunt, G.M.. in the Police Court this morning. The four were sentenced in the Supreme Court yesterday to three years in a Borstal, and it transpired shat while on the way to the Court to receive sentence they embarked on a final adventure by committing further shop thefts. On account of yesterday's sentence they were committed and discharged, the detective remarking that the..sooner they got to the Borstal the better.—P.A.

THREE MONTHS FOR SLY GRUGGER. ASHBURTON, Jan. 14. Gideon Scott, who has a list of fines and two terms of imprisonment for similar offences, to-day was sentenced to three months' gaol with hard labor for sly grog selling.—P.A. SALE OF LIQUOR BY LOTTERY . AT BAZAAR. PRIEST FINED £ls. ASHBURTON, Jan. 14. The raffling of a ease of whisky at a Oatholic bazaar at Mount Somers on October 1G resulted in the ReM Father Price being charged with selling liquor by lottery. Defendant was not in court, but counsel pleaded guilty. Father Price also was charged with carrying liquor into a no-license area, this charge being deferred pending the hearing of the first. Arising out of the same circumstances, George Michael Doak was charged with selling liquor in a, no license area after its disposal by lotterv. Defendant pleaded not guilty. Father Price was fined £ls on the; fir*t charge, the second being withdrawn. In regard to Doak’s case, the police gave evidence .that defendant admitted. making a tarpaulin muster to purchase the liquor from the winner, ■oi lady who did not want it. The case was adjourned to allow counsel to inquire into the point whether Doak was not a party to the sale'of. liquor | by the winner.—P.A.