_The Evening Post_, 22 June 1925:
MAGISTRATE’S COURT
Mr. R. M. Watson, S.M., presided at the Magistrate’s Court to-day.
…
William Gordon, who was found in a Chinaman’s shop with cigarettes in his possession, pleaded guilty to the theft of two packets of cigarettes valued at £3 [ca. $375 today], the property of Joe Yee. He was sentenced to six weeks’ imprisonment with hard labour.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19250622.2.26

#OnThisDay #OTD #PapersPast #LawCourts #Theft #Wellington #NewZealand

_The Evening Post_, 21 April 1925:
ON A SUNDAY
SELLING SECTIONS PROHIBITED
—–
As the result of a judgment delivered by Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, S.M., to-day, land salesmen may not show prospective buyers over sections for sale on a Sunday.
The case in point was one in which James Francis Egan, of the Dominion Land Investment Company, Wellington, land salesman, was charged with working at his calling on a Sunday.
The prosecution alleged that a breach of the Act had been committed when the defendant showed two prospective buyers over sections for sale at #Johnsonville on a recent Sunday.
“It is clear that the defendant was working at his calling,” said the Magistrate, “which I take it, is his regular work or occupation. As he did this on a Sunday, and in view of a public place, I think he has brought himself within the prohibition of the Police Offences Amendment Act.”
As the prosecution was regarded as a test case, the defendant was ordered to pay costs.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19250421.2.85
See also https://teara.govt.nz/en/weekends/page-4

#OnThisDay #OTD #PapersPast #Sundays #SundayTrading #RealEstate #LawCourts #Wellington

1857 – Courthouse, Athy, Co. Kildare
Architect: Frederick Darley

Curvilinear gables on this neo-Tudor style market building are at odds with its later and more severe use as a courthouse. Originally used as the town’s corn exchange and commissioned by Augustus FitzGerald, 3rd Duke of Leinster, officially opened on 6 Octobe
https://www.archiseek.com/1857-courthouse-athy-co-kildare/
#ArchitectureOfKildare #1857 #Athy #CoKildare #FrederickDarley17981872 #IrishCourtHouses #LawCourts

_The Evening Post_, 12 April 1924:
MOTOR TRAFFIC
SPECIAL POLICE ADVOCATED
(BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.)
CHRISTCHURCH, 11th April.
The institution of a special #police force for #traffic control was advocated by Mr. Wilson, S.M., in a case where a youth of eighteen years admitted driving a car without a certificate of ability. The evidence showed that defendant had knocked a man down. The Magistrate said the granting of certificates was a farce, as there was no standard of ability, and the fact that defendant had obtained a certificate since the accident was no guarantee that he was fit to drive. The regulation of motor traffic should be under the control of expert motor police.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19240412.2.129

#OnThisDay #OTD #PapersPast #DriverTesting #DriverLicences #LawCourts #Christchurch #NewZealand

_The Evening Post_, 6 April 1925:
“CLEAR BREACH OF LAW”
MAGISTRATE’S DECISION REVERSED.
(BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)
GREYMOUTH, 4th April.
An interesting reserved judgment was given to-day by Mr. Justice #MacGregor in the case in which the police appealed against the dismissal by the Magistrate (Mr. Meldrum) of a charge against Charlotte Lewis, licensee of a #Kumara hotel, for refusing accommodation to F. King, a #Prohibition lecturer.
Mr. Justice MacGregor stated that no valid reason was given for refusing accommodation, and the real reason seemed to be the fact that King was a Prohibition agent. That was not a valid reason in law, however distasteful the supplying of such accommodation was to the licensee. King was a member of the travelling public, and the licensee was bound to supply lodging for the night. A clear breach of the law was made, and the licensee should have been convicted. The Judge expressed surprise that the Magistrate had not convicted, as it was difficult to imagine a clearer case of refusal.
The case was remitted to the lower Court, and costs of the appeal, £10 [ca. $1200 today], were allowed to the police.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19250406.2.110

#OnThisDay #OTD #PapersPast #LawCourts #NewZealand

_The Evening Post_, 27 March 1925:
DRUNK IN A MOTOR-CAR

(BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)
CHRISTCHURCH, 26th March.
William #Hayes, a farmer of West Melton, was charged before Mr. Cruickshank, S.M., with having been found in a state of intoxication while in charge of a motor-car. After hearing evidence the Magistrate said: “One has to make an example of a man like this. He is quite a decent man, but he had a glass of beer. After that it’s much easier to accept another, and gradually he got five beers into him.”
The sub-inspector: “There’s nothing suggested against his character.”
The Magistrate: “He is fined £5 [ca. $630 today], and disqualified from obtaining a driver’s license [sic] for six months from to-day. Six months is not a very long time, and he will have to use a #buggy or something when he comes in.”
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19250327.2.146

#OnThisDay #OTD #PapersPast #LawCourts #DrinkDriving #WestMelton #Christchurch #NewZealand

_The Evening Post_, 21 March 1925:
SUPREME COURT
(BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)
GREYMOUTH, 20th March
At the Supreme Court, Mr. Justice #MacGregor admitted George Aldridge for forgery to one year’s probation, provided he enters the Salvation Army Home. For forgery and uttering and two charges of theft, William Robert Leeming was sentenced to twelve months’ reformative treatment. On a charge of horse stealing, Edward Brown was acquitted. His Honour congratulated the district on the lightness of the calendar.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19250321.2.86

#OnThisDay #OTD #PapersPast #LawCourts #Greymouth #NewZealand

_The Evening Post_, 20 March 1925:
UNDESIRABLES
EASY ENTRY TO THE
DOMINION
DEPUTATION TO MINISTER OF
JUSTICE.
…
AUCKLAND, This Day.
A complaint regarding the ease with which #stowaways gain admission to the Dominion was made to the Minister of Justice, Sir James #Parr by a deputation from the Southern Cross League.
Mrs. Nicol said there had been cases where stowaways had been taken before local Magistrates, and as the charges were dismissed they were allowed to remain in New Zealand.… masters of vessels were now not taking the trouble to prosecute.
…
The Minister agreed that the question was of importance, and when admitted the careers of deserters and stowaways should be watched very closely for the first year.… he had to consider the question seriously, when, as stated, a responsible police officer had said that some of the worst criminals reached the country in this way.
…
Mrs. Nicol asked whether the Minister could not tighten up the jurisdiction given to Magistrates.
Sir James replied that as Minister of Justice he could not, and would not, interfere with any Magistrate.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19250320.2.100

#OnThisDay #OTD #PapersPast #ConstitutionalConventions #SeparationOfPowers #LawCourts #NewZealand

_The Evening Post_, 8 March 1924:
WOMEN IN
PRINT.
…
I wonder why every now and then masculine and sometimes even feminine critics exclaim against women in Courts, writes “Shirley” in a contemporary. There has been quite a lot of this lately. Why is a young man of twenty supposed to attend a sex problem case only from the noblest motives, while a woman of forty comes for reasons that even Freud might be ashamed to mention? I admit however, that I do not like to see babies in arms at these places, and I think that the mother who let her infant fall on the floor at a recent murder trial would have been better at home. Still, I should like to see more women now and then at, say, our Children’s Court in Auckland. The open door for some reason is marked “Private,” but nothing happens to you if you go inside.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19240308.2.134
A biography in the DNZB of McVicar in the photo attached https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3m32/mcvicar-annie

#OnThisDay #OTD #PapersPast #LawCourts #Women #NewZealand

_The Evening Post_, 16 December 1924:
MAGISTRATE'S COURT
Mr. E. Page, S.M., presided at the Magistrate's Court to-day.
On a charge of obtaining four electric lamps, valued at £1 15s [ca. $220 today], allegedly by means of false pretences, Michael M’Grath, alias Joseph Martin, alias Sharker, alias O’Connor, alias Sharkie, alias Sharkey, was remanded till Friday.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19241216.2.63

#OnThisDay #OTD #PapersPast #Lamps #Electricity #LawCourts #Wellington #NewZealand