RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 272, 18 February 1881, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

ASHBURTON. -To-day. (Before Mr. C. P. Cox and His Worship the Mayor.) Drunk.— Thomas Macauley was found helplessly drunk near the Somerset Hotel last night. He was fined ss. Vagrancy. —Wm. Smith had been three times within the last ten days before the Court, and had been loafing about town living on his wits, and spunging for drinks. He was fined 15s. for being drunk, with an alternative of 48 hours’ imprisonment, andonasecond charge under the Vagrancy Act, of being an idle and disorderly person, he was sent to gaol for a month.—George Wadsworth was charged with being an idle and disorderly person within the meaning of the Vagrant Act. He denied being in this category, and said he had work to do at the Orari, where his money was invested. The Sergeant said he was the occupant of the famous lean-to, and was continually in the company of prostitutes and drunken men. He was the pimp and bully at the above-named establishment, and lived on the prostitution of his wife and other bad women. Constable Neill said the man was a regular associate of prostitutes, cofivicted thieves, and drunkards. He wa's owing about L 43 to the Burnham Industrial School for, the support of two children he had there. Wherever the mail wen the was under the surveillance of the police, having been previously convicted of larceny. The prisoner said he had visible means of support inasmuch as his nephew at the Orari owed him Lloo,and he was willing to work at shoemaking as soon as his hand which had been injured wasbetter. Prisonerbroughtnoevidenceto prove the statements he had just made, though he had been allowed since yesterday morning to do so. The Court sentenced him to three months’ imprisonment, with hard labor.