AKAROA RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 77, 13 April 1877, Page 2

AKAROA RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Tuesday, April 7, 1877. (Before Justin Aylmer, Esq., R.M.)

OBTAINING GOODS UNDER FALSE PRETENCES. Elizabeth Bryant, alias O'Brian, was charged with obtaining goods, consisting of groceries and drapery, amounting in value to .£49 15s 9£d, from Clark and Son, drapers, Akaroa. Thomas Kinglilee.—l am a draper, residing at Akaroa, and manager of Clark and Son's branch in Akaroa. I know the prisoner. I saw her at my store on the, 7th, Bth, 9th, and 10th of March last. On the 7th she called at my shop, and I asked her if I could sell her any drapery. She replied, that if I could manage to sell her butter,- she would be prepared to buy from me. I consented to purchase her butter, which I agreed to pay for in half cash and half good s. Prisoner stated on the day I first saw her that she had between 800 and 900 pounds of butter, 5 dozen of eggs, and 5 jars of honey, to dispose of. 1 agreed to buy the butter at 8d per lb., the honey at 4d per lb., and the eggs at lOd per dozen. The butter and eggs were to be delivered at Lyttelton by the craft Minnie. The prisoner informed me on Friday, the 10th March, that the goods had been placed on board the Minnie, and that her husband had gone with them to Lyttelton. Prisoner also stated that her son had gone over from Akaroa to Little Akaloa and packed the butter, and placed it on board the Minnie. I delivered the drapery goods to- prisoner, previous to the 10th, amounting in value to the sum of £8 13s. 7d. The groceries were ordered previous to the 10th, but were not delivered to prisoner. The value of the stores amount to £57 ss. 2£d. I had to send to the firm in Christchurch for them. The goods arrived per Antelope, addressed to Mrs. O'Brian, and were landed on the wharf. The reason which induced me to supply the prisoner with drapery was, on account of the quantity of butter she had agreed to sell to me. I would not have given her credit except I believed her story. When prisoner ordered the groceries, she told me that she was going to live in Grehan Valley, and requested the goods to be left in Akaroa till she came back. Cross-examined by prisoner.—You distinctly stated to me that you had butter, eggs, and honey of your own to sell. You did not say that your husband was a labourer, and that you would do all in your power to procure me butter and eggs. You did not offer to pay for the goods at the rate of £1 per week. Jonas Pawson.—l am a farmer, residing at Little Akaloa. I am the owner of the ketch Minnie. The ketch was not in Little Akaloa between the 17th February and Good Friday I know the prisoner by sight. She lives in a whare at the top of the Little Akaloa hill. There was neither butter, eggs, nor honey shipped on board the Minnie by prisoner or her husband. I know nothing of prisoner. I do not believe that she could have had the butter in her possession. This was the case for the prosecution. Prisoner applied for a remand, to enable her to subpoena a witness, named Malmanche, who accompanied her to prosecutor's shop, and who heard the whole of the conversation which transpired. The Bench remanded prisoner till Friday.