AKAROA RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 139, 16 November 1877, Page 2

AKAROA RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Tuesday, November 13, 1877.

(Before G. H. Saxton, and H. H. Fenton Esqs., J's.P.) BREACH OF REGISTRATION ACT.

Edward Tolly was charged with neglect ing to register the birth of his child.

The Registrar stated that he was aware of the difficulty experienced on the Peninsula in many cases in registering children, and that therefore he would ask the Bench to deal leniently with! the accused. Fined 10s and cost's. (The Resident Magistrate here took his seat on the Bench.) assault. A case against Edward Tolly for assaulting his wife was withdrawn, the matter having been settled out of Court. cattle trespass. John Thomas, for an offence of this nature, was fined lOsamd costs. A case against J. Shadbolt was dismissed. CREATING A DISTURBANCE IN A LICENSED HOUSE. E. Leprou was charged by Sergeant Ramsay with having cheated a disturbance at Bruce's Hotel on the evening of tho Ist of November. Sergeant Ramsay gave evidence to tho effect that, on the night in question, the accused was fighting with another man named G racier, whom the police had been unable to serve with,a summons. The Bench adjourned the case to Tuesday, the 20th inst., for the production of G racier. LARCENY. W. Kenny was charged with having cut up and stolen two logs, the stringers of a bridge, the same being the property of G. Armstrong.

Mr luwood appeared for the defendant. The evidence weht to show that the accused was a contractor, and that, while engaged on a contract for the Road Board to rebuild a bridge jn Balguerie road, he had removed some Qf the old timber belonging to the bridge. This old timber had been placed there by Mr Armstrong, who had built the bridge in the first instance some considerable time back for hi-> own private convenience,- the bridge, however, being, with the exception of one corner, entirely on a public road.

Mr Armstrong explained that he considered the timber was his own property, and that the contractor had no right to it, though, ot course, he did not object to its being taken up to allow of a new bridge being formed in the place of the old.

Mr luwood contended that the accused could not possibly be charged with larceny, as there was no felonious intent, and proceeded to examine the defendant as to the usual custom of contractors in similar contracts, showing that they were often taken at a lower price, it being understood that the contractor take the old timber to do what he liked with. .

The Bench considered the production of further evidence unnecessary, as the information had been wrongly laid. It was simply a matter of disputed ownership, and it was a slume that a icqiroiable man iboiu 1 jo <h u"-~d \/stli J IT*. < MS JOi sll< II c lllV ' l.iatbl it i. "- ■mtlln' ins am ' ol thi hibi, pi \anim,'n In j in i h 11 m ' i i * < 'o

The Beri'-h further dec-lined to give any opinion as to the ownership of the timber in question. .-' ' V CIVIL CASES.- ■-'••■-. E.. Hooper and Co. v. C. Oram.'r-Ad-joilrned to Friday, tbe 16t]i inst. • / J. F. Roberts' v, H. Edmundson.- Mr Nalder for plaintiff. This was a claim for £20 10s on a dishonoured promissory note. Judgment given for amount claimed, with ■costs. SLAUGHTER-HOUSE LICENSE. Win. Kirk, of Decanter's Bay,'made application for a slaughtering license, which was granted, the police offering no objection.