AKAROA RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 492, 1 April 1881, Page 2

AKAROA RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Tuesday. Mar. 29, 1881. Before Justin Aylmer, Esq., RM. CATTLE TRESPASS. 11. O. Johnson, for having a horse at large, Avas fined 5s and costs. ILLEGAL RESCUE. Jonathan Shadbolt was charged by ' Herbert He\\ r er with rescuing a horse on its way to the pound. Defendant pleaded guilty, but sought to excuse himself on the following grounds:—(l) That 'complainant was leading the horse, and (2) that it was being, taken .to the Akaroa pound, .whereas Pigeon Bay was the nearest. His Worship pointed out the serious • nature of the offence, and informed | defendant that tho lowest penalty provided • by the Act was a fine of £5. I Defendant said he was not aware of that. I Mr Hewer did not press for a penalty ; 'he only wished'to be protected from ii'ter- | ference. j Under these circumstances, His Wor- ! ship would dismiss the case with a severe caution. WIFE BEATING. i Robert Close Avas charged with assaulting and beating his Avife. Mrs Close in her evidence tried as much as possible to screen her husband, but htr appearance showed clearly enough what sort of treatment she had receiA r ed. Two witnesses, Jonathan Shadbolt and John Wallace, deposed to having seen de fendant ill-using his wife. It appeared that he struck her, dragged her by the hair, and kicked her. In • ansAver to the bench and defendant they both admitted that they had done nothing to help the woman. Defendant said he Avas drunk at the time. His Worship said a fine would not meet the case. Defendant Avould be sentenced to fourteen day's imprisonment with hard labor. CRUELTY TO ANIMALP. Henry Magee and Jules Lelievre Avere each charged with ill-treating a horse by leaving it without food or Avater. The police called Mr B. Glew and Duncan Gregor, both of whom Avere most unwilling Avitnesses, from whose evidence it appoared that defendants brought their horses to the Criterion about three o'clock on the morning of March 17. They Avere left there till about seven in the evening. One Avas put in the yard behind the hotel and the other in the piece of ground between it and the Town Hall. The witness Gregor swore to giving them both Avater. Mr Lelievre said he came down on the previous night to meet a steamer by Avhich he expected some sheep. As the sheep did not arrive, he went to the Criterion and engaged a bed, giving his horse in charge of the barman to take care of. He believed the animal had been attended to, but if not, it was not his fault. Mr Magee had nothing to siy. The Bench Avould dismiss defendants ay th a caution, at the same time His Worship considered the police had done perfectly right in bringing the caso forward, and if any caso of the kind were brought before him again he would deal with it severely. VAGRANCY. Rasmus Petersen, Henry Andersen, nnd George Johnson were charged with this offence. Thomas Brooks, of the Somerset Hotel was called in support of the charge, and deposed that on the previous Thursday evening the men had come to his place and asked for a shakedown They had been accommodated with this and something to eat, on the following day, they had returned and demanded drink, using threatening language, Charles Alger gave evidenco that prisoners had demanded.mone/ from him. They took a shilling' from a young man, who was bringing it out to him as change, whioh hu told them they could keep. Bernard Limberg had seen the three " gentlemen " (the prisoners). One of them came up and informed him politely that he Avas going to bail him up. One wanted him to get off his horse. Andersen, " Will a/ou be kind enough to toll mo what country you belong to ?" The question Was held to be irrelevant. Constable Scott, avlio had arrested the prisoners said they told him they Avanted to get three months. Their conduct in the lock-up had been most outrageous. The Bench Avould gratify tlietn in the wish they had expressed. 'They would ■ each ho sentenced to three months' im . prisonment with hard labor. His Worship regretted that I c had no power to order them a flogging. ' The Court then adjourned. <