POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume III, Issue 626, 13 January 1872, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

THIS DAY. Before Thomas Beckham, Esq, Resident Magistrate, and — Holt, Esq., J.P.

DRUNKENNESS. Two drunkards were fined as usual. PROSTITUTION.

A young woman arrested by tho police for having no visible lawful means of support was, upon promise of future amendment, 'discharged, Mrs. Colclough kindly offering to provide a situation for her. This lady informed the Court that she was willing to place into situation any girl similarly situated, who would reform and was willing to accept the same. The prisoner left the Court with Mrs. Colclough, after a suit able admonition had been administered to her by his Worship. A Maori, named Mary No 2, was charged with a like offence, and pleaded guilty through Mr Mainwaring, a licensed interpreter, and was sentenced to one month's hard labor. Catherine, another Maori, also charged with a similar offence, was sent to gaol for threo weeks with hard labor. VAGRANCY.

Charles do Prefer, whose face appeared as if he had just returned from the wars, was charged with vagrancy. Detective Jefferey deposed that he apprehended the prisoner last night in a house at Edwavdes street, where the previous prisoners were living ; he believed he lived on these women's prostitution. Detective Ternahan corroborated the previous witness. The prisoner, in reply to the Magistrate, said that he had lived with one of the girls, and had kept her properly, and had painted and papered the house for her, and done all he could for the girl. What more could he do ? Mr Beckham : Why, let her alone ; or if you aro fond of Maori womeD, why don-t you marry the girl ? Prisoner: So I will, your Worship, in course of time. His Worship considering the rough treatment the prisoner had met with, and the night's imprisonment he had had, discharged him with a severe caution. NEGLECTED CHILD.

Annie Barnes was brought up as a neglected child.

It appeared that Mrs Barnes, the mother of the child, had allowed the girl to stay at the house of a neighbour, a person of bad character, and this coming to the knowledge of her husband, who is at present in the Stockade in default of bail, he had written to Mr Broham asking him to remove the girl from such bad society. His Worship administered a severe lecture to the mother, for neglecting the child in the manner she had, and ordered the little girl to be sent to the Industrial School for two years. THEFT. George Campbell, pleaded guilty to stealing two saddles, the property of Mr Stephenson of Lucas' Creek. Sentenced to six months imprisonment with hard labor. STEALINO CHERRIES. Jame3 Hardgrovo was charged with stealing cherries from a garden belonging to Mr Mairutt. The prosecutor wished to withdraw from the charge as ho believed the prisoner to have been under tho influence of liquor at tho time. His Worship was reluctant to allow justice to be defeated, jbut after giving some wholesome advice to the prisoner allowed him to go about his business. SUNDAY LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

Joseph Trimble appeared in answer to a summons charging him with supplying alcoholic liquors to a person not a lodger or a" bona fide traveller on Sunday the 2nd January.

Mr W. L. Rees, on behalf of defendant, applied to have the information amended, and the name of the person alleged to have been supplied inserted.

Mr Beveridge also appeared for the defendant, and urged the same application. His Worship objected to the name being furnished, unless the case was proceeded with at once.

Mr Beveridge intimated that, on the name being given, ho should apply for an adjournment, to make enquiries ; as at present, his client had not the most remote idea what were tho circumstances the charge referred to.

After considerable discussion, the name of the witness was given, with the understanding that the case was proceeded with. The defendant being allowed to postpone his cross-examination of the witness until a future occasion.

John Napier deposed to going to defendant's house on* the Sunday in question, and purchased a shilling's worth of rum from Mrs Trimble. He saw others there drinking- On his way out with the rum he met Sergeant Pardy, to whom he gave the rum. Ho had been offered £10 not to appear, but he did not know who had offered it to him.

Margaret Carrol, called by Inspector Broham, refused at first-to be sworn, burst into tears, and thon commenced laughing. Sho afterwards gave herevi-

dence in a very flippant manner. She denied that she was inside the house or that she had anything to drink. The case was adjourned at this stage until next Saturday. There were two other cases against the defendant, one of which was withdrawn in consequence of the manner in which the girl Carrol had given her evidence in this case, Mr Broham considering it hopeless to obtain a conviction. . The other charge will be taken on Monday.