POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume III, Issue 627, 15 January 1872, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

THIS DAY,

Before A Beetham, W Buckland, and J Holt, Esqs., J.P.s DEUNKENNESS Three persons were punished as usual for this offence. VAGBANCY. Two men named James Brown, alias James Leslie, and Samuel Atkyns Weston were charged with "having no visible lawful means of support. The police had found them lying about the suburbs at night and took them into custody. The first prisoner was sentenced to one month's imprisonment, and the second to three month's hard labor. LABCENY AT THE THAMES. Annie Sidey, a vis Mary Smith, was charged with stcalilng £29 in gold, a set of gold earrings, and a gold brooch, the property of Edward Person, of Grahamstown, on the 9th inst. The Court remanded the prisoner to t he Thames. SUNDAY LIQUOR THAFFIC.

Joseph Trimble of the Oriental Hotel, •was charged with supplying alcoholic liquor to a person not a bona fide traveller or a lodger, at his licensed house, on Sunday, the 31st December. Mr Broham prosecuted; Mr Beveridge and Mr W. L. Rees appeared for the defendant, who pleaded not guilty. John O'Connor, a tailor, proved going on the Sunday in question to defendant's house, at about halt-past 10 o'clock in the morning. He went in by the back entrance. Saw the barman. Called for two glasses of rum, and half a pint of rum in a bottle. He paid for it, drank.one glass, and gave the other glass to a man, and took the remainder away with him, and gave it to Inspector Broham. The barman served him.

To Mr Kees : Was turned out of the house the night before, and accused of picking pockets in the house. Was charged at this Court, but the case was dismissed. Have been convicted twice at this Court for assault, (nothing else ; was arrested on the charge of picking pockets on Wednesday. January 3. A man named Watson was in the lockup at the same time. He told Watson that they had trumped up the charge to prevent him from laying this information. He did not tell Watson that he obtained the rum in another man's house. His fancy taught him to purchase this liquor. Trimble had illuscd him the night before, and he thought he would be even with him. It was done ont of spite. Do not know the other man's name. Don't require him now and have not got him here. The man went and told Trimble that he had laid this information against him. To the Bench : Told the police that this man was with him, and said his name was Burns. Mr Eees submitted that the evidence given by this man was not sufficient to convict. If the Court were to accept evidence cf this kind, there would be no protection for a publican should any man have any spite against him, as it appeared in this case. The Bench having conferred together, decided to hear the barman's evidence. Edward Long, barman to defendant, called, deposed that on Sunday, the 31st December he left the house immediately after his breakfast, between 8 and 9 o'clock in the morning. He was positive that he did not see the previous vs itness on that day ; had he gone into the house, witness would have put him out; his orders were not to serve him, and he ejected him on the Monday when he came for drink. He had robbed a man on the Saturday night previously, and that was the reason he had received orders not to supply him with drink. To Mr Broham: Was positive he left the house between 8 and 9 o'clock in the morning, and did not return. Did not meet Detective Jcfferey or Sergeant Walker on his way home on that day. It was on the Sunday following. Case dismissed.

We observe by the Sydney Mail that the retirement of Eirl Belmore is officially announced, a despatch the Secretary of State being published in the Gazette, naming Sir Hercules Bobinson as his successor. But as the Governor is making a trip to England before going to Australia, he will not be there for some months, and if Earl Belmore quits the colony, as he wishes to do, early in tho year, there will be an interregnum, during which period, according to the arrangements now in force, the Chief Justice will be Acting Governor.