RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume I, Issue 8, 28 September 1872, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Thtthsdat, September 2G. [Before E. M. Edgoumbe and S. L. Clarke, Esqs., J.P.’s.] The Court opened at II a,m. DEtJNKSNNaSS. . Etn&nuel Sweeney, charged with being drunk and incapable, was dismissed, on condition that he would take the pledge for 12 months, ITOESE STEALING. William Collier was brought up on remand charged with stealing a horse, the property of H. liobertshaw. E. M. Edgcumbe, Esq., for the Bench, committed prisoner to ake hia trial at the nest criminal sitting of the Supreme Court, Auckland. ° Before Judgment was given in this case, S. h. Clarke, Esq., said : It is only due to tho Bench to state that it was their desire to* treat the case before the Cou t as one of larceny, in order that the Government might be spared the heavy expense of-sending witnesses to the Supreme Court, * Auckland. Op calculation it is found the cost of the case of cattle i stealing and; the present one of horse stealing will amount to about £132. In our desire to dispose of this case as one of larceny, we are not acting without precedent. A similar case can be remembered, when tbe late Major Biggs acted as we desired to do, giving his prisoner six months in Auckland stockade. ! In the present case judgment was deferred in order that the Bench rnigbfc inquire, by telegraph, of the Crown Prosecutor whether it would be possible to deal in a summary manner with tbe case as o,ne of common larceny not exceeding £5, as s.-t forth in Johnston, page lb 9, clausa 530, in order that the Government might be saved the enormous cost. The answer waa conclusive, as the following telegram received shows ; - “ Collier cannot be convicted summarily.—(Signed) F. Brookfield, Crown Prosecutor.”