TAURANGA RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume II, Issue 155, 28 February 1874, Page 3

TAURANGA RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Wednesday, February 23. (Before Major Roberts, E. M.) another wahniko to drunkards. Alexander Fullerton was fined 10s and coats for drunkenness. This was his third offence. Ihe game prisoner was then charged with being an habitual drunkard, having been thrice convicted of drunkenness within the space of twelve months. v

The prisoner admitted the charge, but said he wmiid not offend again if the Court would be merciful on this occasion. Sergeant Naden deposed : The prisoner has been three times convicted of drunkenness within the preceding sn months; he is an habitual drunkard m every sense of the word, and nearly always in a state of drunkenness ; a short time ago the prisoner brought himself into that state of mind by dunking that he told me he contemplated suicide ; he is the owner of a cutter, and I consider he » quite incapable of taking charge of her, and that be is jeopardising the lives of others besides himsdfm doing so ; through what I have seen ot the man a conduct during the last two years, I consider it to be my duty to press for a heavy

Detective Keli corroborated the evidence of the sergeant of police. By prisoner : I believe you had a spelh durin* which time yon were sober; this was before Christmas—some weeks before. The prisoner again said if the Court would give him another chance he would not be found drunk again.

His Worship sentenced the prisoner to one months imprisonment with hard labour in the lauranga gaol.

ECCENTRIC CONDUCT 1 . Charles John Molloy was charged with having Used abusive language and been guilty of violent conduct on the preceding day. The prisoner said he knew nothing about it. Muru Muru, a native, stated: The prisoner was on the beach yesterday afternoon ; I was near the ferryman a house when the prisoner came up ; I was going to my boat when the prisoner followed some of our party, abusing and threatening them : he afterwards took a penknife ont and held it in a threatening attidude towards us ; we ran away from the prisoner because we were afraid of his using the knife ; the prisoner was drunk ; I saw him go into the water and follow up one of our boats ; I do not know the prisoner. Ihe foregoing statement was corroborated by another native.

Sergeant ISaden deposed : I received information last night that the prisoner had been seen running about the beach with a knife in his hand, and that people were frightend at such conduct; I saw the prisoner at M.rs Robertson’s boarding house ; be was lying on the bed drunk at the time ; the first witness was in my company when I entered the room ; the prisoner became abusive in my presence, and used threatening language towards the native ; I then considered it to be ray duty to arrest him ; on the road to the lock-up the prisoner made use of obscene, threatening, jand abusive language in a loud tone of voice. His Worship thought the charge clearly proved. The prisoner would, therefore, be required to enter into his own recognisance in the sum of £2O, and to find another surely of £lO, to keep the peace for three calendar months. The Court then adjourned.

Yestkudav. (Before Msjor Roberts, o.M) Amm, cash.—s. n. v. taubakqa country no a hd. Judgment His Worship gave judgment in this case as follows ;—•* I n tins' case 1 am of fvf ! /o >n there are no facts whatever before the Court to justify the appeal made from the rate levied by the Board. It was the duty of V*® »PP° llal >t to have made out a full ‘and complete case. In the opinion of the Bench he has failed to do so. The appeal is, therefore, dismissed upon the facts, and it becomes annecessary for the Bench to give any decision upon - ie point sof law which otherwise would have been necessary. The appeal j a dismissed with costs.”