MAGISTRATES, COURT.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11487, 21 January 1903, Page 4

MAGISTRATES , COURT.

INEBRIETY

Two first offenders for inebriety vw fined Sβ and costs, and Patrick Heiley IC* and caste. MAINTENANCE. A charge of deserting hie wife »*<*»}• dwn wa« preferred against Albert Smitn for whom Mr Donnelly appear**. Mr Russell was for the complainant. me accused wae ordered to pay 20s a week: for his wife, and 10s for the youngest child. John K. Kennedy was ordered to pay /s 6d a week, and William H. Kennedy 4s a week, towards the maintenance of their mother. , James Miller (Mr Graham) was charged with failing to maintain his illegitimate child. Paternity was admitted. but ; under the circumstances of tlw case, his Worship declined to m;d;e an order- Mr Dounelly app?ared for the complainant. For disobeying a maintenance order, Homy Ptnberthy was sent to gaol for two months. SEPARATION ORDER. The wife of Arthur W. Sutcliffe wa.s granted an order of separation from him. Mr Bat-t-s appeared for the applicant. and Mr Beat tie for the husband. Each party was ordered to pay their own costs. The hus band was oidsied to pay 50=! a week for his wife's suppuit. ALLEGED ASSAULT. Albert Smith (Mr Donnelly) was charged with assaulting Constable Gibson while in the execution of hits duty. The police evidence .stated that the ton-stable remonetrated with tin- accused for ill-treating his wife, who was alleged to be still enffeiing from the effects of her injuries,, and the man closed with him, and a scuffle took place. There was stated to be a charge of wite desertion against the man. The accused denied that he had ill-used his wife, and stated that when he told the constable so, the latter used bad language to him, and thumped him about the face and head. Tne constable was in plain clothes, and witness thought that he had a right to defend himself. As the accused had been locked up since Saturday, Mr Bcetham considered this sufficient punishment, and convicted and discharged him. A SERIOUS ASSAULT. Matthew Russell was charged with committing a serious assault upon his Wife, Christina Russell. The medical evidence j showed that the woman had been badly bruised, and was in a very nervous state after the a&sault. The constable who arrested the accused .said that he was suffering from delirium tremens at the time. Mr Beet ham. concluded that lie was leading "an idle, dusolute, drunken life." The excuse that lie did not know what he wae oomg was no excuse. The accused was sentenced to two months' imprisonment with Hard labour. KAIAPOI. ALIGHTING FROM A TRAIN IN MOTION. E. Newman, who did not appear, was proved to have got off a railway train in motion. Messrs Good and Jennings, J.P.s, imposed it line of 10s and costs, 18s 6d. ASSAULT AND THREATENING. W. A. Ramsay and G. Bevington, for whom Mr Helmore appeared. Avere respectively charged with aseault and threatening behaviour. John Luxton said he .was waylaid ;md knocked down and his ear torn by the first named. Bevington tried to trip him, and used threatening language. Sergeant Johnston said he heard an angry altercation. Luxton's ea" w#s bleeding, and his clothes showed he had been rolled in the dust. Rameay threatened to give Luxton a- good hiding if he repeated certain statements. Mr Helmore asked the Bench, under eection 17 of the Indictable Offences Summary Jurisdiction Act, 1894. to dismiss the case as trivial, though the assault was justified on the slanders which Luxton was alleged to have circulated. W. A Ramsay said in consequence of complainant's statements he challenged him, and Luxton took to his heels. BeKingjton did not touch him. The Bench considered the assault proved, and imposed a fine of 10v and costs. The charge against Bevington won dismissed. • CIVIL CASE. A. Worsfold v H. George, claim 17« 6d. Judgment was given for plaintiff, with 15s costs.