SOUTH CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17469, 1 June 1922, Page 3

SOUTH CANTERBURY.

COURT CASES. Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., had brought before him at TimnTU yesterday George. Smith, wharf labourer, for contempt of Court, and for a Breach of the Magistrate's Court Act, by insxilting the Magistrate when returning from a sitting of the Court. Accused assaulted a. constable when he was serving a summons in the case, and on this charge, which was dealt with first, he was sentenced to two months' imprisonment with hard labour. In dealing with the insult charge, tho Magistrate said <ie had l>ecn insulted by accused three times before. Accused seemed to be a man. of violent temper, illiterate, and ignorant, and might not have known that he was doing a very wrong thing, but on Monday he went too far, and a stop must be nut to such conduct. His Worship was prepared to accept an apology, with a promise that such conduct would not be repeated. Accused mumbled an apology, and said ''There will bo no more of this." His Worship aicoepted this as an apo'.ogy and a promise, and allowed the charge to bo withdrawn. At the Timnru Magistrate's Court yesterday five to six hours were spent on a dispute between two farmers, neighbours, as to tho ownership of four sheep, one claiming on the brand find the other on the earnnrk. The evidence of Mr Huddlestone, loral stock inspector, and Mr'Nicholon, secretary of tihe Sheepowners' Union, showed that the earmark alone was quite unsatisfactory as- a mark of ownership, there being so many marks duplicated in the district (fourteen in Geraldinc County). Other evidence as to sex, breed, and age was contradictory and confusing. The Magistrate dealt at some length with the difficulties met with in sheep-stealing cases in wliieh the earmark was, relied on, and gavV judgment in favour of the claimant by brand.

OBITUARY. An old Timaru idenuty died on Monday—Mr James Barrar, \ ho had reached the age of 88, without needing a doctor's help till quite near the close of his life. He was born in London in 1834. He took to the sea at thirteen, and spent seventeen years in the Royal Navy. After leaving the Navy ho spent some years in South Africa, and then came to New Zealand 50 years ago, landing at Lyttelton. He obtained an lem/ployment in Christchurch which required him to acquire some knowledge of horses, and like a true "handy man" he did himself justice, and became quite a good horseman. He began life on his own account as a cabman in Christchurch. Someone advised Eim that Timaru would be a gold mine for a cabman; he accepted the advice and took his turn-out to that town. He was perhaps the firstcabman in Timaru, though this is not certain. He adhered to his calling until age compelled him to give it up, eight or nine years ago.