RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3103, 8 June 1881, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

THIS DAY,

(Before H. Eyre Kenny, Esq., R.M.) DHUSKENNESS. Solomon Tukati (a native) and F. G. Smith were charged with drunkenness, and each fined 5s and costs or 48 hours imprisonment with hard labour. LAHCENY. Flora Somers was charged with stealing a pair of binocular glasses. The prisoner pleaded guilty, and urged in extenuation that she was drinking at the time, and did not know what she was doing. His Worship said that the prisoner appeared to be an habitual criminal, but as the offence had not been committed since she came out of prison the last time he would give her a light sentence, She should be imprisoned for two months with hard labour. His Worship wished it to be understood that the "ourt would always draw a broad distinction between a first offence, which might have been committed under strong temptation, and the case of habitual criminals. In the case of the former he would always deal as leniently with them as possible consistent with the circumstance of the case, but with habitual criminals he would deal as severely as the law allowed. BREACHES OF BOROUGH BYEL.AWS. Donald Sinclair was charged on the information of the Inspector of Nuisances with allowing his chimney to take fire. A fine of S.s was imposed and costs. Edward Higgins was charged on the information of the Inspector of Nuisances with keeping pigs within the limits of the borough. The Inspector gave evidence that four pigs were on the back premises of the defendant for over fortyeight hours. The defendant said that pigs frequently arrived from the Wairoa on Saturday or Sunday, and could not be removed at once. His Worship said that evidence had been given that the pigs had been kept for forty-eight hours, and that was keeping pigs within the meaning of the byelaw ; if they were only kept for a few hours there would be no nuisance. As the Inspector did not press for a heavy penalty he would only fine defendant 5s and costs.