RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3581, 3 January 1883, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

This Day. (Before Messrs E. Lpidon and J. G. Kinross, Justices.) DRUNKENNESS. John Harvey, George Dugan, and George Cook, charged'with having been drunk at Taradale yesterday, pleaded guilty, and were each fined 5s and costs, with the alternative of 21 hours' imprisonment. William Wilson pleaded guilty to a charge of drunkenness and disorderly conduct at Clive yesterday, but, as the charge of disorderly conduct was not pressed, hn was only fined os and costs, with the usual alternative. THREATENING language. James Rcidy was charged, on the information of Thomas Reidy, with having, on the 13th ultimo, in a public place, to wit, Chaucer-road, used threatening and insulting language and words towards tho in-

formant, whereby a breach of the peace might have been occasioned. The defendant, who was represented by Mr Lee, pleaded not guilty. Thomas Reidy, the informant, being sworn, said that on December 13th, at about , 5.30 p.m., he was proceeding to Iris Vyma in Chaucer-road, when his brother cai»3 out dressed in his shirt and trousers onlj-y(nnd, after some attitudinising, he invited witness to fight with him. The defendant expressed intense anxiety to discover which of ' the two was the better man, and witneM had to take refuge in liis father-in-law's house. Defendant then came opposite tho house and continued to make use of insulting and abusive language, which was principally elirected at the witness. In consequence- of the conduct of defendant" witness was afraid of him, and would ask to liavo him bound over to keep the peace. Mr Lee said this was a new phase in the matter. If the complainant wished to have the defendant bonnet over to keep the peace why hael he not laid an information accordingly ': The clerk of the Court explained that, when the complainant laid the information, he had said he was not. afraid of tho defendant, consequently an information requiring defendant to find sureties to keep tho peace coulet not have been issued. Mr Lee then cross-examined the witness, who said that the reason he did not lay the information against his brother (the defendant) immediately after fts>alleged offence took place was heca^ c n0 had expected Major Scully to whe, m ' tho laattef wits reported, to take action,"but when that was not clone he moved in it himself. He reported the affair to Major Scully on tho 1 Gth December. Mary Hands and Peter Madden also gay« evidence as to the bad language used by the defendant towards the complainant. Neither of the witnesses heard the plaintiff say a word in reply to the defendant's insults. Mr Lee contended that the charge had not been substantiated by evidence. The whole thing was the outcome of a row between the respective wives of the complainant aud defendant. It was very evident there was a certain amount of ill-feel-ing existing, but nothing to justify the cas« being- brought into Court. The complainant, in fact, had told Mr Cullen a very different \ story to that he now told. A conviction was recorded by the Court, and the defendant ordered to pay a fine of 20s and costs lis, together with expenses of witnesses 9s del, or in default to be imprisoned and kept at hard labor for -18 hours. The defendant elected to " take it out" rather than pay the fine. There was no other business.