MAYOR’S COURT.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2783, 18 January 1872, Page 2

MAYOR’S COURT.

This Day. (Before His Worship the Mayor.) THEFT. George Parker, alias John Flaunigan, alias George Mahoney, alias Donald M‘Guirc, was charged with stealing three chests of tea at Dunedin on June 28 The evidence against the prisoner—who is well known to the police, having done a sentence of six mouths for vagrancy—was very conclusive. On the afternoon of June 25 he accosted a cabman named Frederick Hill at the corner of Dowling and Princes streets. He was then carrying three boxes of tea in his arms, and getting into the cab he was driven to Jetty street, where he entered a right-of-way, taking the tea with him. Later in the evening he went to a brothel in Stafford street, and there saw a man named Thomas Hill, to whom he offered to sell the tea. At Hill’s suggestion, and accompanied by him, ho went to a restaurant-keeper named Peterson, to whom he sold it, telling him be was a carrier, and had overladen his waggon. Enquiries iustituted by Detective Farrell led to the discovery of the fact that the tea belonged to Mr John Fargie, Princes street, who was the sole possessor iu Dunedin of that particular brand. On taking stock a few days after the detective’s visit, Mr Fargie found that he was just three boxes sliQrt, The tea stood at his shop door, and ip his evidence Mr Fargie said he never sold more than a sipglc cljest of it. Prisoner attempted to fasten the thpif op to the shoulders of one of the Hills, denying that cither of them had seen him on the day alleged. He was sentenced to six months’ hard labor. Kate M‘Donnell was charged with stealing a watch and chain, the property of one Henry Hotson. The prosecutor went yesterday to the brothel in Stafford street kept by the prisoner, and while there she took his watch and chain, promising to keep it for him ; but when be asked for it, and to the police, she denied all knowledge of them. On the application of Sub-Inspector Thompson, the prisoner was remanded for a week. ASSAULTS. Elliott v. Buckley was adjourned to tomorrow, Ellen Grut v. Elizabeth Jeffreys, alias Mrs Kelly, was dismissed for non appearance.

tiis Worship : According to the statement of the [complainant when applying for the summons, this assault occurred in the public room of a hotel in the City. 1 feel it to be my duty to call the attention of the police to the fact that women of the character of the complainant and the defendant in this case arp allowed to assemble in any hotel in the Cijt’y. 7t appears to me to b entirely against tn.e spirit" of the Licensing Ordinance. I think an effort should be made to put a stop to it. The parties were both prostitutes, and there can be no doubt that the custom of allowing them to assemble in hotel rooms, gives them opportunities which they would not otherwise have of inveigling young men. I think the practice is very reprehensible, and should be put a stop to.

Sub-inspector Thompson was understood to say that he had made endeavors to put a stop to the practice his Worship condemned. Elis Worship : This hotel is one generally considered to occupy a fair position in the city, and also to be conducted by a respectable member of society ; but that fact only makes the matter worse. 1 trust the police will attend to it.