MAYOR’S COURT.

Evening Star, Issue 3100, 25 January 1873, Page 2

MAYOR’S COURT.

This Day. (Before his Worship the Mayor.)

Ship Desertion. —William Murphy was charged with deserting from H.M.S. Dido. Prisoner pleaded guilty, and at the request of the police was ordered to be conveyed to the Dido, or if she were nob in the Colony to any man-of-war lying in a New Zealund harbor.

Theft, —Fdward Davett was charged with stealing from the lighter Pet one box of tea, valued at LI Bs, the property of Messrs Neill and Co., Bond street. Mr Harris appeared for accused. Maclean was working on the jetty, yesterday, lightering. While there he received from Tomlinson and Co. fii'ty*one bo?es of tea, and signed for them. The accused’s boat was alongside the lighter. Accused crossed at the back of him. lifted a box of tea and a bag, and dropped them into the boat. He identified the box of tea produced as the one accused had taken. 'J his was about three o’clock. He saw accused a short time previously ; he did not seem to be sober.—Peter Hannah : 1 am master of the lighter Pet. We were taking cargo for the Wellington. It consisted of tea and other gpods. From the information I received from lagt witness, I counted the boxes ; there were thirty instead of thirty-one. I then went to accused’s boat, and saw the box produced lying there. It was not concealed. It was gone about two minutes when last witness told him. If accused had wished, he had plenty of time to put it aside. He appeared to be the worse for liquor.—Wm. Todd, storeman at M'Oallum, Neill, and Co., identified the box of tea as one which tney shipped for the Wellington ; it was worth 1 1 Bs. The arpesstipg constable said when he charged prisoner, he 4.epied stealing the tea. He said if it was in his boat gomeone else must have put it there.—Mr Harris said he would call witnesses who would testify to prisoner’s hitherto good character, integrity and honesty. He would prove ho was the worse for drink as early as noon on the Clay in question, Accused had a wife and family dependent on him, and it would be a serious thing for them if he were convicted, —W. Harper stated he had known the accused for the last six years, and had always found him to be straightforward, and placed every confidence in him. —His Worship, in passing sentence, took, into account the good character given the accused, and sentenced him to three months’ imprisonment, with hard labor.