MAGISTERIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2159, 7 April 1908, Page 1

MAGISTERIAL.

MONDAY, APRIL G. (Before IV. A. Barton S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. , A first ofl’endor for drunkenness was convicted and fined sa, with 2s costa in default 24 hours imprisonment. PROCURING LIQUOR. On a charge of procuring liquor during the currency of a- prohibition order against him, Henry Edward Meyers, who pleaded guilty, was fined £5, with costs 2s, in default 50 days imprisonment with hard labor in tho Gisborno gaol.ILLEGALLY ON LICENSED ''PREMISES.

Michael Purcell, who did not airpear, was tho subject of a charge of being on licensed promises, during tho currency of a prohibition order against him. Constablo McPhorson gavo ovidonco as to having seen accused enter the Gisborno Hotel. Witness followed him in, and heard him asking for a glass of ale. Accused was fined ;£ r >, with 7s costs,, in default 50 days’ ".iSf.* 1 prisonment with hard labor. ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES. Alexander Cameron was charged with obtaining £4 16s from Edward Harris by means of a valueless cheque. Mr. Coleman appeared for tho accused. .An adjournment was granted until Wednesday Bth inst, on the application of the police, and with tho consent of accused’s counsel. LICE-INFECTED SHEEP. Tho Inspector of Stock proceeded against John Georgo Jobson for having during . tho month of February, exposed liee-infecied sheep for sate at tho Matawhero yards. Mr. G. Stock, on behalf of tho defendant pleaded guilty, and a fine of £2 and costs 7s was imposed. CRUELTY TO A HORSE. John McKenzie Roberts pleaded guilty to a charge of cruelty to a horse by working it while it was suffering fiom core shoulders. Sergeant Hutton, who conducted the prosecution. said that since the summons had been issued, defendants horse had been turned out. His "Worship inflicted a penalty of £l, with costs 75., ASSAULT. Joseph Geddes who was charged witli having, on March 28, assaulted one Joseph Spencer with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm. Sergeant Hutton conducted the prosecution, and accused was undefended. Josenh Spencer, builder, stated that on tho night in question lie was standing alongside tho Salvation Army ring, when he saw a man on horseback near tho ring, and apparently under the influence of liquor. He next .saw him ride into .tho ring and attempt to ride over the people. Witness sprang forward in an attempt to seize tho horse’s bridle and in doing: so, the man on horseback struck him a heavy blow on tho top of tho head. Tho stick was similar to tho one produced. Witness was rendered unconscious and remembered nothing more. Through his injuries ho was incapacitated from work from tho 28th of March until the 3rd of April. Janies Clive Collins, medical' practitioner, gavo evidence as to having attended to the injured iSpencer, who was brought into his surgery immediately after the occurrence. Witness described the nature of tho injuries which lie stated could have been caused by a blow from such a weapon as tho stick produced. In reply to a question from tho Bench, witness stated that ho would not say the injuries were of a dangerous nature. ■ Georgo Dickens, adjutant in charge of the Salvation Army, stated that on 28th of March ho was conducting tho Army meeting at the corner of Gladstone Road and Lowe Street. Ho saw the accused ride up to tho ring and heard him say in an excited manner ‘‘Look out, you b Salvationists.” Witness next saw accused lash out with a stick and saw that some person was struck. Accused was then pulled oif his horso and held. Witness took the injured man to liavo Ids injuries attended to and conveyed him home. John Henry Jones, and Ernest Cnlcott gave corroborative evidence, and Constable Scott deposed as to tlio arrest of accused, who, when being told next morning that lie would bo charged with assulting Spencer, said, ‘‘l don’t remember anything about it, but anyhow, I wish I had killed the

This closed tho evidenco for the prosecution. Accused when called stated that ho did not go to tho Army ring with tho intention of doing any harm. He remembered being in the ring and somebody pulling at his horse,/ but did not remember striking, anyone. Asked as to how he would plead on the charge, accused pleaded guilty. His Worship said ho had no doubt that liquor was responsible for the position in which accused found himself. Had he taken tho advice, given him from time, to time, ho would not ho in his present position. He had no doubt that accused was a slave to drink.

Accused was committed for scntenco to tho Supremo Court at Auckland. Bail was allowed, .self in £IOO and two sureties of £SO each. A SCHOOL ATTENDANCE CASE. Mr. W. L. File, secretary of the Gisborno School Committee, proceeded against Robert Johnston for allowing his daughter Olivo to be absent from school eight times during the week ending: February 15. During examination by defendant, Francis John Rowley, 8.A., headmaster of the school j stated that the school was .opened, in February, and the child first attended on March 10. A notice was sent to the defendant, and a reply- was received stating that the child was. at Auckland, and was expected to return in a couple of weeks. Defendant pleaded that it had always been the custom, when a. satisfactory explanation was given, that no further action was taken. He contended that had lie known the case was to be brought before the committee. lie could have obtained a doctor’s, certificate. It appeared to him that the committee were only anxious to “get at” him because lie happened to be a J.P. . . His Worship interposed, and said such a thing was not the case, and that the remark was uncalled for. Defendant further pleaded that be had been proceeded' against under a wrong section of the Act. His Worship, however, held otherand stated that certainly the offence was not a serious one, but that be would have to inflict a penalty. Defendant would be fined 2s Gd,‘ the minimum penalty.