MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 10, 11 June 1874, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

O oh HiarcnußCH, Thursday'. June H. [Before C. 0. Bowen, Esq, R.M., and Col. Parke, J.P-1 DRUNK AND DISORDERLY, Julia Mahoney, remanded fur the offence was again brought up. llis Worship told the accused that he had been making enquiiies about her, and had spoken to her husband, who was desirous that she should have one more chance, lie (his Worship) had learnt that she had promised to abstain from drink altogether and if sho promised to do so he would give her another opportunity,

The defendant made a promise that she would drink no more, and was discharged. Thomas Maflison, for drunkenness, was fined 5s ; Margaret Buchanan, for a similar offence, was dismissed with a caution; and Mary A, Kirkwood was fined 20s, or 48 hours’ in default. DRUNK AND CREATING A DISTURBANCE. James Clifford and John Brodie were arrested by Constable Dance for being drunk and creating a disturbance in the Golden Age Hotel. A charge of assaulting the police was also preferred against the latter prisoner. The constable stated that he was called in the previous evening by the landlord of the Hotel to prevent them from fighting he saw the men making a disturbance, and took them into custody. On the way to the depot Brodie struck him very violently. Mr Allen, landlord of the Golden Age Hotel, deposed to the disturbance created by accused. Fined 203 each. BREACH OP CITY BYE-LAWS. For permitting horses and cattle to wander in the public streets and roads the following persons were fined : —Wm Howard, os ; W. Rossiter, 5s ; Peter Passey, 5s ; Joseph, Basket, 5s ; J. A. Red path, 5s ; Mortimer Davie, 5s ; J. Donaldson,* 5s ; W. A. Merriman, 6s ; Wm Ballantyne, 5s ; James Rosser, ss. The case against Timothy Shea, for permitting a horse to wander, was adjourned for a week. For tethering horses in public thoroughfares the following persons were summoned : —Nicholas Smith, two summonses, adjourned for a week ; Miss H. Ashwin, fined 10s ; 0. D, Fearon, fined 10s. KEEPING A DISORDERLY HOUSE. John Goss and Edward Jenkins were summoned for keeping a disorderly house in High street on 31st May. The defendants did not appear when called. Inspector Buckley told the Bench that the summons had been served personally on both men. His Worship ordered a warrant to issue for their arrest. PLYING WITHOUT A LICENSE. Wm. H. Howard was summoned for plying for hire as a carrier without a license. The defendant said there were other persons here plying without a license, and he did not see why he should be compelled to take out one. Fined 10s. Samuel Dowdall, for a similar charge, was also fined 10s. Mr Pearce, inspector, said that there were many persons in the city who took contract jobs, and by that means endeavored to evade payment of the license. A list of all the carriers had now been made out. His Worship said that where carriers were not in the employ of contractors or others, that information might be laid. COMMITTING A BREACH OF THE PEACE. Joseph Richardson was charged with committing a breach of the peace, by fighting with another man in front of the White Hsrt Hotel. Defendant did not appear. Constable Beck stated the particulars. His Worship ordered a warrant to issue for the defendant’s arrest. BREACH OP RAKAIA BRIDGE REGULATIONS. Benjamin Hampton, Edward Hampton, and John Sweeney, were summoned for crossing the Rakaia bridge on the 16th May last, having a greater weight on their drays than two tons, and contrary to the sth clause of the regulations. The tiers of the wheel were also less than five inches in width. R. Mcllroy, the bridge keeper, proved the offence. The defendants said that they had not been stopped before entering on the bridge, and they did not think they were doing wrong. His Worship told the defendants they were liable to be fined £5 each. Fined 10s. SMOKING IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE. Andrew Guey was summoned for smoking, on the 22nd of May, in a railway carriage not set apart for that purpose. The guard stated that on that date defendant had given annoyance before the train started from Christchurch to Rakaia. When they arrived at Dunsandel he saw a lighted pipe in defendant’s hand and asked him to put it out. He would not, but continued to smoke all the way. Defendant was under the influence of liquor at the time. A witness named Greenwood corroborated this evidence. Defendant denied having smoked on this occasion, or having a pipe in his possession, and called a witness named George Lyans, who stated he was travelling in the same carriage as defendant. He remembered the guard speaking to defendant at Dunsandel, but he was not smoking at the time, nor did he smoke from Dunsandel to the Rakaia. As the evidence was so very contradictory his Worship instructed it to be taken down, and recalled the witness for that purpose, after which he adjourned the case for a week, BREACH OP PROTECTION TO ANIMALS’ ACT. Henry Denton, Isaac Denton, Thomas Denton, and John Denton, four boys, were charged with trespassing on McLean’s Island, Waimakanri, with dog and gun, in pursuit of game. Mr Coster, ranger for the district, stated that on the 17th February, and also on the 3rd April, he saw the defendants trespassing on the island, with four guns and two dogs, in pursuit of game. On the first occasion, he had cautioned them, and told them they were disturbing the sheep, and were not allowed to be there. The father of the boys said they told him they were only shooting in the river bed, and were not aware that in shooting they were doing any harm. People had shot in the place for the last ten years, and had made a practice of doing so. His Worship said that there Were a number of complaints being made just now of boys going about shooting game where they had no right to. He cautioned the defendants against committing the offence again, and inflicted a tine of 20s on the eldest boy. B. Steggall summoned for committing a similar offence in the same district, admitted having in ignorance of the law gone on the island shooting rabbits, and was fined 20s. ASSAULT. Francis Emerson, a very little boy was charged with assaulting a child on the sth June, belonging to J. McGregor, living at St Albans, The evidence of Mr and Mrs McGregor went to show that the defendant had put the child into a ditch and pushed his head under the water. The boy, in defence, stated that little M'Gregor slipped into the ditch, and he only caught bold of him by the belt to pull him out, and Mrs Emerson blamed him for putting him iutg the water. He acknowledged

that on one occasion he held the child over the ditch and pretended to drop him in. His Worship commended the defendant for fearlessly telling the truth, and having administered a short lecture to him about frightening the child, dismissed the case. VIOLENT ASSAULT. William Bentley was charged with assaulting Charles Bentley. The prosecutor did not appear. His Worship told defendant that the case had been marked withdrawn. Defendant stated to his Worship that he wished the case to be heard. He had never assaulted him, and the conduct of his brother had causod his wife’s death, and had driven him (defendant) to drink. His Worship would remember having sent him to Lyttelton for a week for medical treatment, and this had been the result of his brother’s actions. He felt nearly broken-hearted and wished to have the whole particulars placed before his Worship. He believed it must be his mother who had withdrawn the information.

His Worship said that under those circumstances he would mark the case adjourned for a week.