MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 34, 9 July 1874, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Thursday, July 9. (Before O. C. Bowen, Esq., R.M.) • drunk and disorderly. George Matthews, arrested by constable Firman, for being drunk and disorderly at the Railway Station, was fined 10s. BREACH OF CITY BYE-LAWS. Michael Qahagan for tethering a goat in St Asaph street, was fined ss. Matthew Spenser for permitting six horses to wander in Cambridge terrace, was fined 10s. Lane Gresswell, for obstructing Tuam street, by allowing a case and sofa to remain thereon, was fined 10s, R. W. England for causing an obstruction in Gloucester street on the 23rd June, by allowing a house to remain thereon, before the hour permitted him by the City Council to remove same, was fined 10s. Alfred Allen for being absent from his horse and cart, was fined 10s. Henry Aechelton, fora similar offence, was also fined 10s. Charles Hunter for being absent from his express was fined 10s. Joseph Beattie was summoned for permitting his yard to remain in a dirty state. The Inspector of Nuisances deposed to inspecting the defendant’s yard which was in a very dirty state, He would not remedy this and he (witness) had laid the present information. Fined 20s. S. S. Brighting, summoned on a similar information, was lied 20s. ASSAULT. The case against A. M'Taggart and James Wylie for assault, adjourned last Thursday, was again called on. Sergeant Wilson stated that he saw the men struggling on that day and he heard blows struck. M‘Taggart did not appear, and Wylie said there had been no blows struck.

Constable Beck repeated his previous evidence that he saw the men fighting when he went over to them Fined 10s each. BREACH OF POLICE ORDINANCE. Chas Wedge was summoned for furiously driving a horse and cab in Knightstown on the 20th June. Constable Loose deposed to the offence. Defendant was galloping furiously at the time, and when he (witness) tried to stop him he ran over him. Mr Crabtree corroborated the evidence of the previous witness, and stated the injury the constable had received at the time. He had assisted to dress the injuries the constable had received. The defendant did not pull up after he ran over the constable. A second information of furiously driving in Colombo street was here laid against defendant. Sergeant Wilson proved the offence. His Worship said the first case was a most outrageous one. It was only a mercy that defendant was not there charged with manslaughter. When he ran over the constable he did not even pull up to see what injury he had inflicted. An example must certainly be made. Defendant would be fined the full penalty of £5 in the first case and expenses of witness, and 20s in the second class. BREACH OF PUBLIC HOUSE ORDINANCE. Edward V. Hiorns was summoned for permitting liquor to be served to a drunken man named John James Keefe in his licensed house, the Central Hotel, on 23rd June. Mr Thomas appeared for the defendant. Constable Hughes stated that on that day he saw the man Keefe staggering along the street near the hotel drunk, and his clothes in a very disordered state. The man went into Hiorns’, and the barman served him with a drink. He (witness) then went in, and the barman said he had only served him with peppermint. He (witness) tasted the liquor and found it to be brandy and peppermint, and he then called in the policeman on the beat to taste it also. Sergeant Kennedy saw the man come out of the City Hotel bar about an hour previous to this (over quarter-past five o’clock). Ho was very drunk, and only just able to keep on his legs. By Mr Thomas—lt was not my duty to arrest the man. Constable Lamb stated that about a quarter-past six he was on duty that night in Colombo street, Constable Hughes called him to taste something in a glass which he found to be brandy and peppermint. He saw the man Keefe, who was indecently drunk, and his clothes being in a very disordered state. Mr Thomas called the barman of the hotel, who admitted having served the man with a drink of brandy and peppermint. He did not seem to be drunk, and when he had served him Constable Hughes came in. He (witness) told the constable what he had served the man with, and when the constable pointed out the disordered state of the man’s clothes, he (witness) asked the constable if be would consider the man was drunk but for the state of his clothes, which he (witness) could not see from behind the bar. The constable would not answer him. Keefe did not drink any of the brandy and peppermint. J. J Keefe, the man supplied with the drink, stated that he was not drunk at the time. He did not notice that his clothes were disordered. He went into the room after that and had his supper. Mr Thomas called several other witnesses, boarders and employes at the hotel, who stated that the man Keefe was not drunk when he went in that night to have his supper. They noticed afterwards that his clothes were somewhat disordered when Mr Hiorns pointed this out to them. His Worship said there were so many who did not think the man was drunk, that he was led to believe the barman might have made a mistake. It was such a serious offence to serve a drunken man with liquor, that on the evidence before him he did not wish to convict, but he must say that the constable had only done his duty in acting in the manner he had done. The case would be dismissed.

Henry Lewis was summoned for selling drink during prohibited hours in his licensed house the Devonshire Arms hotel, and keep* ing the same open during those hours. The defendant admitted that the barman had supplied drink on that day. Fined £5. J. W. Oram was summoned for selling drunk in his licensed house, the City Hotel, and keeping the same open during prohibited hours. Mr Thomas appeared for the defendant, and stated that Mr Oram would admit the offence. He was instructed that some gentlemen who were lodgers had brought some friends home with them, and they had been served with refreshments by the barman. Fined £5. BREACH OF RAILWAY OFFENCES ACT. George Cronin was summoned for tethering a horse on the line of railway, and fined ss. BREACH OF STAMP ACT. J. Lewis was summoned for having signed a receipt of discharge for money on the 2nd July, the same not being duly stamped. John M'Williara deposed to defendant having signed the receipt produced for money received, the amount being £2 11s, The defendant had levied on his goods under a distress warrant. The defendant produced a witness who said he had handed a stamped receipt to Mr Williams’ wife on the following morning. His Worship said that he was sorry to see that this case had jbeen brought before the Court, he was bound to convict, but he did not think better of the man who had laid the information. The penalty was £lO, but the Magistrate, under the Act was permitted a discretionary power to reduce the fine to one tenth. Defendant would be fined 20s! SLAUGHTER-HOUSE LICENSES. The following adjourned applications were considered : F. Hopkins and Co., section 1148, Templeton. The inspector of slaughter-houses told his Worship that this application had been adjourned to enable the drainage to be remedied. Only a small drain about a chain in length had been made, and this waa insufficient for the requirements of the place, as there was still a lot of water lying about, llis Worship would further adjourn the application until Thursday next, and in reply to the inspector, said that if any slaughtering were carried on after the license had expired, the applicants would make themselves liable under the Act. Subsequently his Worship gave the applicant an authority to kill until Tuesday. W. C. Maddison, Templeton. The inspector reported that the required improvements had been made, and license was granted,