MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 62, 11 August 1874, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

This Day. [Before C. C. Bowen, Esq., R.M.] DRUNKENNESS. i Robert Eversen was fined 5s or in default twenty-four hours. John Dillon and Ellen Dillon were fined 10s each for being drunk and creating a disturbance in the public streets. James Johnston, drunk and disorderly, was fined 10s. VAGRANCY. George Leech on remand, was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment with hard labour. LYTTELTON. Monday, August 11. [Before W. Donald, Esq.,R.M.J DRUNKENNESS. Alexander Taylor and Patrick Houlihan, arrested by Constable M'Gorman, were charged with the above offence. ~ „ , The former being fined 10s, and the latter dismissed. REFUSAL OP DUTY. John Elson, Alexander Cape, William M‘Lean, John Hughes, Antonia Alloy, John M'Laverty, all able seamen on board the barque Union, were brought up charged with this offence. Mr R, D. Thomas appeared for the complainant, Captain John B. Sherlock, who stated that yesterday morning he ordered the crew to man the windlass and get the ship under way (a fair wind was blowing at the time. They all refused stating that they wanted to see a magistrate. One of the prisoners here stated that they were willing to go to work again if they had a guarantee forthe expense of an enquiry lately tried before this Court with reference to the ship’s forecastle. Mr Thomas, on behalf of the captain of the vessel, stated that the defendants would not be charged with the expenses referred to; and the Resident Magistrate endorsed the ship’s articles to a like effect, and ordered the prisoners on board again. CIVIL CASE. Beath and Co. v Husband, claim £27 8a for goods pilfered. Mr Thomas I. Joynt appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr H. N. Nalder for the defendant. The evidence was very lengthy, and after Mr H. N. Nalder and Mr Joynt had addressed the Court at great length; judgment was given for the defendant. KAIAPOI. Monday, August 10. (Before G. L. Hellish, Esq., R.M., and E. G. Kerr, Esq., Mayor.) CATTLE TRESPASS. J. Kinley, owner of three horses, and J. Rich, owner of three horses, were each fined 5s and 6s 6d costs, for allowing the same to stray on public roads. RAILWAY ACT. Thomas Preece was charged on the information of the station-master at Kaiapoi that on 6th August he travelled in a second-class carriage from Rangiora to Kaiapoi without a ticket, and intended to evade payment of Mr McKenna, station-master, said accused came in by the 9.15 a.m train. When let out of the carriage he had no ticket, and said he had not had one. T. Pearce, porter, stated, accused toW him he had neither ticket or money, but was* one of the planting gang. Witness asked him to pay his fare, as the planters were only allowed to travel by the first and last train, when accused made use of improper language. The foreman of the planting gang was called, and stated that the accused had not been employed for the five previous days, and had no authority to travel free. Accused admitted the offence, but submitted that it was a mere accident.

The Bench fined him 10s, and costs 14s or in default seven days’ imprisonment with labor. BOROUGH BYE-LAWS. Thomas Alexander, a little boy, was charged on the information of the police with having on August Ist discharged fireworks in a thoroughfare contrary to the byelaws. W. Harris stated he saw accused and four or five other lads firing crackers near a house, and also throwing them at a little girl. The little girl named Smith, living at the immigrants depot, gave evidence that the accused threw crackers on to the house, and one nearly hit her face. Constable Haldane, who conducted the case, observed that the Bench had been told on a former occasion that he had given boys permission to fire crackers. He had done nothing of the kind, and capital had been made of this by accused’s father to sell crackers to the boys. W. Alexander said he had cautioned his boy, and if he was punished it was his own fault.

The Bench considered this was becoming a serious nuisance ; there were plenty of places where boys could let off fireworks without annoying persons, but they would dismiss the case if accused’s father would give him a thrashing. The father said he would rather the boy was fined, as he would feel it in that way. He would have to save his money up to pay it, or they might lock him up for a short time.

Fined Is, Court costs 14s, and witness Smith allowed Is, or, in default, 24 hours' imprisonment. The fine was paid. W. Wright was charged with having obstructed Sewell street by leaving a building thereon from the 2nd to the 6th of August, contrary to the by-laws. Accused admitted the offence. In the first place he had applied for the Council to grant him three days to remove it* and they only gave him twenty-four hours, which was, in his opinion, altogether inconsistent. Then he had sprained his leg, the weather was wet so that the men would not work, and he had made an error of judgment in Supposing he could remove the building in three days; he had not been able to get a team to draw it, and was compelled to get it along on rollers ; he had used the best of his ingenuity to save the glass from breaking and keep the building Whole.- ; , , ' ; The Bench having considered this defence, agreed that as three, days h/id been allowed before the informations were laid, to inflict a fine of 10s per day ; total, 60s, and costs 16s 6d. ft* ! PUBLIC HOUSE ORDINANCE. A report bn J. Skelton’s application for a county hotel license at Oxford, adjourned from the annual meeting, was handed in’; by Mounted Sergeant Mullin, It stated that the additions to the hptel- were all but- completed, and it afforded good accommodation at present. ~ , r . , r ( - , , , ( - • civil cases. ■ A. Thompson v H, J, Wood ; application to eject defendant from dwelling-house and premises. Plaintiff agreed to allow one week./The Bench: was' satisfied wflth his title to the property, and made an order for defendant to leave the premises within one week. H. Anderson v J, Alexander ; claim, £4 4s ; 6d ; paid £2. No appearance of defendant. Judgment for plaintiff for amount and costs., . , . ..