MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 189, 16 January 1875, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

«. CHRISTCHURCH. Saturday, January 16. (Before R. Westenra, Esq., J.P.) DRUNK AND DISORDERLY. Richard Harper for being drunk, resisting, and striking Constable Beck, was fined 20s and cab-hire. Thomas Pyne, for this offence was discharged with a caution. Patrick Butlei - , who had twice been convicted ,of drunkenness this year, was fined 40s o 96 hours. Walter, C. Rudd, charged \Hth being drunk and using improper language, was discharged with a caution. ’ FORGING AND UTTERING. Frederick Cooper was charged on warran t with forging the name of A. Cardaie to » cheque for £l7 10s, drawn on the Bank of New Zealand, and with having uttered the same. Chief detective Feast stated that he ar rested the prisoner the previous day in manager’s room of the Bank of New ZesM land. The prisoner admitted having made fool of himself. There were two charges of forgery and uttering against the prisoner; one for forging an order, and the other the cheque to which Mr Cardell’s name had been attached. As Mr Cardaie was not in town, he would ask for a remand. Remanded until W ednesday next. THEFT. Catherine Ford alias Kellar, was charged with stealing a tin billy from the observatory at Burnham, the property of Major Palmer. Mr Thomas appeared for the accused, and asked that the evidence might be taken down in writing, as the present case would probably lead to further action being taken. Constable Ayres stated that he proceeded the previous day to Burnham to the residence of Major Palmer.' That gentleman told him he had lost several articles, among others, a tin billy, and suspected they were in prisoner’s bedroom, who was employed as cook there. Major Palmer told him that, if he found the articles in her room, he was to take her into custody. Searched the room in presence of Rimer [and Collie, and under the prisoner’s bed, he found the tin produced nailed down in a tea-chest and full of currant jelly. Asked the prisoner was that her billy, and she said not, but that it belonged to Major Palmer. The butler identified the tin as his master’s (Major Palmer) property. Informed Major Palmer what he had found, and learnt nothing but the tin could be identified. Major Palmer then told him (witness) to take the prisoner into custody. By Mr Thomas—The prisoner was not present when Major Palmer spoke to me of the loss. The room in which the tin was found was occupied by the prisoner. Major Palmer did not say that the jelly belonged to him. The tin was in the tea chest, and the cover nailed down hard. It was under the bed. The prisoner told me she had put the tin there to hold the jelly. She did not deny that she had the tin, nor did she attempt to conceal it. She said she made the jelly, and that it was her own. Was present when prisoner went into Major Palmer’s room, and begged him on her knees to forgive her, and she would never be guilty of such a thing again. She did not ask him to forgive her for using the billy. Will not swear she did not say anything about using it. Major Palmer said the tin had been missed for a week, and she must have had some knowledge of it, as she had had it concealed in her room. He did not say that he had asked his servants about the billy. Major Palmer did not complain of having lost a piece of a leg of lamb or other cold meat, he only said he had lost other little articles. He (Major Palmer) did not claim the tin as There was nothing said to him about Mr White, furniture dealer coming up to take an inventory of the things, but the prisoner told him (witness) he was going up for that purpose. Major Palmer told me he was going to leave Burnham yesterday by the' six o’clock train. There was only a pair of slippers and soma small things in the tea chest, which prisoner said were hers. Searched another box of prisoner’s but found nothing claimed by Major Palmer. George H. Rimer, steward to Major Palmer, stated that several articles had lately been missed at the observatory. He (witness) had mentioned to prisoner three times (twice directly and once indirectly), the loss of the billy which used to come to the station with milk. The prisoner replied that only one billy had come. Was present when the billy was found in a small teachest in the prisoner’s room. The value of the tin was about 2s and it belonged to the mess. Did not think the prisoner was present when the billy was found. By Mr Thomas—The billy was full of jelly or syrup when found. Did not think it belonged to Major Palnier, he at least had not complained to him (witness) of the loss of any jelly. There was no rule in the house which would prevent the prisoner from taking the billy to her room for her own use. He (witness) had to deliver all the goods to Mr White on Monday next. Prisoner did not attempt to take the billy from the station, as it was taken away by the constable. The jelly or syrup in the tin was of such a consistency that if it had been removed it would have spilled into the chest. The prisoner was to have left the station to-day (Saturday) and she knew that Mr White was coming up yesterday to take an inventory. By Inspector Buckley—The prisoner said she had only taken the billy for use after she was arrested. Mr Thomas addressed the Bench on behalf of the prisoner, and cited authorities to show that evidence of felonious taking to deprive the owner permanently would have to be adduced, and in this case there had been no fraudulent taking within the meaning of the Larceny Act. He would ask that the charge be dismissed. His Worship said there was no doubt of the intent, as the tin had been found in a chest which was nailed down. However, as the case was rather a trivial one it would be dismissed, but prisoner must be careful as he saw from the records that she had appeared in Court before. Case dismissed, LYTTELTON. Friday, January 15. [Before W. Donald, Esq, E.M.] STOWAWAY. Peter Stenhouse was charged by Mr Dougherty, purser of s.s. Ladybird, with this offence, and ordered to pay £4, or, iq default, one week’s imprisonment.

LEBSTON. Thursday, January 14. (Before H. P. Hill and R. B, Willis, Esqs., J.P.’s.) DRUNK AND ILLEGALLY ON PREMISES. Fran* Burn was brought up in custody of Constable Smith, charged with having been illegally on the premises of Mr Smith, and with having violently assaulted the constable whilst in the execution of his duty. Fined in all 745. RANGIORA. Friday, January 16. (Before (J. Whitefoord, Esq., R.M.) DRUNK AND ILLEGALLY ON PREMISES. John Mitchell was charged with this offence. Mounted-Sergeant Wallace deposed that he arrested the prisoner on the premises of Mr George Cone, at midnight on the 14th. Fined 20s, and costs.