MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 339, 14 July 1875, Page 3

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Wednesday, July 14. (Before G. L. Hellish, Esq, R.M.) Drunk and Disorderly.— Edward Goodacre, for this offence, was fined 20. Wife Desertion. Archibald Knowles was charged with having deserted his wife on sth July last. Detective Bettington deposed to having arrested prisoner on a warrant. Mrs Knowles gave evidence of the desertion complained of, and stated that her husband had been drinking very hard lately. The prisoner was ordered to pay 10s per week towards the support *of his wife and two children. LYTTELTON. Tuesday, July 13. (Before W Donald, Esq, R.M.) Cattle Trespass. —J. R. Webb and Samuel Hall were charged with allowing cattle to want er at large on the Governor’s Bay road. The former was fined 20s and costs and the latter 5s and costs. Dog Nuisance. —Mohi Rakuraku, Hohaiu Kotufci, and James Scott, natives belonging to Raupaki, were charged with having unregistered dogs in their possession. Constable Wallace proved the offence, and the Bench ordered the accused to pay the costs, in consideration of their having since registered the dogs complained of. RANGIORA. Tuesday, July 13. (Before C. Whitefoord, Esq, R.M., and A. H Cunningham, Esq.] Railway Act. —John Vavasour, aged 11 years, on remand, was charged that on 10th instant, with intent to obstruct or upset a train ; also with being a neglected child, and with having escaped from legal custody. Constable Haddrell stated accused was given in custody the railway officials. He informed witness that he ran away from home because his father beat him ; that he lad stayed at Monk’s Kaikanui Hotel, Kaiapoi, and slept at Steggall’s mill on the 9th. He had never been to school and could neither read nor write. He obtained leave to go to the closet on Monday and made good his escape for a few hours, but was re-arrested by witness. E. Haworth, engine-driver, said on nearing Fernside on 10th he saw a large stone on the line (stone produced, weighing 31 bs or 41bs, split in half by the iron guard in front of the engine wheel), and before he could stop the train was over it and near to another (about the same size, and also produced), which was placed on the metal. Witness sent the guard after the lad, and he caught him. He first saw the boy on the line when the train was nearly a mile from him. B. Monk stated that the boy came to him with a story that his mother was dead and his father had run away ; he was almost naked and starving. He took care of him for a few days, when the boy said he had been promised a place at Rangiora, and went away, E. Steggall, Southbrook Mill, said the boy came to him on Friday asking for a job. He said he was hungry. He gave him his tea and Is. He said Mr Monk had sent him away for giving his horses too much to eat. The boy slept near the oatmeal kiln that night. John Vavasour said accused was his son, eleven years of age ; he left his home four weeks ago, and had run away several times previously. Witness and the boy’s mother lived at New Brighton. Witness sold fish ; he had four head of cattle and twenty acres of land, and was a Roman Catholic; Accused informed the Bench he had been picking up stones near the line, and one or two might have fallen on to the rails. The Bench ordered him to be sent to the Naval Training Station atKohimarama for a term of three years, and to be brought up in the tenets of the Roman Catholic religion, his father to pay 5s a week towards his maintenance.