MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 600, 22 May 1876, Page 3

MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Monday, May 22. (Before G. L. Mellish, Esq, KM, and G. L. Lee, Esq., J.P.) Drunkenness. —Three iuebriates were brought up on this charge. Two were fined 58, and the other, having been disorderly and broken the constable's lamp, wa«i fined 10s, and ordered to pay 2s, the amount of damage done. Job Horwell, for being drunk and disorderly while in charge of a horse, was fined 'os. Obscene Language.—Thomas Jones, for this offence, was fined 10s. Embezlement op Goods by a Stationmaster —Thomas Radchffe, late stationmaster at the Bluff, was charged with embezzling a quantity of wine, bser, and whiskey. Mr Garrick appeared to prosecute, and Mr O'Neill for the prisoner. Geoige Smith, clerk in Wood and Shand's store, deposed to sending certain packages for his employer. He identified a gin case, a barrel and a stone jar produced. There were a dozen bottles of whisky in one case, five gallons of beer in the cask, and four dozen of port wine in the stone jar. These were part of sixteen packages addressed to Mr John Crook of the Bluff station. Did not know the value of the articles in question. He received the receipts from the railway station when the goods were sent away. John Crook, deposed he was a publican residing at theHororata. He instructed Messrs Wood, Sband and Co, of Christchurch to forward him cerlain goods, viz, the goods mentioned in the receipt produced. They were to be forwarded to the Bluff station. Prisoner was in charge of the station at the Bluff. Witness made application to him on the 9th instant for the goods. Found all the packages there but one. One of the casks had been broken in he believed ; it was the came cask as those produced. Lifted the case and said " I think this is empty." Prisoner replied " its a lie, there are eight bottles." Witness then said if there are eight bottles, what's become of the other forty. He replied '* I suppose I hare had some of it," and added that he would replace the beer as he had touched nothing else, if witness would sign for the lot. This, however, he refused to do. Some of the cases appeared to have been opened and the seals broken, Witness put some marks on the case, and identified that present as the one. Did not lift the jar ; merely judged it from appearances, the seal being broken. Subsequently witness and police made an examination. All the beer was gone; eleven of the bottles of whiskey, and the jar of port wine. Frisoner had told them that the jar of wine was in his office. They went there. The cork wos loose, but there was ut little port wine in the jar. The sergeant asked prisoner if be had not la 1 any of that, and he thn ssid that he mignt as well speak the truth; he had had a littl i of it, and he then said he would pay for all that was goue if witness could let the thing drop, which, however, he declined to do. By Mr O'Neill —Prisoner said the cask was open when it arrived at the station. Can't say that he said the cork was out of the wine jar wheu it arrived. He did not say why it was put in the office. He denied having touched the whiskey. A witness in the prosecutor's employ deposed that the value of the goods stolen was over £5. A witness living near the prisoner deposed to the latter having given him and his mate port wine in a pannikin out of a stone jar. Prisoner was drunk at the time he gave the witnesses the wine. Sergeant Bertanshaw deposed to arresting the prisoner. Godfrey Jeffries, in theemploy of the Canterbury Railways, deposed that defendant was travelling clerk. His duties were to attend at the station and receive and deliver goods. There was a great deal of work at the Bluff, and at that time he was permanently stationed there. The prisoner reported to witness that the goods had been broached, and sent in a written statement that two jars had been received, and that one was missing. Robert McLeay, storeman iK the railway department at Christchurch, deposed to receiving the goods mentioned in the bill of lading. They were loaded up in waggon 360, and forwarded to Whitecliff Junction; they were in good order and condition. Edward Murphy, a guard on the railway line, deposed to taking waggon 360 on to Rolleston, where it was shunted on to the Whitecliff and Malvern line. Richard Frome deposed to receiving the waggon in question at Rolleston, and taking it to Whitecliff. John Thomas, another witness in the employ of the Government, deposed to having handed the waggon over to the prisoner. Mr O'Neill said he would call witnesses of character in mitigatiou of punishment. Two witnesses were then called, and gave the prisoner a good character. His weakness was getting a little drop too much. The Bench sentenced the prisoner to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. Illegally on Premises.—A case of this kind against Edward Norton Taylor was withdrawn. LYTTELTON. Monday, May 22. [Before W. Donald, Eeq, R.M-1 Drunk and Disorderly and Resisting Police. An inebriate, charged with the above offence, arrested by Constable Mcintosh, was fined 20s. Drunk and Disorderly.—Harry Hickson, a seaman on board the Island City, barque, was charged by Captain Brown with the above offence, on board the vessel, on Saturday night. The Bench sentenced accused to 17 hours' imprisonment with hard labour. . Vagrancy.—John Ross was accused ot this offence ; he was arrested by Constable Moutray ou Saturday night, sleeping in a, straw shed on Peacock's Wharf. The Bench sentenced accused to 48 hours'imprisonment. James Eraser was charged with a Bin " la -!; offence. Constable Wait stated he had arrested prisoner this morning, as he had seen him soliciting alms from several persons, and also loafing round the public houses on the chance of getting a drink. The Bench sentenced accused to one weeks' imprisonment with hard labour.