MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 691, 6 September 1876, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Tuesday, September 5. (Before G. L. Mellish, Esq, R.M., and 0. L. Lee, Esq, J.P. Larceny as a Bailee.— William McKecver was charged on summons with having converted to his own use a horse collar, the property of Wm. White. Mr Garrick appeared to prosecute, and Mr Jameson for the defence. Prosecutor stated that on the 17ih August, he supplied defendant with a set of harness, and lent him an old collar until witness could make one, which he measured the horse for at the time. Three or four days afterwards witness received a notice that defendant had called a meeting of his creditors. Witness went to him and asked for the harness. Defendant refused to give it up, and said he was going to leave it for the 'oenefit of all his creditors. Having after wards heard that defendant had sold the harness, witness went to him, and was told by defendant that he had sold the harness to M'r Roundtree. Witness then asked for 1 he old collar, and was told by defendant that if he wanted it be must go to D|r Roundtiee for it. Witness told defendant that this

collar belonged to a person named Hart. He (witness) had had to purchase it since. When witness went to Roundtree, he refused to let him have the collar. Afterwards saw defendant, and told ’ him Roundtree would not give up th,e collar unless he supplied him with a new one. Defendant told witness not to come bothering, as he was only aggravating him. Had not spoken to him since. Was quite save that ha did not give defendant the collar, and this he understood at the time. The value of the old collar was 12s 6d, and of the whole of the harness £lO, and would have been £ll had the new collar been charged for. Mr Roundtree refused to give up the collar the previous day in the presence of Detective Bettington. Detective Bettingron called, gave evidence of going to Roundtree, with last witness, the previous day, and his refusing to give up the collar produced unless he got a new one in its place. Mr Jameson called John Roundtree, who stated that he purchased a horse and set of harness from McKeever. McKeever had owed witness a bill, which had arrived at maturity, and which witness refused to renew. McKeever gave him the horse and a set of harness, which was to be valued at £2B 16s 6d, the amount of the bill. When the harness was delivered witness told McKeever that an old collar had been sent, and McKeever then told him he could have the new collar when White had finished it. He did not purchase the old collar, and refused to give it up until the new one was delivered to him, Mr Jameson addressed the Bench for his client, contending that the charge of larceny as a bailee could not, under the circumstances, be sustained. After Mr Garrick had dwelt on the evidence for the prosecution, his Worship said he scarcely thought this was a case in which he could convict, but it was an uncommonly close piece of shaving. His doubt was, whether defendant intended to sell this particular collar ; but it was none the less a scandalous transaction on the part of McKeever ; a transaction he (his Worship) was indeed sorry defendant should have been guilty of. The case would be dismissed, and the collar would be given up to White.

Wednesday, September 6. [Before G. L. Mellish, Esq, R M., and W. H. Pelliett, Esq, J.P.) Drunk and Disorderly. —An inebriate who appeared for the first time was fined,ss. Wife Desertion. —Henry Shirwell was brought up, arrested on the charge of deserting his wife at Dunedin. Accused said he had only just got into work, and had been out of employment for the last three months. He was at present earning 9s a day. He had no family. His wife was in good health, and able to work, but was not willing to do so. Inspector Buckley told the Bench that a telegram had been received from the Commissioner of Police at Dunedin, asking that an order might be made. Ordered to pay 10s per week, first payment to be made on 13th inst. Larceny, Henry Birmingham was charged with the larceny of a butchers’ steel belonging to Mr F, Peiper, butcher, Colombo street. Detective Bettington had obtained the steel from Mrs Wells at the Immigration depot, Armagh street, which was afterwards identified by Mr Peiper as his property, and was missed by him last Thursday night. Accused when arrested had denied having been in Peiper’s shop on Thursday. F. Peiper remembered being called into his shop on Thursday last. Accused was there, and asked for some meat on credit. Had been using the steel produced a little while before he left the shop. Identified it as his property, and valued it at Bs. Mrs Wells stated that accused had been living at the depot. The day before the previous one her boy brought her the steel produced, which was afterwards claimed by accused’s son as belonging to his father, Thomas Thomson, residing at the depot, heard accused tell his wife that he had picked up a steel which had fallen from a butcher’s cart. A second charge of stealing a small roll of lead was then preferred against accused. Detective Bettington had received a parcel of lead produced from Mrs Wells. Mrs Wells called, stated that the lead produced had been found by her sou concealed under the verandah at the depot, Thomas Bullivant, contractor for the Palace Hotel, stated that accused had been working for him on two occasion. Identified the lead produced, as his property. It had been cut for the guttering. Valued it at 10s. Accused had no right so take it away. By accused—l don’t say you did take the lead away, I only swear it is mine. His Worship told accused that with regard to the lead case, the Bench would give him the benefit of a very slight doubt that existed in their minds, and dismiss that charge ; the other charge was vpry clear against him, and, as there, were two previous convictions against him for larceny, it was evident ho could not keep his hands to himself. He would be sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour,

LYTTELTON. Wednesday, September 6, (Before W Donald, Esq,, R M ) Breach op the Police Ordinance.— W. Gowlin, whose case had been adjourned for a week, was ordered to pay the costs of the summons. LICENSING COURT, LYTTELTON. Wednesday, September 6. (Before W. Donald, Esq, R.M. (chairman), and J. T. Bouse and fl. R. Webb, Esqs, Commissioners.) Patrick Cain, of the Harp of Brin, London street, applied for a renewal of the wine and beex license refused to him at last annual meeting, Mr H. N. Nalder appeared for Mr Cain. Messrs Pitcaithly and W, Austin opposed the license, stating the house was a great nuisance to the neighborhood when it was licensed. A great many of the inhabitants of London street bore testimony to the fact that the house was well conducted when licensed. Sergeant-Major O’Grady opposed, stating the accommodation was insufficient, and that there were already plenty of public houses in Lyttelton. The Bench, after much deliberation, announced they would grant the application for the ensuing nine months, cautioning the licensee that the renewal of the licence at the end of that time depended entirely on thr way in which the house was conducted. Ocean View Hotel, Governor’s Bay—J, E. Fitzgerald applied for a license for this hotel: Mr H. N. Nalder appeared in support of the application. The libense was granted. Transfers. An application for the transfer of the license of the Albion Hotel, from Stephen Baily to R. Anderson, \Y aB granted. A license for an additional bar at the Mitre Hotel wae granted to J. S, Camejoo,