MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 713, 2 October 1876, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Monday, October 2. (Before G. L. Mellish, Esq, R.M.) Drunk and Disorderly. —One inebriate, who appeared for the first time, was fined 5s and another was discharged. Drunk and Assaulting the Police.—J, W. Fulton, charged -with being drunk, assaulting the arresting constable, and breaking a pane of glass in the shop window of Mr Howell, saddler, Cashel street, was fined 20s, and ordered to pay 30s value of the glass. Drunk and Using Obscene Language. —Frank Snedden, who had been arrested for drunkenness and using obscene language, and who also had resisted the constable, was fined 20s.

Larceny of a Coat. —Edwin Turner was charged on remand with the larceny of a coat, the property of Mr Cowell. Mr Thomas said he appeared for the accused to ask for his discharge. Inspector Feast handed in a telegram from Mr James, Commissioner of Police at Westland, saying the prosecutor was ill in-bed and would not be able to leave there for a few days. H (Inspector Feast) would ask for a further remand for a fortnight. Mr Thomas said that on a previous occasion when he submitted

testimonials possessed by the accused, Mr Feast laid great stress on the improbability of [their genuinness. He (Mr Thomas) did not for one moment desire to say that Mr W. H. James had not sent the telegram handed in, but he {thought that stronger evidence should have been sent than the bare telegram of the inability of the prosecutor to be present. There had been plenty of time to have procured this, as previous to the accused escaping from gaol he had already been remanded a fortnight on this charge. He had since suffered a month’s imprisonment for that mistaken act of his, and though he had brought all this upon himself, he felt he (accused) had suffered sufficiently for what he had done, and remembering his Worship’s expression when accused was last before the Court, as to the course he would take in the absence of the prosecutor, he would ask his Worship to discharge the man. His Worship said he would not be inclined to further remand the accused. Inspector Feast asked that accused might be remanded upon his own recognizances. His Worship would remember that Mr Cowell was a traveller, and had to attend to his business in all parts of New Zealand, Mr Thomas said Inspector Feast seemed very persistent and determined .to have the man at all hazards. His Worship said he would be inclined to remand the accused on his own recognizances in the sum of £2O. Remanded until 16th Oct. Assaulting his Wipe.—A charge against Benjamin Gahagan, for assaulting wife, was remanded until the 3rd instant, in the absence of the prosecutrix.