MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 764, 1 December 1876, Page 3

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Thursday, November 30, (Before G. L. Mellish, Esq, R.M.) Affiliation. — James Reid was summoned for failing to contribute towards the support of his illegitimate child, of which Annie Carmichael is the mother. Dr Foster appeared for complainant. Defendant was not in Court, and his Worship ordered that the arrears, amounting to £3 18s, should be paid within forty eight hours, in default, one mouth’s imprisonment. The adjourned case against Henry Hebden for failing to support hie illegitimate child, of which Alice Hankins is the mother, was called on. Mr Joynt appeared for the defendant, and Mr Izard for complainant. Mr Joynt told his Worship that if he were ruled against on the point of the dismissal of a previous information between the partus, raised by him last week, he would advance further arguments. After lengthy remarks from counsel, his Worship said he agreed with Mr Joynt’s contentions, and dismissed the case

Maliciously Damaging Shrubs, James Gapes, jun, was charged on summons with having maliciously damaged some shrubs belonging to Mrs Emma Page, Creek road. I'videnco was given that some men were engaged cutting a drain near defendant’s place on the 22nd instant, and de fendant was seen to cut some pieces off a geranium bush in defendant’s garden, which was valued at £l. Defendant said that ho was painting a house next door that day, and bad broken the tree with a ladder by accident. Ordered to pay 10s damage, Failing to Support his Wife,—ln the adj mined ca?e against John Hickliag for failing to contribute to the support of his

wife, Mr Thomas appeared for complainant, and Mr J. S. Williams for defendant. An order for 15s a week had been made against defendant some time since, and it was stated that there were thirteen weeks in arrear. Mr Williams consented, on behalf of his client, to an order to pay £9 15s arrears to date and costs, 6s 6d, and said he had given notice to the opposite side that he would apply for a hearing to have the order reversed. The case was then proceeded with. Mr Williams in his cross-examination of complainant, and by the evidence of defendant, tried to show that her conduct had been such as to permit of the order bring reversed; but this was disproved by the evidence of several witnesses called by Mr Thomas. Mr Williams said he was instructed that several witnesses could be produced by his client which would confirm defendant’s statements. His Worship granted the adjournment, defendant to pay £1 Is costs. Case adjourned for a week. Abusive Language. —Catherine Skelleu was summoned for using abusive language to Sarah Dunlop on 2nd November. The evidence was very contradictory, and his Worship ordered defendant to pay 6s 6d costs. Friday, December 1. [Before G. L. Hellish, Esq, R.M.J Drunk andDisoderly— J ohanna Mahoney was lined 5s and Is cab fare, Joseph Hannan ss. T. F, Hallwell, who was suffering very much from the effects of drink, was remanded for a week for medical treatment. Violent Assault.— -James McGill was charged with having violently assaulted Ellen Jordon in a house in Lyttelton street on Thursday morning, occasioning grevious bodily harm. ' Mary Welstead gave evi dence of the nature of the assault. Inspector Buckley stated to the Bench that the woman had been taken to the hospital, She was injured externally, and also believed to be internally. He would ask for a remand for a week. Accused asked that he might be admitted to bail, as he had horses which would require to be attended; he had not committed the assault as stated. His Worship said he would not grant bail until he received a report from the doctor of the woman’s actual state. Remanded to the 7th instant. LYTTELTON. Friday, December J. (Before W. Donald, Esq, R.M.) LARCENY . —Robert Clem meat a was accused of this offence. Constable Devine stated that at 12.30 p.m. on Thursday he saw prisoner without any boots on run out of the Mitre Hotel followed by the barmaid, who called out that he had robbed the till; he immediately followed prisoner and arrested him in a right-of-way by Mr Young’s shop in Canterbury street. He found Us in silver on the prisoner, and Mr John Cameron coming up said that accused must have a sovereign about him as he had stolen one from the bar. The prisoner denied having the sovereign and put some tobacco in his mouth, but the constable suspecting something, forced him to open his jaw, and the sovereign was found under his tongue. Fanny Turvey said —I am a barmaid at the Mitre Hotel. Yesterday afternoon I was attending at the lower bar, when prisoner came and called for four drinks, and eighteen pennyworth of rum. He paid' me 2s for the drinks, but did not pay for the rum. I put the rum on the counter, and accused took it and put it in his coat pocket, but I watched my opportunity and recovered it. Prisoner then went to sleep. There was a sovereign and some silver in the till: I cannot tell the exact amount. I went into another room, leaving prisoner alone in the bar, but hearing a noise 1 returned and found the prisoner bad taken his boots off, and that the till was open, he ran away, and I wont after him and caught him in another room ; he gave mess, and then got away from me. I called to Mr Cameron and the police. The man ran up Canterbury street, and was arrested by a constable. I then went back to the bar, and found that the sovereign and some of the silver in the bar were missing. John Cameron sworn, said that prisoner had been accused by another man of having stolen 2s from him that morning. He also corroborated the constable’s evidence regarding prisoner’s arrest, and the money being found on him. The Bench sentenced accused to four months’ imprisonment with hard labor. Absent without Leave.— Wm. Rodgerson was accused by Captain Parker, of the ship Langatone, with this offence, and sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment with hard labor.