MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 812, 29 January 1877, Page 3

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Monday, January 29. (Before G. 1. Mellish, Esq., R.M.) Drunk and Disorderly. James McAuslin was fined 10s, and John Wilson, 5s ; Five inebriates, who appeared for the first time, were each fined ss, and one, who had been admitted to bail, K)s. Neglected Children. John Albert Baufill and Wm E. Banfill, two boys, six and (seven years of age respectively, were brought up under Hie Neglected Children’s Act. A Mrs Steele stated that the children were left with her by their father about three weeks ago. At the time he said he would come back for them ia a day or two.

Believed he was working in the bush near Porter’s Pass. His Worship ordered the boys to be sent to the Industrial School, each for seven years, to be brought up in the Roman Catholic faith, and also instructed that their father should be looked after. Horses and Cattle at Large.— For permitting horses and cattle to wander at large the following peusons were each fined r 3 George Beattie, (t. Baron, Albert Brown, H. Knowles, Evers McKenzie, Thomas Feast,, E, J. Comer, E. Falloon, S. Taylor, and J. Rosser. Tethering a Horse. —Joseph Free, summoned for tethering a horse, sufficiently near Armagh street to allow it to trespass on the footpath, was fined ss. Driving Without a License. — Frederick Palmer was charged with driving a licensed cab without holding a driver’s license. It was shown by the evidence of the town clerk that the cab was not licensed for the present year, but was being worked under a permit until the Council had time to consider and issue licenses. Defendant stated that he had not applied for a license for this year. His Worship said that the bye-law held that the license was in force until the 31st December. The town clerk said the licenses would be issued at the meeting of the Council to beheld that evening. Inspector Buckley told his Worship that the Council would not grant defendant a license, and he was at present working in opposition to them. His Worship said perhaps an information might be sustained for plying for hire with an unlicensed cab; the present case would, however, be dismissed. A second information against same defendant was withdrawn. An information of a similar nature was laid against John Miller. Mr Thomas appeared for the defendant, and said that he proposed contending that his client was licensed, as he had tendered his money, though the town clerk would not receive it. The clause of the bye-law distinctly laid down that the license might be renewed on the 31st December, giving the Council no option to withhold it if payment were tendered. His client had never been brought up before that Court for any offence, and it was too hard that his means of livelihood should be taken from him without being given an opportunity of replying to the reasons why his license was withheld. There were eighteen other cabdrivers similarly situated, who would be quite willing to acquiesce in the decision of the Council if they were first given an opportunity of being heard. Under the circumstances he considered he was justified iu raising every point. Case dismissed. Breach of Public Works Act. —John and Jane Beattie were charged with having travelled frem Ashburton to Christchurch un 26 th December without having paid the proper railway fare or being authorised to travel without a ticket. Evidence was given that defendants had travelled on a workman’s pass which had been issued to an employe and his wife. The case against the female was dismissed, and Beattio was lined 60s. , . -nr Using Threatening Language, d. J. McCallman was summoned for having used threatening language towards George Addington. Mr Pr* J appeared for complainant From evidence of the complainant, it Appeared that he went to the Bealey Station on '26th December for a load of coals. Some conversation took place about its being a holiday, when complainant called defendant a scamp. Defendant, who is stationmaster there, used the language complained of and kicked the. horse, causing him to start off. Complainant also stated that in in his belief defendant must have been under the influence of liquor at the time. This evidence was corroborated generally by the evidence of a man who was present with complainant at the time, but also said the nearest public-house to the station is seven miles. Defendant, iu his evidence, stated that the day in question was a holiday. Complainant came for a load of coals, and, when told he could not have them, he used very violent and uncalled-for language. Witness then ordered him off the premises, and gently touched the horse to have it walk away from the platform. Complainant had requested witness to load the coal himself, and also threatened he would do witness an injury, as on a previous occasion he (witness) had to complain of a mat of sugar being sent along the line to him (complainant) as a parcel. The language used by complainant was very aggravating, the more so as that day was a very busy passenger day. A portion of this evidence was corroborated by defendant’s wife, who said that, as far as the drink was considered, there was not a drop of any kind in the house that day. A son of defendant’s gave evidence of some of the language Addington had used to his father. Inspector Feast told the Bench that he had known McCallum for years, both while he was in the police and before, and he knew he was not a man given to using violent language or drinking to excess. Mr Templar, in whose employ complainant is, gave him an excellent character for sobriety. He was a man of a very peaceable disposition, and he had never heard him use bad language. His Worship told complainant that, when he went for the coals, he addressed the station-master iu anything but a conciliatory manner. Defendant had, however, lost his temper without a doubt, and had used language which no railway official should use to any person. He would dismiss the case A cross summons between the parties was also dismissed. Affiliation. A case of this nature against John McAlpin was adjourned until the 30th instant. Breach op Registration Act —W. H. Massinger was summoned for neglecting to register the birth of bis child Defendant admitted the offence and was fined 20s. ABUSIVE LANGUAGE. -Alexander Scrimgeour was summoned for using abusive language towards Ann Bridges ou the 19th inst. This was shown to be a neighbor’s quarrel, and as defendant expressed an in<eution of leaving the neighborhood, his Worship ordered him to pay the costs of the case. ASSAULT.— -Thomas Hawkins was summoned lor assaulting a young lad named Henry Jordan, A misunderstanding had arisen between defendant and the parents of the lad, about using water from a well jjjon defendant’s premises. The boy took a bucket f« r some water on the 16th inst, when defendant hi Tied him round by the arm, and moke the bucket. His Worship fined him .e, and ordered him to pay 3s 6d value of the bucket. Stephen Laurence was charged with assaulting Thomas Wheeler on the 23id inst. Both parties are cabmen, and com plainant called defendant a liar on the nighi m question, when defendant struck him violently twice, giving him a bia<& eye. Fined 10s and cosis.

LYTTELTON. ', T . ; Monday, January 29. (Before W. Donald, E c q, R.M.) Drunk and Fighting in Public Streets.— John Armstrong, Walter Everson, and Hi-nry Mulley, three boys belonging to the ship Rangitiki, were brought up chsrged by Constable Devine with the above offences, and fined 10s, or, in default, forty-eight hours’ imprisonment each.