MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 882, 23 April 1877, Page 3

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Monday, April 23. (Before G. L. Lee and John* Anderson, Ifsq.’s, J.P.’s.) Drunk and Disorderly. —George Cook, charged with drunkenness, was fined ss. Mary Cunningham, against whom there were a large number of convictions, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour. William Aubrey was fined os. Two inebriates who appeared for the first time were each fined ss. Thomas Henderson, against whom there were a number of convictions for drunkenness, was sentenced to one months’ imprisonment with hard labour. Thomas Murphy was fined 20s. Lunacy eroji Drink. —Patrick Harnett, who had been arrested at the Central Hotel at two o’clock in the morning, was remanded to Lvttclton for a week for medical treatment. "Wife Desertion. —A charge against Joseph Hannan, arrested at Timaru for deserting his wife, was withdrawn at the request of Mrs Hannan. Stealing a Watch. —John Wilson and William Douglas were charged with stealin,, a watch from the person of Charles Gosling. From the evidence it appeared that "Wilson offered a watch for sale to detective Walker on Saturday last, at the White Swan Hotel, saying ho bought it in Melbourne twelve months ago. The detective then arrested him on the charge of stealing a watch from Gosling in January last. After beiim arrested he said he got the watch from a man who was at the Magistrate s Court with him on Saturday last, and that at the time he knew it was crooked. Douglas was the man who was with him at the Court, and when arrested later in the evening said he found the watch on the Riccarton road in January last, and had planted it in the grass where‘he was harvesting. He had told Wilson all about it a few days ago and he said he could dispose of it, and so he gave it to him. Tho prosecutor; called, deposed

to being intoxicated at the Warwick hotel on 15th January last. He didn’t remember leaving the hotel, but when he came somewhat to himself later in the night found he was in a house in Colombo street. At three o’clock in the afternoon he had a new silver watch, a pocket-book containing receipts and papers, two pipes, and other property. He got hack to Warner's Hotel that night, and when lie came quite to himself next morning found he had been robbed. The watch produced was the one he lost. Had given £l2 for it to a watchmaker at Tiraaru about three weeks before he lost it. Had only given one watch away in his lifetime, and it wasn’t to such people as either of the accused. Const able Brooks, called, deposed to arresting the man Douglas in Christchurch for drunkenness on 12th January last. The evidence was read over to the accused. After receiving the usual caution, Douglas said he admitted having the watch, but was innocent of stealing it. Wilson reserved his defence. Committed for trial at the next criminal session at the Supreme Court.

Larceny. —Walter Cole was brought up charged with the larceny of two rings from the house of M. Smith, at Templeton. Accused resided in a portion of same house, and on 14th March last Mrs Smith went from home for a week, locking the rooms in which she lived. The front key, to which accused had access, opened the door of her bedroom, and on her return she missed the rings. A few days ago, when sweeping out her brother’s house where accused had called, Mrs Smith found a pawn ticket for the rings which had been pawned at Stewart’s shop. Witness identified the rings produced as those she had lost. 11. Alexander, working at the pawn shop, believed accused was the man to whom he had advanced 6s on the rings produced. The ticket in Court was the one lie made out at the time. Did not remember accused having taken a ringout of the shop about three weeks before this date. Mrs Smith, recalled, said accused had taken out a wedding ring for her once, but it was neither of the two now before the Court. Sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labor.

Breach of Public Works Act. —John Brodie was charged on summons with driving a number of sheep across the Northern line of railway near the Belfast Factory on the 21st March last, while a train was approaching. Mr Joynt appeared for defendant. It was shown by the evidence that there is a Yankee crossing at the spot where the sheep were being driven across, and an up train ran into the sheep killing a number of them. The high fences,on each side of the lane leading from the Northern road would prevent the train being seen, but it was stated by the driver and guard that the whistle had been blown on this occasion as usual when the train was approaching the crossing. The station master at the Belfast Factory stated that the company’s servants were always exceedingly careful when driving sheep over this crossing, and on this day he observed that the defendant ran from a field near, and did all ho could to head the sheep when he saw the train coming. Did not know whether defendant was driving the sheep or not. Mr Joynt submitted that the 157th section of the Act, under which the information was laid, contemplated that an offence of this kind must be shown to have been deliberately committed, and the whole of the evidence went to show that such had not been the case in this instance. The Bench held that the offence had been proved, and imposed a fine of £5. Breach of Railwan Regulations.— Peter Donelly was charged on summons with travelling on the Great Southern line on 9th instant with a ticket that had been issued by the guard the day before. The ticket boro the word “eight” written over the figure “9,” and it was also proved that defendant was not the man to whom the ticket had been issued. The Bench dismissed the case, asking that the alteration in the ticket should be brought under the notice of the Railway authorities, Horses and Cattle at Large. —For permitting horses and cattle to wander at large the following persons were fined 5s on each information: —A. Agncw 2, Geo. Baron, C. Turner, Julia Clarke 3, W. Brookcr, Dan. Mulholland, Luke Adams 2, R. Beattie, Sam. Denham, John Lee. Miscellaneous. —A charge against Richcl. Offwood for not being in attendance on his horse and cart, was dismissed. Joseph Wade, summoned for plying for hire on 11th inst, without having taken out a license at the time, was fined 10s. Hugh Wade, for a similar offence, was fined 10s. For driving a cow through the streets during prohibited hours, David Gibb was fined 10s. William Vague, for driving a cow and calf, was fined 10s. T. F. Raddeley, summoned for furiously driving a horse and buggy along Colombo street on the night of 12th inst., was fined 20s. For wheeling a barrow on a footpath, Richard Rye was fined 10s. David McKenzie, for not being in attendance on his horse and cab, was fined 10s. Thos. Goodyear w r as summoned for being the owner of an unlicensed cab on 10th inst. It was shown that defendant held a license for two cabs —11 and 22. The latter vehicle had been sent for repairs on this date, and the former number had been chalked on the carriage substituted, instead of the number 22, so that there were two elevens out. The Bench held that, though two licenses had been taken out by defendant, the vehicle substituted was not licensed. Fined 10s. Selwyn Davis and Wm. Dunn, charged on similar informations, were fined in a similar amount. The Bench remarked that a great deal of trouble would be saved in these cases if the date the license wus issued was mentioned on it. R. Belgrave, for allowing the lamp to go out over his licensed house—the Crown Hotel-—on the night of the 6th April, was fined 10s. Unregistered Dogs.—H. Ponninghouse, for having an unregistered dog for the current year in his possession, was fined 20s. Wm Veitch, for two dogs, was fined dOs. David Douglas, for a similar offence, was also fined 40s.

A Painful Cash.— Margaret Fowkc was summoned for using abusive language to her son, Thomas Fowke. Complainant detailed the conduct defendant had been guilty ol on March 26th, and subsequently, and said the language used had so annoyed himself and wife that he wished “the accused” to be bound over to keep the peace. Defendant asked complainant whether he had acted a good son to his father and herself. Defendant told the Bench that she was fifty-three years of age, had landed here with £5 and seven children. She had been a good mother to her son, and . had reared him up well under many difficulties, and he had turned out to be undutiful, because she would not separate from her husband, who was unfortunately slightly addicted to beer, and his (complainant’s) desire was to bury her and his father. Fined 10s, and cautioned not to repeat the offence. Defendant promised she would not; she was sorry to have

so forgotten herself, and would never speak to her son again. Failing to Ouey an Order. —Margaret Buchanan, summoned for failing to obey an order for the support of her child, was ordered to pay the arrears at the rate of 10s per month, in default, one month’s imprisonment. LYTTELTON. Monday, April 23. (Before W. Donald, Esq., E.M., and J. T. Rouse, Esq., J.P.) Drunkenness on Railway Premises. — C. Fowkes, arrested by Constable Moutray, was fined 10s, or in default forty-eight hours’ imprisonment. Embezzlement of Cargo. —Wm. Rogers and Wm. Wooincr were accused of this offence. John Rliind, master of the Carnatic ship, sworn, said —Accused are able seamen aboard my vessel, and lived in the forecastle. There was a box broken out of the cargo. After it was brought into the cabin it appeared as if a suit of clothes had been taken out. There were some shirts marked J. C. in the box, one of which I now produce. On Saturday I was walking on the forecastle and saw a shirt similar to those in the box hanging on a line with the clothes belonging to the man Woollier. I took possession of it. Constable Moutray said—On Saturday last I arrested the prisoner Woollier on a charge of embezzlement of cargo. He stated he had bought the shirt second hand in Ratcliffc Highway. I also arrested Rogers. On the application of the police, the case was remanded till to-morrow.