MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 898, 11 May 1877, Page 2

MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

CHEISTCHUECH. Friday, May 11. (Before G. L. Mellish, and C. Wliitefoord, Esq.'s, E.M.'s.) Drunk: AND Disorderly.—Ellen Talbot, an old offender, who had taken the pledge since last before the Court, and promised to clear out of town, was given until Monday to do so. An inebriate who appeared for the first time was fined ss. Wife Desertion. —C. P. Fox was brought up charged witli having deserted his wife and four children, leaving them without any means of support. Mrs Fox stated that about six weeks since her husband ill-used her, and as he looked very threatening, she left him. He afterwards took the pledge, and she promised to go back and live with him. When he came on the day she was to return he gave her 7s 6d, but she observed that he had taken some drink. Witness then refused to go, and shortly afterwards defendant left town. It was not the first time he had brought her to poverty, and he could easily earn a£l per day. In reply to defendant witness said he had offered to give her more money on that day, but she knew that he reqiured clothes, and woidd not take it. The Bench made an order for defendant to pay 15s per week, towards the support of her three youngest children, or £2 5s in all. Soliciting Prostitution . Elizabeth Howell, arrested on this charge, was fined 40s. Shop Lifting.—Henry Benjamin alias Charles Morris was charged with stealing a pair of boots from the shop of B. J. Hale, Colombo street, on Bth inst. Mr Hale's shopman identified the boots, and remembered accused being in the shop that evening. He did not purchase anything. Accused had afterwards pawned the boots at Stewart's pawn shop. A second charge of same nature was preferred against accused. On Wednesday evening he had gone to H. E. Nathan's shop in Colombo street, with the boots previously mentioned, and pledged them with a pair of trowsers, for which he received 10s. After receiving the money and ticket, and while Nathan's back was turned he picked up the boots and went out, pawning them same night at Stewart's as before stated. Charges of stealing two pairs of trowsers from I. Herman's shop, Colombo street on Wednesday, and also with stealing a small zinc bath from Barrett's Hotel, were proved against accused. There were three previous convictions against accused of a similar nature, and he was sentenced to four months' imprisonment with hard labor on each charge, the sentences to be cumulative. LYTTELTON. Friday, May 11. [Before W. Donald, Esq., R.M.] Using Tjlreatkning and Obscene Language.—lsaac Taylor, second mate of the ship Carnatic, was charged with this offence by the captain of that vessel. Case dismissed. Desertion. —Henry Kelly, a seaman belonging to the ship Wellington, was charged with this offence by Captain Cowan, and sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment, with hard labor. Civil Cases. —T. A.W. Parsons v. Henwood: claim £Bl2s ;MrH. N. Nalden for defendant. Mr Parsons stated he had simply brought this as a test case. Mr Henwood lived in Christchurch and was in the habit of coming to his hotel some time ago, eating his dinner there and having something to drink. It was for the drink that he sued him. He did not know whether Mr Henwood being a traveller and not a resident he could recover. The Bench said he coidd not recover, and Mr Nalden read extracts from the tippling Act bearing on the case. It also appeared there was a discrepancy in two accounts which had been rendered by Mr Parsons. Plaintiff nonsuited.