MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 931, 19 June 1877, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Tuesday, June 19. (Before G-. L. Mellish, Esq., R.M.) False Pretences. —J. D. Mullans was charged on warrant with obtaining goods by means of a valueless cheque from C. T. Harris. Accused had been arrested the previous day in Lichfield street by Inspector Feast, and told him he lived in Port, and was going to Sydney in the morning. Witness told accused he was a detective officer, and stated he had been informed that accused had obtained a chain from Hawkes’ salerooms by means of a valueless cheque. Accused had the chain on him, and handed it to witness, and asked for tire cheque, and wished to know whether he could not put the matter right. Accused said he had had an account at the Bank of Australasia, but had closed it. [Accused here told the Court that he did not know at the time that the account was closed, and he had been banking at the /Bank of Australasia during the last six months.] Witness was present when the cheque was presented at the Bank that morning, and tt had been returned “no account.” Charles T. Harris, storeman for J. G. Hawkes, auctioneer, stated that accused came into the salerooms about half-past three the previous day, and asked if they had any good albert chains for sale. Witness replied that he had a very nice one at home, and he went there for it, and showed it to accused. The one before the Court is the same. Witness told accused he wanted £5 for the chain, and he said he would buy it, and asked for a blank cheque. Witness went to the office and got a blank cheque on the Union Bank, which accused altered to the Bank of Australasia, filled it in for the amount, and gave it to witness, saying, in reply to a question, that it was as right as the Bank. During the conversation with accused, he told witness he was employed as reporter to the Lyttelton Time .«. Witness had presented the cheque at the Bank that morning, and it had been returned “Ho account.” R. B. Smith, ledger keeper at the Bank of Australasia, stated that the cheque produced was presented at the Bank that morning, and returned “Ho account.” There had been an account there open for two days. Witness heard accused saying when closing the account that he was going to Sydney to be married. J. C. Wilkin, manager at Lyttelton Times office, stated that he had seen accused. He (accused) had not been employed at the Times office, and witness was sure he had never been employed there. In reply to the Bench, accused said he would like to be able to return to his wife and family and mother at Geelong. He had had Sunnyside on the brain. Sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labor. Drunk and Disorderly. —Ellen Anderson, charged with being drunk and using obscene language, was fined 20s.

Illegally on Premises. —W. A. Sellars, a licensed cabdriver, who had been found at a late hour on the premises of Mr 11. Hutchings, Stanmore road, and who was also charged with using violence to the prosecutor, was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonments with hard labor.

LYTTELTON. Tuesday, June 19.

[Before W. Donald, Esq., E.M., and T. E, Potts, Esq., J.P.]

Drunkenness. —John Abbott and John Smith, both arrested by Constable Devine, were each fined 10s, or, in default, forty-eight hours’ imprisonment.