MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 987, 24 August 1877, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Friday, August 2d. (Before C. Whitefoord, Es<j., E.M.)

Larceny of Pigeons.—William Lee and Arthur W. Palmer, two young boys, were charged with stealing pigeons to the value of £4, belonging to Mr H. Hale, East town belt. Mr Lee, father of one of the lads, after hearing the charge, admitted the offence on the part of his son. He did not know why he should have done such a thing, but having learnt all the particulars, he had advised his son to tell his Worship all about it. Mr Lee then went into particulars about the boy’s liking for birds and animals. He had purchased some of the former for him lately, bid, had always endeavored 1 o impress upon him that he should never take any that did not belong to him. He woidd be very willing to make good any money value Mr Hale might [set upon the birds. His Worship said that on a previous occasion, when the lad had been brought before him for stealing rabbits, lie had thought it a pity he should be convicted, and had ordered him a whipping, and subsequently, when Mr Hellish heard the lad had been punished, he discharged him. Before dealing with the boy he would first hear the evidence, Mr Hale, the prosecutor, called, stated that he had some pigeons in an untenanted house on the blast town belt. He missed eight birds on Tuesday morning, and at dinner time on the previous day lie was (old that two boys had pigeons at the Eastern Hotel. On proceeding there he found six out of the eight pigeons which he had lost. He learnt the boys had told Detective Walker that two of the birds had got away. Mr <T. Hall, landlord of the Eastern Hotel, stated that a tenant of his named Mrs Woolwich came to him to ask what she should give for six pigeons, which some boys wanted to sell. Hearing that Mr Hale had lost some, he went and looked at them anddetained the lads until Mr Hale had arrived. Mr Lee again asked that his Worship would look over the offence this time, and he would endeavour to prevent a repetition of such an act again. Inspector Buckley told his Worship there was another charge against Lee, but the owner would not prosecute. His Worship said, though believing Mr Lee’s promise, he had a duty to perform to the lad as well as to the public, and from the little impression made on the boy by the punishment indicted on him last time, it was evident that for his own sake strict measures must be taken with him. Mrs Palmer, who was in Court, stated to the Bench that her son regularly attended school, and was invariably an obedient boy. On Tuesday night she sent him on a message, and as he did not return she was very anxious, and learnt subsequently that he had been away with young Lee. She was not aware before this that he was acquainted with the lad. His Worship said (here was no evidence to connect Palmer with the theft, but lie was no doubt present when it was committed. After reading him a long lesson as to his Future conduct, and advising his mother to administer a sound thrashing to him, his Worship dismissed the lad, Lee was ordered to be sent to the Industrial School for live years, to be brought up in the teachings of the Presbyterian Church. LYTTELTON. Friday, August 24. (Before W. Donald, Esq., R.M., and T. H. Potts, Esq., J.P.) Refusal of Duty.—Robot Chadwick, seaman on board the barque Island City, was brought up charged with refusal of duty yesterday morning. The Bench, after it s ring the evidence of Captain Williams, sentenced the accused to tlireo weeks’ iraprieouujcßt. ■