MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1031, 15 October 1877, Page 3

MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Monday, October 15. fßefore Gt. L. Mellish, Esq., R.M., and W. H. Pilliet, Esq., J.P.] Dbunkenness. —T. 0. Oockrill and Henry Toppin were each fined 10s, and four first offenders were disposed of in the usual manner. Miscellaneous. Francis South, alias Smith, was charged with being drunk and disorderly, and with using obscene language. Sergeant Wilson said he had seen South on Saturday last in a drunken and disorderly statu in the public street. He was also using obscene language. The accused, who said that he was to start for San Francisco by the next mail, was fined 60s, or three days' imprisonment. Laecent. —"William Wilson Thomson was charged with the larceny of a watch, chain, and two lockets, the property of F. W. Bush, and valued at £5 ; also a set of studs and case value 12s. Detective Walker said that when he arrested the accused, he said "I am not going to say anything about it; the less I say to gentlemen of your class, the better I can explain all about' Bush's watch and chain. Do you think if I stole it I would come back to the house I took it from." I produce the watch and lockets. I got them at the shop of Mr Nathan, pawnbroker. I got the pawn tickets on the prisoner's person. —F. P. Bush, storekeeper, staying at Pongelly's boading-house, said: The accused was staying at Pongelly's, and he occupied a room opposite mine. On Saturday morning last my watch was in the usual place in my waistcoat pocket. That was at hall-past seven. I went to sleep again, and when 1 awoke between eight and nine the watch and chain was gone. The articles produced are mine; they are worth about £s. By Prisoner: We hive been on intimate terms, and have been in the habit of going out and in to each other's bedrooms.—S. D. Nathan said the accused had frequently been at his pawnshop. He first pledged a chain and two lockets, on which he obtained 15s. Shortly afterwards .he pledged the watch produced, obtaining 20s on it.—The prisoner laid in defence that lie had done the thing for the sake of a foolish joke while in drink, but it was all done openly.—Detective Walker •then gave evidence in the case, in which Thomson was charged with stealing a set of ■atuds from Wru. Tovey.—The prosecutor said he was a draper staying at Pengelly's boardinghouße. His room was next to that of accused. Ebe etuds produced were like those which had

belonged to him. They were worth from 12s to 15s. The prisoner said that if the matter had been left to him and the parties concerned it would have all been settled amicably enough, and that there was no attempt to hide the transaction. The Court sentenced him to one month's imprisonment with hard labor, in the first case, and three on the second charge, four months' in all. Breach of Licensing- Law. James Woods, jun., was charged with selling beer at his house at Springston on the 28th September, contrary to the Licensing Act. The informing constable had seen about thirty men at Woods's house on the night in question, and lie saw glasses and jugs with beer and the traces of beer in them. The defendant has a boarding-house, and a two gallon beer license.—John Murphy lived at Springston, and recollected the 28th of last month. He was drinking beerat Woods's house, ar.d Woods was in the house. The constable asked witness's name and he gave it. Witness paid for half a gallon of beer on the occasion. Woods came into the room while the constable was talking to witness, but he could not say if Woods heard what was said. The constable said to Woods that he was very generous with his beer. Paid for the beer between eight and nine o'clock. Mr Walker, clerk to the Licensing Court, said that the accused had received no certificate from the Licensing Commissioners of the district. — James Woods was further charged with selling a quantity of whiskey, less than two gallons, on the 3rd of October, without being licensed so to do. Inspector Buckley called a witness, who said accused had made him a present of a glass of beer on the day mi ntioned. Witness had two half gallons of beer on the same day and at the same place, and for these he paid. Witness got a ilask of whiskey, for which he paid 3s. There was not over a pint. Witness drank the beer supplied, and he got the whiskey afterwards from the accused, to whom he paid the money.—Constable Cartmill deposed to having seen the last witness at Woods's on the night of the 3rd, and had a conversation with him about bis obtaining whiskey.—At the request of Mr Izard, who appeared for the accused, the case was adjourned till the 22nd instant. Illegal Possession of Q-ame. —Arthur Drake and William Kirkwood, charged with being in illegal possession of a hare near Eiccarton, were each fined £5. Breach of the Police Ordinance.—W. Buckridge, W. Paton, and James Prebble, were charged, at the instance of A. Williams, with throwing stones on his house.—Prosecutor was certain that he had seen Paton at the time of the alleged offence.—Mr Carrick for the accused.—After hearing evidence, the Court dismissed the case against the accused, remaking that the prosecutor must have made a mistake as to the identity of the parties. Threatening Language.—A. Williams accused W. Buckrid;:e of using threatening language towards him.—Case dismissed.

Stealing- Flowees.—Alice Bruce was charged with stealing flowers from the Government Domain on the 30th of September. —J. F. Armstrong gave evidence in support of the charge. He had seen the accused and a little girl in the gardens early in the morning, and when he overtook her, after watching her movements for some time, she had a number of plants concealed in her umbrella. At the time the plants were worth £l. He had laid an information before the Domain Board, and had received instructions to press the charge. There was a great deal of that sort of pilfering going on, and it was only jesterday that a number of flowers had been taken away in a, similar manner.—The accused said she had had no intention of taking the roots at the time ; all she wanted was a blossom or two. The Bench sentenced the accused to twenty-four hours' imprisonment without the option of a fine. Miscellaneous. —Joanna Gallagher, alias Conner, charged with using obscene language and committing an act of indecency, was fined 10s on the first and £5 on the second charge. —Jacobson Kirk was charged with indecent conduct in the English cemetery on Sunday. Inspector Buck]ey was under the impression that the accused was not quite sane, as his conduct was markedly peculiar. The charge was proved, and Mr Mellish said that the certificate of the surgeon at the Lunatic Asylum showed that the accused was not insane. The full penalty allowed by the law would be inflicted, and the accused would be sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labor. Laeceny of a Revolves.—Louis Justland, a colored youth, charged with the larceny of a revolver, was remanded till the 23rd inst. A Nuisance. —The Inspector of Nuisances charged Mr Hammond with allowing offensive liquid to flow from his premises. The case was adjourned for a week in order that the defendant might impress his landlord with the necessity of providing him with an artesian well to flush the drain, as want of water to flush was the real cause of the offence. Offences against the By-Laws.—G-. Wright, M. Lawler, T. Aldridge, E. Campbell, P. Pasche, J. Hawker, J. Humphries, J. S. Buxton, R. Vale, S. Wright, C. S. Wallace were each fined 5s for permitting horses and cattle belonging to them to wander at large or otherwise infringe the by-laws—-T. Gee, for neglecting to keep a light on hoarding, was fined 10s.—J. Kennington, for allowing his cab to go unattended, 10s. —G. Hefford and Ruben Butcher, for creating an obstruction, each fined 10s. —Caroline Russell, for furiously driving a horse and vehicle through Colombo street, 20s.—H. Turlington, leaving horse unattended, 10s.—A. Canson, furious driving, 10s, and William Yelding, driving a cab without being licensed, 10s. LYTTELTON. Monday, Octokee 15. [Before W. Donald, Esq., R.M.] Drunk.— R. Tumilty, for this offence and resisting and assaulting the "police, was fined 20s, or in default ninety-six hours. F. Rowley accused of being also 'drunk and disorderly and attempting to rescue Tumilty from Constable Moutray's custody, was also fined in a like amount, or in default ninety-six hours with hard labor.