MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1448, 7 October 1878, Page 3

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Monday, Oct her 5. fßefore G. L. Mellish, Esq. R.M.] DEXTNKENNESB.— James Colenso was charged with being drunk on Saturday. Ho denied the charge, and stated that ho was in an epileptic fit, to which he was His statement being corroborated by a witness, his Worship accepted it, and dismissed the case. Mary Maule, charged with drunkenness, and this being her twenty-third conviction, was fined 40s. Disoedebit House, —Bella Simpson was charged with being the mistress of a house of ill-fame in Salisbury street. Sergeant Beck stated that he visited the house on the 26th of September, and found men there and also another prostitute. No complaints had been made about the hotise. William Allen, a builder, living in Yictoria sti-eet, deposed that the defendant rented a house from him under the name of Mrs Edwards. Had never heard any complaint against the house. Her husband was at Ashburton. The defendant was fined 20s.

Wandering Cattle. —E, W. Millett and W. Scarlett, for allowing horses to wander at large, were fined 5s each. Leaving Cabs Unattended. George Smith was fined 10s. John Gomersil was similarly charged, but made a statement to account for his absence, which his Worship considered satisfactory, and the summons was dismissed.

Assault. —William McGill was charged ( with assaulting Richard Gunn, near the . Dublin Bakery, Sydenham, on the 30th ] September. Complainant being sworn, deposed—That hearing screaming he interfered for the protection of a woman the accused , was ill-treating ; thereupon the accused as- ( saulted and beat him. Samuel Crombie Brown, residing in Sydenham, stated—On the , 30th September, between eight and nine ( o’clock, he was coming to town. When , Eassing the Agricultural Society’s ground he eard a noise and a woman came up and begged him to interfere as her husband was i murdering another man. A man came up j immediately afterwards and corroborated her i statement. A little further on witness saw a. ( man crouching in a ditch and bleeding. ( The defendant was standing over him, and . witness, although it was too dark to see, ( heard a noise as if defendant was kicking ( some one. The complainant appeared to be sober, but the accused was drunk. Mrs McGill, the wife of the defendant, deposed that the complainant on the night in question first collared her husband and afterwards struck him, and also called them both bad names. Complainant had not received any provocation for his conduct. Alfred Porter a painter living in Jersey street, Sydenham, corroborated the evidence of Mr Brown as to the fact of defendant kicking the complainant. Heard the defendant’s wife say, alluding to complainant, “ He did not strike you, he only laid his hand on your shoulder,” The Bench considered the assault proved, and sentenced the accused to one week’s imprisonment with hard labor. Causing an Obstruction. —E. Payne, for allowing a horse to stand on the footpath and cause an obstruction, was fined 10s. Abusive Language.—Annie Yickery was summoned for having on the 27th September used abusive and insulting language calculated to provoke a breach of the peace towards Annie Moss. Mr R, D. Thomas appeared for the complainant, and Mr Seaton for the defendant. Mrs Moss stated that her husband kept the Riccarton gate on the railway line, and on the day in question without any {revocation, the defendant made use of the anguage complained of to herself and her children. Annie Moss, daughter of the complainant, corroborated her mother’s evidence as to the defendant having called her and her brother names. William Moss, defendant’s son, also gave similar evidence. The defendant pleaded provocation, and denied having used some of the epithets imputed to her. His Worship characterised it as a neighbor’s quarrel, the merits of which would be met by the defendant paying the costs. Laeceny. —Thomas Caulfield was charged with stealing a shovel, value ss, the property of John Flannery. The accused was remanded until to-morrow, bail being allowed. Beeach of Public Works Act—John Judge was charged with driving across the line when a train was approaching on the 14th September. Constable Bashford gave evidence of the offence being committed by a lad in the employ of the defendant. The summons was withdrawn, and an information laid against the boy. LYTTELTON. Monday, October 7. [Before W. Donald, Esq., R.M.] Drunkenness.— R. Roberts, arrested by Constable Creighton on the above charge, was fined 10s. Deunk and Disorderly—F._ Williams, a seaman, was charged by the chief officer of the ship Langstone with being drunk and using insulting language when ordered to turn-to this morning. The Bench sent defendant to gaol for forty-eight hours’.