MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1795, 21 November 1879, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Feiday, Notbmbbb 21, [Before G. L. Mellish, Esq., RM.] Detthk and Disoedeely. A confirmed drunkard was sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment with hard labor. Stealing- Elowees —Mary Ann and Peter Cook were charged with stealing flowers, valued at 10s, from the garden of Horatio Henwood. Mr Henwood, residing in the Windmill road, said at six o’clock a.m. he was called by a neighbor, who pointed out the prisoner to him. He followed them to the Wellington Hotel, and found the flowers produced in their possession, which they had taken out of his garden. He gave them both into custody. The damage done to the plants from which the flowers had been torn he estimated at 10j. Ambrose Cant, a carpenter, and neighbor of the last witne.B, stated that from his garden he saw a man looking over Mr Henwood’s fence. Watching further he saw the female prisoner come out of Mr Henwood’s garden in company with another man; she was carrying a handful of flowers. Iks male priioner was coming from the Belt alone, towards Mr Kenwood's garden, and when he saw the woman he called to her to come out. Sergeant Wilson stated that from information he received he went in search of the prisoners, and found them in the Wellington Hotel. Ho took them into custody on a charge of stealing flowers out of Mr. Henwood’s garden. The woman was given into his charge, and he arrested her husband on his own responsibility as the constant companion of the female. The male prisoner was discharged, as there was no case against him, and the woman, who said a gentleman had given her the flowers, was fined 10a, and ordered to pay the value of the flowers, 2s 6d. Obscene Exposube. —James Forbes was charged with indecently exposing his person in a public plaoe._ It was a similar charge to the one for which a man received twelve months’ imprisonment the previous day. At the request of Mr Mellish the public withdrew during the hearing of the case. The evidence of the witnesses, the principal one a girl twelve years of age, having been taken, the Bench held that the charge had been proved, and sentenced the prisoner to six months' imprisonment with hard labour.