MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1921, 21 April 1880, Page 2

MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

CHRISTOHUBCH. Wednesday, Apeti 21. TBafore G. L. Mellish, E<q., H.M.] DE»ur. —One|dilapidated looking drunkard was fined 20s. Labckny. Alfred Walter Wright_ was charged with stealing half a yard of shingle, value 2s 6a, the property of John Barrett. William Barrett, a watcl.ma in the employ of tho prosecutor, swore that the previous evening, about eight o'clock, he was going from Madras street to Armagh street, when he saw the accused taking some shingle in a horse and trap from opposite St. Paul's Church. The 6hingle belonged to John Barrett. Witness asked him who gave him leave, and he replied, " "No one ;" he thought there was no harm in taking the shingle, and he threw it in the road again. He refused his name, but said he lived at the Cavershim Hotel, and then drove away. John Barrett, contractor, said he did not know the accused's name. The shingle taken was his property, worth 2s 6d, and ho gave the accused no authority to remove it. The accused excused himself by saying ho thcu»ht tho shingle belonged to the Drainage Board, and from having laid so long where he took it from, thought it was of no me to anybody. It was partly overgrown with grass and weeds, and, in point of fact,heraj:aided it as a. nuisance, laying as it did in front of hia place. Mr Melhsh said there were three paints against the prisoner, he had taken the shingle at night, had refused his name, and had given a wrong address. It appeared a clear case of l.vrceny. He had entered up a conviction with one hour's imprisonment, but in his discretionary power, although the facts were clear, he would regard the offence as a trivial one, and dismiss the charge without inflating tho degradation of entering up a conviction against the accused.

LYITELTON. Wednesday, Afeil 21. [Before Joseph Beswick, Esq, B.M.] Dbttnx bnnksb. —William McNaught Dickey was charged with being drunk and disorderly, and wei remanded for medical treatment for two days. Accused had recently been discharged from gaol after treatment for lunacy from drink. Laecexy of a Coat.—Hector Atkinson, on remaca, wes charge! with steahng a coat from tho British Hotel, the property of Cornelius Murphy, manager in tho hotel. Accuse! arrived in the lest ship, the Palais, from London. The prosecutor teetified to finding the accused with his coat on underneath his (prisoner's) overco it. The value of of the coat taken was £3. Witness identified the coat produced in the Court as his properly. In defetca the accused said he went into the hotel on Sunday morning and had a drink or two. He then went into the billiardroom ai:d tell asleep, and must have put on tho coat by mistake when ha got up to come away. Prisoner called evidence to corroborato his statement that he was stupefied with liquor at the fime. The Bench sent him to prison for or,e month.