MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2033, 30 August 1880, Page 3

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

OEBISTOHUBOH. Monday, August 30. [Before Gr. L. Mellish, Esq , B.M.] Dbunkennkss.- For first offences six men were fined 5s each, David Gray was fined 10*, and the case of Robert William Pope, ono of the unemployed, a young man who had been drunk and indecently exposed himself at the Railway station, was adjourned till Tuesday, the accused to take the pledge in the meantime. Fighting. —Alexander Laing was brought up for assaulting Donaldson in Colombo street, on Saturday last. According to the evidence of Donaldson, the prisoner had beaten him severely with a whip. The arresting constable saw Laing strike Donaldson, but did not see the whip used. Accused stated that Donaldson bad been the aggressor, and called his son, a little boy of nine years, who corroborated the statement, Green, carrier, deposed that he knew Laing had no whip with him on Saturday, or for a long time previous. Laing, jun., re-called, said his father had no whip with him at the time of the row. The magistrate said the affair was evidently a common row, and fined the accused 10s. Resisting the Police. —John Crewe was charged with this offence. On the application of Mr Holmes, who appeared for him, the accused was allowed to stand in the body of the Court, instead of occupying the dock. The evidence of Sergeant Pratt showed that on Saturday last accused placed his horse and cab on the tramway opposite the railway station, and refused to move off when ordered to do so by Sergeant Pratt, who then arrested him. The place was a proclaimed cabstand, which had been out through by the tramway. Accused made no opposition to the arrest, and was perfectly civil. It was because of the obstruction to the tramway that the order to move off was given. A tram containing passengers was stopped, and detained some time by the conduct of the accused. Charles Bowles, an employe of the Tramway Company, gave corroborative evidence. Mr Holmes asked the Bench to dismiss the charge, on the ground that the accused was lawfully carrying on his own business as licensed by the City Council, without encroaching on any footpath or forbidden part of the road. The policeman had, therefore, no right to make the order as he had done. The accused was merely asserting his rights, and a policeman was not the authority to decide whether or not there had been any obstruction. The case was dismissed on the understanding that the real question at issue would be argued out at an early date. In the meantime the Bench would recommend the cabmen to abstain from obstructing the tramway, as the police would be instructed to prevent any proceedings calculated to provoke a breach of the peace. The Tramway Company at the same time, on their part, were advised not to exact too much from the cabmen. Robbeey from the Pebson. —John Duncan was charged with stealing 30a from J. White, who said that on Saturday while the worse for liquor he met prisoner, took him to the] Champions; Boarding-house paid for his supper and bed, and they both slept in the same room. The next morning be found himself without money. James Roogran, a boarder at the same house, deposed to seeing prisoner take the money out of the pocket of White. S. Copninger deposed to seeing prisoner take money out of White’s pocket. David Spear, proprietor of the house, proved that both men slept in the same room on the night of the robbery. Accused strongly denied having been in the house at all on Saturday night, but failed to produce evidence of his presence elsewhere. There being three previous convictions for larceny against him, he was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment with hard labor. Assault with Intent to Rob. —James McDonald, a baker, was brought up on this charge on remand from the 24th inefc. Sim Houston deposed that on the night of the 24th ]Juno, at half-past nine, while walking along the South belt between Colombo and { Durham streets, prisoner attempted to garrot ■ him. A struggle ensued, when prisoner ran away, and for the time escaped. After a search, however, Houston discovering prisoner hidden lying beside some timber, hauled him out, kicked him somewhere about the head, and then left him. He had not seen the prisoner’s face, but knew him by his clothes as the man who had assaulted him. Had picked him out from amongst six or seven others when asked to do so by the police. Accused had not denied being the man, when so picked out. The man who committed the assault, judging from the pace he ran, was not drunk. Witness was sober at the time. Arthur Perkins said that while in company with a mate walking along the belt, between Colombo street and Montreal street, about half-past nine on the night of the 24th June, they heard some one say, “ will you lie there, you cow, and let me kick you.” Afterwards ho found prisoner lying down near some timber bleeding, ho picked him up, and prisoner said someone had been “ hammering ” him, he complained of his head, which woe cut, and asked witness to take him home which witness did not do. Knew the accused by sight, had identified him when required by the police. Detective Neill said he went to the South belt on the 27th Juno last with Houston, who pointed out a place near some timber where there were signs of a struggle and blood on the timber. Last Monday he went to prisoner at the lock up. On asking to examine prisoner’s head, prisoner ■aid “ Is this what the trouble is about,” pointing to a soar which appeared to be about two or three months old. Prisoner said ho had been drunk on the night of the assault, and had stumbled against some one in the dark, falling in the encounter, and hurting himself. Ho wore moleskin trousers that night, which were covered with blood, but which he had since washed. Accused being cautioned, said he went out for a walk on the night in question and accidentally jostled against some person in the dark. Words and blows ensued, and accueed finding himself getting the worst of it, ran away, but was followed, knocked down and severely punished. Ho became

f insensible from the effects of the heating, and on recovery at five o’clock the following morning, found himself lying in the bakehouse, where he was employed, covered with blood and severely cut about the head. He knew nothing further about the matter. Prisoner was then committed for trial at the nest sessions of the Supremo Court. Bhbaoh of By-Laws —For allowing a horse to wander, Eleaner Long was fined 5s and costs. Harry Knowles, for leaving a horse on a footpath, 10s and costs. H. P. Ballinger, for allowing a horse to obstruct a thoroughfare, 10s and costs. H. W. Magee alias Wm. Williams, for furious driving, 20 i and costs. Nicholas Columbus, for leaving his horse and cart, 10s and costs. Eouben Fisher, a fish hawker, for a similar offence, 10s and costs. For allowing horses to wander at large, Ohas. O’Malley, Joseph Waite, W. P. Smith, and Frederick Peiper were fined 5s and costs. Uneegistbebd Dogs. A case against David Xhow was dismissed ; Charles Voisard wag fined 20a and costs; Daniel McGunnagol fined 20a, to bo paid in a month; James Griffiths fined 20s and coats. Miscellaneous. —J, W. Morton, charged with having no light burning outside of his licensed house, said the light was accidentally extinguished, and the ease was dismissed. James Tait, for having no light on a hording, was fiNod 10s. James Griffiths, for allowing cattle to wander, fined ss.

LYTTELTON. Monday, August 30. [Before Joseph Beswiok, Esq., R.M., and T. 3. Potts, Esq., J.P.] Dhunk,—James Bay, for being drunk and disorderly, was fined 20s. An Impudent Wobkman. —John Casey was charged with using abusive language to Owen Jones, one of the contractors for the Graving Dock. Defendant had been discharged from the works by the foreman, and on Friday, because he could not, satisfactorily to himself, gat a settlement, ho “ went for ” the complainant. Defendant admitted having “a conversation,” bnt denied the bad language. The watchman gave corroborative evidence, and the Bench imposed a fine of ten shillings and costs.