MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2085, 29 October 1880, Page 3

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTO BURCH. Feidat, Octobbb 29. [Before G. L. Mellish, Esq., R.M.] Lunacy fbom Deink. —Ellen Norton, on remand from yesterday, was, at the intercession of her husband, allowed to go for tho present, subject to the surveillance of the police. Feaud. —John Chute Neligan was brought up charged with making a false declaration before a Justice of the Peace with intent to defraud. It appears that prisoner, who is a farm labourer, by some means obtained possession of a deposit receipt, which acknowledged that one John Walsh had lodged £l4 in the Post-office Savings Bank. Prisoner went to tho Post-office, Christchurch, and representing that he was John Walsh, said he had lost his deposit book. He applied for a duplicate book. The postmaster, on making enquiries, found that the real John Walsh had withdrawn £4 from his account at Ashburton. The postmaster went to prisoner’s residence, and told him of this. Prisoner denied signing the Ashburton notice of withdrawal, but said, as he was on the spree, he might have given one of his mates authority to sign for him. Prisoner was then supplied with a form, and by it he declared before Mr lok, a Justice of the Peace, that he was John Walsh, and had lost his Post-office Savings Bank deposit book. He handed it to the chief clerk at the Postoffice. Suspicion having been aroused, prisoner was arrested. The deposit receipts, in fragments, was found on him, and further enquiries resulted in the finding of the real owner of it. Prisoner, who seemed thoroughly acquainted with the forms of the Court, cross-examined the witnesses with some ingenuity, but reserved his defence. He was committed for trial at the next sessions of the Supreme Court, Bail was not mentioned.

LYTTELTON. Ebiday, Octobbb 29. [Before Joseph Beswick, Esq., 8.M., and T. H. Potts, Esq., J.P.] Lunacy. —Robert Henry Toppin, from Eungiora on remand for lunacy from drink, having recovered, was remanded to Kaiapoi for discharge, to bo brought up next Monday. Dbtjhk.—One first offender was fined ss, another 10s, and a third sa. A Distubbancb at Sba. —John Leslie was charged with having assaulted the master and mate of the ship Jessie Ee&dman, Mr Joyce appeared for the prosecution. The captain, M, Gibson, said on the 17th of August ho saw the prisoner scuffling on dock with the mate. He was drunk, and witness went lo part them, and to put the man in irons. The prisoner afterwards struck the mate in the face with an iron on his hand, and on drawing back his hand he struck the captain on the head. The chief officer, Mr Leslie, described the assault, and the master’s evidence as to the accused being under the influence of liquor. The prisoner called a seaman named Burgess, who testified that he did not see the beginning of the row. Hugh McKinnon, another seaman, was also charged with striking the mate in the eye a severe blow while he was searching the forecastle for stolen grog. Accused was drunk at the time, and next day apologised. The mate was called, and said ho did not think McKinnon would have struck him had he boon sober. Leslie was sentenced to three months with hard labor, and the charge against McKinnon withdrawn.

Embezzling Ship’s Oahgo. John L slie, W. Wyatt and Hugh McKinnon, sea- ! men, were charged with embezzling cargo of the ship Jessie Roadman. Mr Joyce appeared on behalf of tho ship. McKinnon pleaded g lilty, and the second officer was called to give evidence of the offence committed by the other two. Ho said he found the fore hatch had been tampered with, and Wyatt and McKinnon were below. Some cases of beer, four in number, had been pillaged and the contents were gone. Several of tho crow of the watch were more or less under the influence of drink at the time. An iron bulk’s head, with a door secured with iron bolts, had been forced. Did not see Leslie below. Mr Gibson, the master, said the first row occurred on the 17th of August, and nine days after this discovery was made about tho broaching of the cargo. There was a naked candle standing alongside the beer cases when witness went below. The value of the beer broached was about £6. Witness found a bottle of beer of the same brand as the broached beer in the forecastle. Leslie had not anything to do with it. It was his watch below. John Anderson, a seaman belonging to the crew of the vessel, called, stated that he saw grog in the forecastle once or twice. Saw Leslie drinking some of it. The Bench commented strongly upon the nature of the offence, and sentenced Wyatt to twelve months’ with hard labor ; Leslie and McKinnon to six months’ each, and to pay for the beer at the rate of £2 8s per case. Tho sentences of Le,lie to run consecutively. Labobny. —David A. Crawford was charged with stealing a pipe, the property of Robert Dunlop. Accused admitted the charge, and made a strong plea for himself on the part of the Court, and expressed his penitence. The Court thought that a sentence of not lees then three months would meet the ends of justice, and so ordered with hard labor. A Neglectful Paebnt. —Samuel Northey was charged with not providing for his children in the Industrial School. The Court ordered that he pay 5s per week. Civil Cases. —J. Bonington v W, Smith, claim £1 19s. An order was made for immediate payment, with an alternative of fourteen days’ imprisonment. Cuff and Graham v Collins, claim £lO Is 6d. Mr Nalder f rtT nUinfiff

[Left sitting.]