RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 452, 5 December 1868, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

-Thursday, December 3.

(Before W. H, Revell, Esq., $.Mj George Martin v. Paul ELeogh. —Adjourned for one month, in consequence of the plaintiff having broken his arm. Webb and Stevens v. Taylor, same v. Charles Johnston j Webb and Murdoch, v. Meiklejohh, an.<£|ame v. Chas. Johnston. —These cases wpije dismissed, the copies of the summonses "having been lost, or tbe service not properly made. •••■••■■ Judgments by default : — K^lgftur y. Chapman, Lls 36a; Kettelty v. ■Bfctob&f. Judgment by :— Jeffries v. Annje Martin. ' ' . " N. Ed'wapds and Go. .v. 3. Davies. — Claim of L9B 5s lOd, on a disWored bilj. Mr Perkins appeared for the .plaintifff. Mr Guinness, for defendant, raised a number of' preliminary' objections, which were over-ruled, and judgment was given for the amouht'c]a.imed and costs. ' Jacojj Peters "v. "Patrick' Crawford. — Clainj of L 34 Is 6d,% balance due of twenty-eight weeks' wages." The plaintiff stated th§£ he was engaged .io beat tbe drum in the Alliance dance-room at 30s per week, and had received sma^siimg on account, and orders for good's! A' witness proved the engagement, the rate of wages. The defence was' a denial of the claim, defendant made no engagement with the defendant, except offering hini his board and lodging for beating the drum and doing sundry ocld jobs. He offered the plaintiff Id. a-week to trim the lajn&s and fetch watey, hut he would not do it, Out of generosity he had" giveji '..tiya plaintiff a new suit of clothes at Christman, and paid accounts for him amounting to over Lf , besides giving him small sums of money, arid over L4O worfli of drinks in the house. The plaintiff had very frequently been drunk, and had on one occasion left his employment for three weeks at a time. The Magistrate gave judgment for the amount claimed and costs. •'" ' ' ' • ■ -• f;

Friday^ December 4.

(Before W. H. Revell, Esq., R.M.) Abusive Language. Appleby was charged with having made use of abusive and insulting language to W. F. Strike on the 27th ult. W. F. Strike stated that on the 27th November he met the defendant on Mawhera Quay, when defendant tapped him on the back, shook hands with.fcim, ;and said, "You have taken some of our casks." He denied it, and after some conversation defendant called him "a d- thief, a rogue, andl? swindler." He gave no provocation for this* and the people in the street beard the words made use of. The defendant retreated into thp shop of Thomas and M'Beath, and complainant followed him. He was incited to commit a breach of tKe peace, but he ,was advi§ed ptfiescwiae. j^ cross-examination the complainant', was positive he was called the names complained of, and that they were not used with reference to the taking away of some casks from the wharf. Mr Thomas, of Thomas and M'Beath, said he heard the defendant make use of the words thief and scoundrel to the complainant while he was in his shop. Strike came into the shop first, and the defendant followed him. They were both pxcited. Strike could hav^e hit th.c defendant, if he had felt inclined to do so. The defence was thqs the case should never have been brought into court. On the day in question the defendant was travelling up here, and h$ found that some of Pizzey aud Co's casks had been re-branded by Strike and Blackr more, 1 and he Sjtrike about them.' When Strike said "he would stick to the casks the defendant characterised the transaction as "a d robbery and a swindle." The words were not used personally to the complainant. — tames Jones, igent, was called to give evidence as to the oWnjeirship of the casks, but the cviJence was not ajlowed to be given in initiation of the offence, as he had his remedy ;o recover his property in the proper yay. The Magistrate said the words were >rbved to have been made use of. If there .vas cause for it, it was not for the defeniant to use sjuch language on the public itjreets. He wolild be fined LI and costs.