RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, GREYMOUTH.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 724, 8 September 1870, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, GREYMOUTH.

♦ Tuesday, September 6. (Before W. H. Revell, Esq., R.M.) INFORMATIONS BY THE INSPECTOR OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. Orr and Co were charged with haying 26 cases of petroleum on unlicensed premises in Hospital street. The Inspector stated that from information received he visited the backyard of Mr Orr's private house, and there found 26 cases of what he believed to be petroleum. He seized them, said they were not to be removed until lie came next morning to test the contents. He returned next morning, but they were removed. In answer to Mr Newton, who appeared for the defence, the Inspector said he did not test the contents of the cases, but from his experience he believed they contained kerosene or petroleum. Mr Newton asked that the charge should be dismissed, because the contents of the cases had not been proved. The Act required that a test should be made, and a sample retained and proved in Court. • The Magistrate said the case would be dismissed without costs, for insufficient proof, but" if the Inspector had any remedy for the removal of the cases he should take it.

George Martin, John Simpson, and Donald Maclean were each charged with selling coal by measure instead of by weight, and were severally fined LI and costs.

Seth Doane, of Cobden, was charged with selling twenty tons of coal to Capt. Bascand, of the s.s,. Waipara, by measure and not by weight. Mr Nancarrow appeared, and said the information should be laid againsb him, as he had employed the defendant. Information withdrawn.

Nancarrow, Henderson, and Co. were charged that, on the 24th August, they sold 69 tons of coal to the purser of the Charles Edward by measure and not byweight. The coal was shovelled out of the barges into the steamer in the river. In cross-examination by Mr Nancarrow, the Inspector said he was not aware whether the coal was weighed into the barges at the Coal - mine. It had never been landed in Westland. He produced a certificate from the purser as, to the quantity he bought, and saw him sign it. Mr Nancarrow stated that the coal was not sold to the purser ; that it was weighed at the mine and delivered from the barges according to the pit certificates. The Magistrate held that alongside the wharf was within the bounds of the County of Westland ; that the weights received from the coal-mine were not a receipt for the weights delivered, as the v Act provided that coal shall be weighed on delivery. There was nothing to prevent the removal of coal from the barges during its carriage down the river. The defendants would be fined LI and costs.

Second charges against D. Maclean, John Simpson, and Nancarrow, Henderson and Co. were withdrawn upon payment of costs by tho defendants.

The Inspector stated that his instructions were strictly to see that all coal was weighed upon delivery.