RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, GREYMOUTH.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1335, 8 November 1872, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, GREYMOUTH.

Thursday, November 7. (Before W. H. Revell, Esq., R.M.)

Indecency. — Thomas Swan, on remand on three charges of indecency in the presence of some children, was brought up, and some further evidence was given. The defendant said he had been drinking hard for a week previous, and knew nothing about the matter. Dr Morice, who happened to be in Court, stated that the defendant had called at the Hospital several times during the paat week for treatment, as he was suffering from delirium tremens, or something very nearly approaching it. The Magistrate said there was no doubt the defendant knew perfectly well what he was doing, although he had been drinking, and on the three charges combined, the sentence would be two months' imprisonment, with bard labor. False Pretences.— J. J. Cochrane was charged with obtaining board and lodging, &c, from Bremond, hotelkeeper, Maori Gully, 'by false pretences. The defendant arrived at the hotel on the evening of the 3rd October, and represented that he was acting as bailiff for i^r Guinness and collecting accounts for him and Dr Morice. He showed a list of names of those he was to get money from. On this recommendation he got tea, bed, breakfast, and " stuck up" several games of billiards. Next morning he promised to settle when he . came back from German Gully. He came back on the sth, and again stayed at the hotel. He said he hail received a sum of money, which was sealed in an envelope, and was sacred to him. but he had to collect other monies for Dr Morice, and would pay out of that. Afterwards he said he had not received the money, but would give Bretnond a bill on Dr Morice for the amount, 30s, but he did not give it. Credit was given entirely on the representation that he was collecting for Mr Gfuinne3s. Dr Morice stated that he had never gave defendant authority to collect accounts for him. E. B. Fox said that he once given the defendant a small account of Dr Morice's to collect at German Gully. A. R. Guinness stated that in October last ho did not authorise the defendant to go to Maori. Gully to collect accounts for him, and never gave him a list of names to collect money from. The Magistrate found the charge proved, and passed sentence of three months' imprisonment, t> be concurrent with one of six months which the prisoner is now serving. Assault.— John Ward, master of the brig Mary Grant, was charged with assaulting T. A. Webb, the cook and steward on board the brig. The complainant

stated that on Tnesday the master called him into the cabin, and ordered him to bring him something to eat. He did so, when the master said the plate was dirty, and smashed the plate over bis head, cutting him on the face. He asserted that the defendant was under the influence of drink at the time, but this was denied by the . defendant, who admitted the assault, but pleaded great provocation, saying that there had been nothing but trouble on board the ship since the complainant joined, and that the plate upon which his dinner was brought was not fit for a pig to eat off. There was a cross action, in which the master charged the steward .with refusing to obey his lawful commands. The master stated that the steward refused to cook the dinner for the crew before the assault took place, and the defence was that the refusal to go to duty took place after the assault. The steward left the ship in order to see the Magistraie, and had not returned to the vessel, as he was afraid of his life. Constable M'Kenna stated that he was on the wharf near the vessel on Tuesday, and heard a plate smashed, after which the steward came out of the cabin with his face covered with blood. For the assault the master was fined LI and costs, and the charge against the steward of disobedience of orders was dismissed. An application was then made that the steward's articles should be cancelled, but the Magistrate refused to make any order. Breach of Municipal Ordinance.— Augustus Hildebrand was charged with hanging a quantity of meat over the footpath in Boundary street. Mr Guinness applied. for an adjournment, as a case similar to this had been appealed against. The Magistrate considered that if the adjournment was granted until the appeal was settled, the defendant ought to desist from repeating the offence, otherwise persons who appealed in such cases might go on defying the police for six months, After an argument, an adjournment was granted to abide the result of the appeal in the former case. Thompson and Masters v. R. Slattery. — An action to recover possession of certain premises. The defendant was ordered to give up possession of the premises before December 7. Judgments by default were given in the following cases : — Hamilton and Co. v. Cormick, Same v. Elliott, Same v. Kayser, Cook v. Gaul.