RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, GREYMOUTH.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1342, 16 November 1872, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, GREYMOUTH.

Friday, November 15. (Before W. H. Revell, Esq., KM.) Disorderly Conduct. — Patrick Walsh was charged with disorderly conduct on Mawhera Quay. It appeared from the evidence that the defendant was in front of Middleton's Hotel, and a crowd round him. Some men were throwing rotten eggs and potatoes at him, and he was asking the men to leave him alone. He was fined LI, or one month's imprisonment. Assault. — Mary Ann Bridget Howley v. John Liddle, alias "Hobart Town Jack." — This was a charge of assault, committed last Sunday week in a shauty kept by the complainant at German Gully, and the complainant asked that the defendant be bound over to keep the peace. From the evidence it appeared that the defendant came to the complainant's house and, upon being refused admission, he kicked in the door. There were two men inside and he wanted to fight them, but the complainant quieted him for a time, but afterwards he pulled h.pr down to the ground by the hair, when the other men interfered, and one went to Maori Gully for the police, while the defendant went out and brought in a quantity of drink, which one of the witnesses remembered to consist of five bottles of porter, several pannicans of egg-flip, and a bottle of brandy, which the company discussed, and, as a consequence, got all halfdrunk. The defendant, other two men, and the complainant slept in the 3ame room that night. On the day following the alleged assault Sergeant Boyle arrived from Maori Gully to make inquiries, and found the defendant and complainant in bed together. The evidence is not fit for publication, as the whole affair appeared to have been a drunken orgie of the most abominable description. The Magistrate said the defendant was convicted of the assault, and breaking into the woman's house. No matter what was the character of the woman, how low or abandoned, no man would be allowed to break into her premises. Defendant was a very old hand on the Coast, having been before the Courts since 1866 on many charges. Considering what the constable saw the day after the assault, he did not think there was sufficient cause shown to Wnd defendant over to keep the peace. For the assault he would be fined LI and LI 16s 6d costs, and the complainant would be ordered to pay her two witnesses L 2 each. The complainant protested that she was not able to pay the amount,' but the magistrate said he was aware she, had L2OO or L 390 in the Bank, and said he would take steps to enforce the payment. Police v. Hildebrand — This was the adjourned charge against the defendant of hanging a quantity of mutton over the footpath in Boundary Street, in which all the evidence had been taken, but judgment reserved. Inspector Hickson, said : In this case I have received a communication from the County Chairman's Office, through the Commissioner of Police, instructing me to furnish a report on the case,. and in the meantime to desist from taking any further proceedings. I had previously received similar instructions by telegraph, and in consequence withdrew the second charge against this defendant yesterday. But in this case, the evidence having been completed, it i 3 not competent .for me to withdraw it.— Mr Guinness urged that it was competent for the Inspector to withdraw the case at this stage by permission of the Bench.—lnspector Hickson : I will simply ace up to instructions and "desist from further proceedings." Ido not withdraw the case; I leave it in the hands of the Bench.-^The Magistrate; I should like to know what the County Chairman has to do interfering with the Resident Magistrate's Court, and by what means this came before him so that such a memorandum as this should be issued. Sufficient grounds had not been shown why the case should be withdrawn, or why the County Chairman should interference of this Court. — Mr Guinness : I presume he must have taken the advice of the County Solicitor. — The Magistrate: We have no right to presume anything. I decline to allow the withdrawal of the case, but I am not desirous of pressing the charge against the defendant, or putting him to unnecessary expense, if he is prepared to give an undertaking that the nuisance complained of will not' be re? peated until the similar ca3e which has been appealed against is decided I will reserve judgment until then — The defendant refused to give the promise, as he said he would have either to go on hanging the meat where it was, or pull the shop down. — Fined L 2 and costs.