RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, AHAURA.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1470, 21 April 1873, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, AHAURA.

• Friday, April 18. (Before C. Whitefoord, Esq., R.M. Harriet Wingfield was charged with using abusive language and violently assaulting Mary Gillam at Half-Ounce, on the 4th inst. The charge was proved, and a plea of great provocation was set up by Mr Staite for the defendant. Gillam was then charged with a similar offence against Wingfield. This charge was also proved, but the assault was of a milder nature in this case. The evidence in both these cases disclosed a phase in social morality of the most revolting description, and portions of the testimony are entirely unfit for publication. In answer to a question from the Bench, Senior-constable Dorris gave the defendant Gillam a very bad character, but said Wingfield was a woman who kept herself decently, and he knew nothing against, her up to the present charge. The Magistrate, addressing the defendant Wingfield, said she was more to blame than the other unfortunate creature whom she encouraged to her house, and, after allowing her to get drunk, then brutually ill-used her. Fined L 3 or fourteen days' imprisonment. With respect to Gillam, the Magistrate said if there were any means of proper classification of prisoners in the gaol accommodation at hand, he would sentence her to a lengthened term of imprisonment. He would warn her that if she came again before the Court, he would send her to Nelson Gaol for such a time as would give her a chance of reformation. Fined L 2 or one week's imprisonment. His Worship, during the hearing of these cases, informed a young girl who was present in Wingfield's house when the .assault was committed, and who gave evidence, that she " ought to be ashamed of herself to acknowledge her presence at the orgies of people like the defendants." Hogman v. Garrett. — A charge of assault of the most frivolous nature. The parties had a slight " misunderstanding, 'f as the ostensible prosecutor expressed it; in the bar of an hotel, the morning following a ball at Half-Ounce. Hogman said they were both excited, but not quarrelling, when Constable Dorris iuterfeved, but he (Holman) denied that he had anything to do with making the charge against Garrett. The Magistrate fined the defendant 5s with costs, rer marking that the constable was not to blame for interfering, fora serious assault might have been committed if he had not. The witness Hogman refused to take the expenses allowed him in the case. Three inebriates were fined in different penalties for being drunk and disorderly. A miner, an Italian named Maritana] or a similarly sonnding name, was brought up on remand from No Town, charged with lunacy. The poor fellow was asked a question or two by the Magistrate, but he merely stared vacantly round without seeming to understand that he was spoken to. He was remanded to Cobden for medical treatment.