RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Kumara Times, Issue 603, 30 August 1878, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

: Friday, August 30. i [Before M. Price, Esq., R.M.] I • OBSCENE LANGUAGE. Thomas Keiran was again brought i up, and charged on this occasion under ; the Vagrant Act, with making use of obscene language in the hearing of persons parsing in a public thorough fare, viz., Seddon street. The charge I was admitted, and the language was | most abominable. The prisoner had ' been apprehended on a warrant issued yesterday, and appeared in Court in a disreputable state, almost pitiable to behold. He begged to be leniently dealt with, for the sake of his wife, who was very ill; but he was interrupted by his Worship, who told him he ought to be ashamed to make such a statement, as ho must be well a\yare that the police had through sheer kindness sent a nurse to take care of his wife, who was reported to be in a dying condition, and that he (prisoner) had actually turned the nurse out. He had received every consideration at the hands of the authorities, but was unworthy of it. He ought to be thoroughly ashamed of himself. The Court felt assured that prisoner would soon he in I the hands of the police again, and next J time it would be for habitual drunken j ness, and a very severe punishment I would certainly be inflicted. His Wor-' ship would promise him two months’ hard labour hi Hokitika Gaol on the next occasion. Turning to Mr O’Donnell, his Worship .said he would desire the police to be very strict over the conduct of this prisoner, for although in the present instance he would be lot off with a fine of 20s and costs, or 14 days’ impri-onment with hard labour, on the ven noxr occasion he would he dealt ’ witli os above indicated. Though it I lay in the power of the Court to inflict

a very lionvy penalty under the present clvn-ye (and ;t was stated that prisoner liacl a c msideraUK' sum of money iii his possession,) it would not exercise tUns power on this occasion, as prisoner’s wife and family might thereby suffer. The Court then adjourned-