MAGISTERIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6499, 26 December 1881, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

CHRIS ECHUBOH. Batdbday, Dao, 24 (Before J. E. Parker and J. P. Jameson, Isqs.) DstJHKBHNHBB. —• John Parker, an old offender, for being drunk in Armagh street on the day before, was fined £1 or in default four days* imprisonment.—A first offender, who was suffering from the effects of drink, was remanded for seven day* for medical treatment. Ikdbobht ABaAUi/r,—-W. H. Sutton, on remand from Deo. 10, wa* charged with committing an assault with intent on awoman at Sydenham. Mr Joyce, who appeared for Hie accused, said he did not mean to call any evidence for the defence in this Court, seeing that the Bench bad previously expressed their intern ion to commit the accused. The evidence having been read over, the prisoner said he would reserve bis defence. Re was then committed to take his trial at the next criminal sessions of the Supreme Court, bail being allowed the prisoner in £2OO, and two sureties in £IOO each. Petty Stealing op a Home Bit.— Joseph Woolsey and Joseph Desmond, two boys, aged respectively 8 and 6 years, were accused of stealing a horse-bit, value 3s, the property of James Dunn. The boy*’ parents, who were in Court, said the children denied stealing the bit, though one of them, Desmond, admitted picking it up in a yard. James Dann, a butcher in Manchester street, •aid he had missed the bit from a bridle in his yard on Thursday last, and had not seen it till Friday, when the constable brought the two boys with a hit to him, though he would not like to swear to it. Constable Johnson said that the boy Desmond bad accosted him in Madras street on the previous day, with a story that Wolsey had taken a bit from him which be was going to selL Whcn the constable found Wolsey he said the bit did not belong to Desmond, but that the latter had stolen it from a man named Dann. It appeared that both the boy* bad gone in company to a saddler’s shop to try and sell the bit, but had been unable to do iso. Wolsey’s father said bis boy was | not in Desmond’s company on Thursday, and hence he eould not have been a party to stealing it. The Bench said they did not wish to enter a conviction against such youthful offenders, and discharged them on their parents undertaking to punish them severely. Labceny—Annie Webster M’Kenzie, a girl of about 13 years of age, wae charged with stealing a dress and pair of stockings value 17s 6d, the property of Annie Perry. Annie Perry, the wife of Edward Perry, of Tuam street, said the accused had been a servant of hen. Her mother had received wages for her on Wednesday last. On Thursday last witness had missed a dress and a pair of stockings, and on her telling prisoner that she was going to inform the police of the matter the girl had ran away. The dress produced was witness’ property} and had been found in prisoner's mother’s house on the previous day, and witness had seen a younger sister of prisoner's wearing a pair of stockings which she identified ae her property. Crossexamined: Witness had been married on Kor. 14, and engaged the accused last Wednesday week; she had followed witness home from a draper’s shop and agreed to stop with her. Detective O’Connor said he had searched prisoner’* mother’* house on the - previous day, and found the body of the dress hanging up, and prisoner’s mother wearing the skirt. The prisoner told witness that the things had been given her Mrs Perry’s husband allowing her to take them. Edward Perry, the husband of Annie Perry, said he hod never given prisoner permission to take either of the articles. Mr Joyce called the accused’s mother, who stated that the girl had told her the dress bad been given her by Mr and Mr* Perry on Friday week, and she bud brought it home on Sunday laat. She had also left some of her own clothing at Perry’s when she left, which she had done on account of disturbances at the house. Sergeant Wilson, called by Mr Joyce, as to the reputation of prosecutrix and her husband, said they were persona of doubtful character. The accused made a circumstantial statement to the Court to the effect that the article* had been given her by Mrs Perry and her husband. Mr Joyce then addressed the Court. The Bench said that there appeared to be a doubt m to the accused's guilt, of which they would give her the benefit, and dismiss the ease. NEGLECTING TO Conibibotb.— Charles Burmeister was accused of neglecting to contribute to the support of his son, Alfred Burmeister, io the Industrial School. The defendant failed to produce any evidence to support the previous statement he bad made as to his not being the father of the boy, and the Bench made an order for the payment of 6s per week, and told the defendant that if he wished to withdraw the boy from the school he should apply to the Resident Magistrate to make an order for that pur* Language.—Helena Miller was accused of making use of abusive and t breatening language towards John Qalten on Deo. 19. Complainant and defendant had been concerned in an assault case that was heard on the above dale, and it appeared that after they bad returned from the Court, defendant had thrown stones at complainant’s house and abused him. The Bench told defendant that as they had cautioned her on the previous occasion, and it wss evidently disregarded, she would have to find two sureties of £2O each, and herself io £iO, to keep the peace for 13 month*. In default one month’* imprisonment.

LYTTELTON. Saturday, D«o. 24. (Befote J. T, Bouse, and X. H. Pott*. K*q».) Absbkt Without Lhavb abd AsaAtm*. —J. Brown, a seaman on board the barque Anne Melhuish «u charged with being absent without leave, and with having assaulted the captain. The Bench sent him to gaol for a month with hard labour.

TIMABH. Satubdat, Dbc. 24. (Before B. Beetbam, K#q, 8.M,) LABOBBY.—- Charles Kotepahi, a Native, was brought up on remand, charged with stealing a watch from the person of a man named Cox, at Temoka. Inspector Pender said that the accused professed to be unable to thoroughly understand English, and an interpreter would be necessary. Mr Beetham said he would be willing to interpret, but the case must be heard before him as Resident Magistrate ; he could not hear the case and Interpret too. He held a short conversation in Maori with the prisoner, and ascertained that he denied the charge, and that ho bod no friends in this neighbourhood, os he came from the north of Auckland. He said that he had been working at a flour mill in Tenauka a few months. He was remanded till Jan. 8, to enable the police to procure an interpreter. Laboimy op Woot,~mao Curtis, charged on remand with stealing (wo bags of wool, was fuithsr remanded till Jan. 3, to enable him to prepare his defence, bail being allowed, himself In £25, and one surety of the same amount.