RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. GORE.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 407, 7 November 1884, Page 5

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. GORE.

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 1884. (Before W. Sounesg, Esq., J.P.) DRUNKENNESS. . A first offender, charged with i drunkenness, did not; appear, ami his bail was ordered to be estreated. PERJURY. Alex. Macaulay was charged on the information of J. Meikle with having committed perjury at Gore Court on Oct. 6 in a charge of assault, Mac-mUy v. Meikle. — Mr Henderson for prosecutor, and Mr Harvey for defendant. John Meikle ga 'c evidence of ! similar purport to that given at Gore and Invercargill Courts in the hearing of the assault and perjury cases. Ho still adh-srmi to his original statement that, th-Mij-h he saw Maciulay on the 16th Sept,, he did not assault him in any way whatever, merely having a few words with him regarding the mustering of some sheep. To Mr Harvey : I laid the information against Macaulay on Friday last after I had bopn committed for trial. The information was. however, written out hetore I was committed. [Mr Harvey denied this.] There were no marks /hi Macaulay's face when ha left my place after the alleged assault, and I cannob account for his disfigurement. AY. H. Palmtr, Clerk of the Courts of Gore and Mataura, gave evidence as to the laying and hearing of au information against Meikle by Macaulay for, assault. Accused gave evidence on that occasion, witness having previously administered the oath to him. Henry McCnlloch, R.MV, deposed to hearing the case of Macaulay v. Meikle at Gore on Oct. 6, when the former gave evidence to the effect that | he was a shepherd on Islay station ; that on Sept. 16, about noon, he went to Meikle's, where he was asked to tight and accused of various things ; that he declined to fight, and wa& pulled from his horse by Meikle, who took off his waistcoat and shirt and called to Garrie to "hold this fellow's horse til he took him down " ; that when defendant saw Garrie did not come he pulled the present accused off his horse und thrashed him Hbout the head, drawing blood. After repeating all the evidence givou by Macaulay, witness went on to say that the only other evidence taken on that occasion for complainant was given by Dv Stockwell and Messrs Rae and Gregg, none of whom gave evidence that they had seen the assault committed. Meikle and Garrie also gave evidence on the other side, both swearing no assault had been committed. Don't know whether they gave their evidence straightforwardly or not, and could not repeat the remarks he made after the case was concluded. No doubt they were in the newspaper report after. Don't know to whom Islay station belongs. Don't know whether Mr Bathgate has any connection with the company to whom the station belongs, but had heard he had. Had no connection with Mr Bathgate's company. To Mr Harvey : Defendant was convicted ia the assault case referred to. James Garrie gave evidence for the prosecution, deposing to witnessing the whole of the interview between Macaulay and Meikle and seeing no assault committed. The witness was not cross-examined. James Connor, also a witness of the interview between Macaulay and Meikle, gave corroborative evidence ; as also did John Scott. This closed the case for th.c prosecution, and the Court adjourned for luncheon, Mr Harvey having previously rematked that if after consideration His Worship, considered the evidence adduced sufficient to warrant a conviction even after rebutting evidence ha 4 been led accused would reserve his defence, On resuming, His Worship s?jd he considered there was a case to answer, and Mr Harvey thereupon declined to call any witnesses. Accused who had nothing to say in answer to the usual question was {hen committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court, Invercargill. Bail was allowed — accused in LSO, and two sureties of a like amount each.