RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 60, 11 March 1874, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

[Before L. Broad Esq., II ,M.] This Day. JF. C. Simmons was charged with allowing three horses to stray on the public road. Defendant admitted the charge but said that he could not understand why other people were allowed to run their cows on the roads, and to permit them to break down bis fences and so let his horses out with impunity. Almost every morning on going to the college be had to pass through a herd of cattle on the road, but the owners of these were never prosecuted because a boy was perhaps sitting on a bauk a quarter of a mile off who was supposed to be watching them. Fined 5s each and 6a 6d costs. Charles Cotton, for allowing one horse to stray on the road, was fined sa, and costs, 6a 6d; George Cook, for two horses 7s 6d eacb, this being the fourth offence, and costs 6s 6d; Daniel Stewart, for one cow, ss, and costs, 6s 6d. D, Tennent was charged with unlawfully assaulting James Smith Cross, jun. Defendant pleaded self defence. J. S. Croee, stated : On Wednesday morning last I was in the store at the Commercial wharf. Defendant came in and asked me some questions about a dog. On ray replying, he called me a low mean blackguard. I walked towards him to order him out of the store, when he struck me on the side of the bead and ,3&K>cked me down. I closed on him, and held his hands, and said I was not going to fight. Cross-examined: I don't think you called me a'• darned cad." I had a piece of iron in ray hand as I came towards you. I can't swear that I did not lift it in the air. I had no intention of striking you. James Blanche : I witnessed the dispute, heard something about a dog, and defendant call Cross a mean blackguard, and the next thing I saw was Mr Cross on the floor and defendant on the top of him. Mr Cross said he did not want to fight. I wanted them to square up and have it out then. Cross-examined: I heard Cross say after you struck him thai if you came there again he would brain you, Defendant having explained the origin of the quarrel, His Worship said that it was a trumpery case altogether, and should have been settled out of Court. There appeared to be some reason for defendant believing that Cross was going to strike, him with the piece of iron he had in hand, and, if so, he had a perfect right to knock him down. He should dismiss the case. John Utrange was charged with beating Ellen Hunter, a little girl of . five years of age. Mr H. Adams appeared for the defendant. Annie Spottiswoode said that there was a quarrel between Ellen Hunter and defendant's little girl, when defendant struck the former on the face and knocked her down, and made her mouth bleed. He then picked her up, and Baid if she did it again he would trample on her. Defendant said his little girl was weak and sickly, and the children in the neighbourhood were in the habit of striking and teasing her. He watched on the day in question, and saw Ellen Hunter st,riko her. His Worship said great allowances must be made for a father who saw his sickly child ill treated by another. Still defendant appeared to have used a little too much violence. He should fine him half-a-orown and costs 14s. Elizabeth Wardrope, was charged with having no visible ineanß of Bupport. Mr Fell appeared for the defendant. His Worship said that under the Vagrants' Act it was for the defendant to prove what were her means of support. Mr Fell took exception to the Magistrate's ruling butsaid that, it being so, it only remained for him to make his statement. His olient was not a common prostitute but, what was perhaps, much the same thing. She and another young woman took a house between them and took in a little needle work but not enough to support them, and there could be no doubt how they obtained their living. But their house was perfectly orderly and no complaints were made against ifc on that ground, and there was nothing in the Act providing penalties for mßre-prostitution. His Worship said that he was rather of Mr Fell's opinion. He should remand the case, and adjourn the others of a similar nature until Friday next.