RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4199, 4 September 1874, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Thursday, September 3. (Before J. C. Crawford, Esq., 8.. M.) UTTERING. John Albert Halbritter, alias Hans Niesen, was charged with uttering ■ and passing a cheque for £45 Ss., well knowing the same to he forged. The following evidence was given in support of the charge ; Prankland Valentine, sworn, deposed : I am the proprietor of the Prince of Wales Hotel, Wellington. I know the prisoner. He came to me on the 22nd of last month, and" asked me whether X would go wit!', him to the barracks to engage servants, as he had a station, and did not know how to do business with ]VXr. Eedward. I went with him, and he engaged three to go to his station at Manawatu. He returned, bringing the people he had engaged with him. He told them they would have to leave in the morning. After having some refreshment, he looked at his watch, and said that the bank was closed, and asked me if I would give him some money on a cheque he produced. He gave me the cheque, saying it' was one he had received from Vigo Monrad as wages for bush falling. I took the cheque and. advanced him £lO on it. I presented the cheque on the 24th of last month at the Bank of New Zealand, and was refused payment. Prisoner said when he gave me the cheque that he would meet me on Monday, and go to the bank with mo. He did not return on Monday, and X have not seen him since until to-day. E. J. Howling, sworn, stated; lam accountant at the ilauk of New Zealand, at Wellington. The cheque produced was presented for payment at our Bank on the 24th of last mouth. It was not cashed, as I doubted the signature. Viggo Mon rad has an account at the. Bank here. No person'of the name of Vigo‘Monrad has an account at our Bank. If the cheque produced purports to be the signature of Viggo Monrad, it is a forgery. Prisoner, who reserved his defence, was then committed to take his trial at the next sittings of the Supreme Court to be h<Sld in Wellington. HORSE STEALING. The same prisoner was then charged with stealing a horse, saddle, and bridle, the property of William Hobson, on the 31st of January last. The following evidence was given William Hobson, sworn, stated ; I am a carpenter, residing at Greytown. I know the prisoner. He came to me in January last, at Gvcytown, and said he had received a telegram from Captain Eergussou requesting him to come to town at once, and to spare no expense. Ho asked me to lend him my horse, saddle and bridle, to go to Mangaroa, and he would bring the horse back the following Thursday. _ I have not seen the prisoner from that day till now. He did not return me the horse, saddle or bridle. About three months afterwards saw the home in Willbrandt’s possession. Ho also had the saddle and bridle. I claimed my property, and Willbrandt gave it up. _ I did not give the prisoner any authority to dispose of the horse, saddle or bridle. William Willbrandt, sworn : I am a cabinetmaker, residing in Willis Street. I know the prisoner. He came to me about the 28th January last and asked me if I wanted to buy a horse, saddle, and bridle. He had the,horse with him. I said “ no.” He came again about two days afterwards, and asked me to buy them. I said I would buy them if I could get them at my own price. He asked mo £l2. I gave him £ll, and he gave me the receipt (produced, and marked A).' He said he had two horses at Mastcrton, and he wanted to sell one. It was branded PH on off shoulder. It was a black horse. After buying the horse from prisoner it was claimed by the last , witness. , The prisoner, who reserved lus defence in this case also, was committed to take his trial at the next sittings of the Supreme Court to bo held in Wellington. INDECENT ASSAULT. Alfred Ameh andFrauk Bradley were charged with indecently assaulting a woman named Anne Morrisey while she was helplessly drunk. John Green, steward on hoard H.M.S. Blanche, gave evidence to the effect that on the night of the Ist inst, he saw the prisoners putting the woman, who was helplessly drunk, into a cab which was standing in the yard of Goodwin, coachhuilder, Cuba Street. .He thought the circumstance suspicious, and communicated with a constable, who went to the place. The latter’s evidence stated that ho found the woman lying helpless on the floor of the cab, and the prisoner Arneh committing the offence. The prisoners were both remanded for one week. VAGRANCY, Mary Bowtell was committed to gaol for three months on this charge, LARCENY. George Price, for “ shoplifting,” was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. Charlotte Martin was charged with stealing money from » child’s money-box. In consideration of tho girl’s youth, and the charge not being pressed, His Worship dismissed the prisoner with a caution. DRUNKENNESS. Several persons were fined for this offence.

CIVIL CASES. Bell v. Hardy.—This waa au action in which the plaintiff, who was an immigrant passenger by the ship Conflict, of which the defendant ia captain, claimed £SO for damages alleged to have been sustained by him through the negligence of the defendant in allowing a com-panion-ladder on hoard the ship to he in' au insecure state. The defence was 'that the ladder had only been removed when it waa necessary to have it' cleaned, and that any injuries sustained by the plaintiff were caused through hia own carelessness in. going up the ladder before it was fastened. Judgment waa given for the defendant, with costa. A few unimportant civil cases were settled out of Court.