RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4481, 30 July 1875, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Thursday, July 29. drunkenness, obscene language, vagrancy, and disorderly conduct. Mary Smith, an old offender, was charged as above. The Inspector of Police gave evidence to the effect that he had known the accused for the past twenty-two years, and that there were twenty-two convictions recorded against her, one of them being for highway robbery, for which she suffered a sentence of four years' imprisonment. He further deposed that she was a common prostitute and a habitual thief. The Court inflicted a sentence of three calendar months, with hard labor. Ann Mendoza, an associate of the last mentioned imsoner, was accused of a similar offence. There being five convictions against her since August, 1874, a sentence of three calendar months, with hard labor, was inflicted by the Bench. PERJURY. Eliza Smith was brought before the Court, charged on indictment with wilful and corrupt perjury as a witness in the late action for rape, Smith v. Cameron. • Mr. Buckley, on behalf of defendant, applied for a remand till next Monday, for the production of witnesses. Keinand sought for granted by the Bench. CIVIL CASES. J. McMurran sued J. Bashford for £4, being the balance of amount of contract, together with £7 Bs. 6d., the amount of certain extra work —bringing the total amount claimed up to £ll Bs. 6'd. It appeared that J. Bashford had invited sub-tenders for painting, scrimming, glazing, and varnishing the new premises just erected for Kirkcaldie and Stains, and that complainant made a verbal offer to do the work for £4O, and that Bashford had agreed to pay extra for glazing, &c, not included in the contract. Mr. Toxward, architect, stated in evidence that McMurran had performed his contract in a workmanlike manner, and that his charges were very reasonable. Mr. John Adair, builder, gave evidence to the same effect. The respondent, in support of his contention that the complainant was not entitled to make extra charges under his contract, called two witnesses who tendered for the same contract, whose tenders amounted respectively to £4O and £4l, and who stated that with these prices they could ensure a good profit on the job. The Bench, after expatiating on the evils attending the making of merely verbal agreements, said the balance of evidence was decidedly in favor of the complainant's case, and would, therefore, give judgment for £3 4s. 6d., in addition to the £3 9s. paid by the defendant into court, with costs. In the remaining civil cases there was one in which there-was no appearance, two in which judgment was given for the amount claimed with coats, -and one case adjourned.