RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4882, 14 November 1876, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Monday, November 14. (Before J. H. Wallace, JEsq., J.P., and Major Paul, J.P.) ■ DRUNKENNESS. Two persons • were convicted of the above offence, and were each fined ss. and coats, with the usual alternative. . - STEALING A* SHILLING. A woman named' Mary Anne Day was charged with stealing a shilling, the property of James McKenzie, at the Lower Hutt, on Saturday last. Defendant pleaded not guilty. ! Mr. Buckley appeared on behalf, of the accused. Inspector Atcheson conducted the prosecution. . , -. • James McKenzie was the first witness called. He deposed that he was a bootmaker residing at the Hutt,. and defendant was in the habit of assisting his wife in household work. Having missed several articles and coin during the-cn-gagement of the accused he marked some money and placed it—ten coins in all—in a work-box in the front room on Saturday morning, and at about midday he missed , a shilling. Witness had informed Constable Stewart; the resident policeman at the Hutt, " arid the latter was there when he accused, the defendant of having taken the money. Accused emptied her pockets at the request of McKenzie, saying that she would have given : four times the amount of a shilling if., he had not brought the policeman there. Witness : took from the money she had taken out of her pocket one shilling,; which; he recognised as being one that he had marked. In the course of cross-examination by Mr. ‘ Buckley,, the witness stated ' that ha had on ; previous occasions had reason t<> suspect one of his children of taking his money, and one boy. stolen small sums. The children were about the house on the day' which the money referred to was abstracted from the box, which was not locked. A son of McKenzie's, about 12 years of age,' also'gave evidence,(-statingthat he had seen the woman opposite, themoney-box on the day in question.-but.did not -observe her take any money. ~ v , - ' ; ‘ Constable Stewart testified, to arresting the accused, and-stated that when the accusation was made against her she had emptied her pockets willingly; v ' It appeared from the - cross-examination by Mr. Buckley that prosecutor had on previous occasions marked coins in a similar manner to the present. ' , I Tho Bench considered it-possible that he might have paid them away, and that one of them had come into the possession of defendant in a legitimate manner. I Case dismissed. • ' ’ attempted -muedee. i i Thonias Coleman was charged with attempts iiig to murder his wife, (Florence Coleman,.at Kaiwarra,* ;0n .Sunday last. . r i The case was adjourned for. a week,.on the application of Inspector Atcheson. ; : r , . . ASSAULT. - • Lawrence- McGovern was "charged on re-

maod with assaulting his father-in-law, Thomas Jackson, on the Bth ixiataat, Mr. Bell appeared for defendant, who pleaded not guilty. Mr. Barton was for the complainant. - n . -• The,.evidence adduced clearly proved the, assault, which was of a serious nature. The Bench fined defendant .and. bound him oyer to keep the peace for six months in his own recognizance of £2O, and two sureties of £lO each. „ , CIVIL OASIS. The following civil cases were disposed of as stated':—Eddio and Jack v. Justine, claim, £2 3s.t judgment for amount and costs.—-Nichol-son v., Budman, claim, £7 Is. 6d.; judgment, for i£6 10s. and coats.—Eddie and Jack v. Johnston,, claim, £2 15a. 6d.; judgment for amount and costs. ■