RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4983, 13 March 1877, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Monday, March 12. (Before J. C. Crawford, Esq., 8.M.) DRUNKENNESS AND VAGRANCY. A Maori named Honi Ngapaka was charged on remand with having committed a breach of the Vagrancy Act by admitting to his bouse in the Maori Pa persons of bad repute, well known to the police. The defendant, an old party very much tattooed, replied in Moari, that he was not to blame, ■;which was interpreted by Mr. E. Baker. _ The police did not press the charge, so Horn was dismissed, after having been cautioned against repeating the offence. A ■ person named Donald Campbell was charged with having been drunk and incapable tin' the night previous. He admitted the charge, saying, with an affable smile at the magistrate, “Oh, yes, your Worship, I was drunk, surely,” and he was fined ss. and costs, the usual alternative being allowed. Bertha Gyliee, a young woman, was charged with a similar offence. She was dismissed with a caution.

ASSAULTING THE POLICE. Michael Duigan was charged with having been drunk and disorderly, assaulting the police in the execution of their duty, and destroying two caps of the value of 20s. He pjeaded guilty. 'Constable Buchanan stated that a man named Moran was drunk and disorderly in Waiis-street at 10 o’clock yesterday morning, and that he (witness) went up to arrest him. He was taking Moran to the lock-up, when prisoner came up to him, and said he would not allow Moran to be locked up. He then struck witness, and knocked his cap off a®d kicked it about the street. Moran also became violent, and from the two he received a .great many blows and kicks. Then a third man named Ormond took the field against witness, and a desperate fight took place. Presently Constable Waglan arrived, and had his cap knocked off and destroyed. They managed to get Moran to the lock-up after a great deal of trouble, and then went back for prisoner and the , other man, whom they arrejjted.... Constable Waglan deposed that he was on his beat in Manners-street on Sunday morning, when a man came to him and stated that a ; constable was being roughly handled by some rowdies in Willis-atreet. He at once proceeded to the place indicated and found. the statement to be correct. He assisted Buchanan, and they had great difficulty in getting prisoner to the station. H. F. Davies deposed that he witnessed the occurrence. Did not see prisoner assault Buchanan. Prisoner was very drunk, but the constable ..appeared to have considerable difficulty in managing him. In reply to the Magistrate, prisoner said he was working for Mr. McKirdy, and that Detective Farrell knew him very well. Detective Farrell stated that he had known the prisoner since he was a lad. He bore the reputation of being a quiet and inoffensive man, but he had a weakness for drink occasionally. His Worship remarked that the evidence of the civilian did not bear out the evidence of Constable Buchanan that a very serious assault bad been committed. He fined the defendant 40s. and costs, or four days’ imprisonment, advising him at the same time not to get drunk again. Walter Ormond, the man referred to in the previous case, was charged with assaulting the police and attempting to rescue a prisoner. Prisoner said he did not remember anything about it. The same evidence was given as in the previous case, and prisoner was fined 40s, or in default four days’ imprisonment.

DRUNK AND DISORDERLY. Thomas Moran, who had been arrested for this offence, but who in the course of th6' scuffle referred to in the two previous cases received a blow on the head from a pair of handcuffs, used in self-defence by a constable, did not appear, as he had been taken to the Hospital to have his wound dressed. He was remanded till to-rnorrow. CIVIL CASES. In the following cases judgments were given for the amounts claimed and costs Lindsay v. Haggerty—claim, £37 155.; O’Shea v. Dunfoy—claim, £49 19s. Cd.; Binston v. Willbrandt—claim, £l9 12s. In the case of Clark

v, Hopwood—claim, 18s. 6d,, defendant was ordered to pay within a mouth. The ca«e —Roberts v. the Star Boating Club —in which a rehearing was obtained, was partly heard, and adjourned till Monday next.