RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5087, 13 July 1877, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Thursday, July 12. (Before J. C. Crawford, Esq., E.M.) AN INTERESTING' FEMALE. That bibulous person, Margaret McCleland, was again called upon yesterday morning, to answer a charge of having been drunk and incapable,- and, as usual, Margaret slipped into that dock so conveniently adjacent to the door, wearing all the while a cast of countenance as who should say the situation is “ one too many for me, a delicate person of the female persuasion, who was never here before.” Sergt. Smith, armed with a piece of paper well stained with the records of Mrs. MoCleland’s sins, informed the Court (who, by-the-way, knew pretty well all about it) how often Margaret, having been started on the open road of sobriety, had gone “ crooked” as the Baying is, and was fast running up a fine tall score of marks for insobriety; her last sentence having been a month’s imprisonment. Mr.. Crawford told Margaret that she was on a fair way to get another month or more, and fined her 20s. and costs, the usual alternative of 48 hours’imprisonment being allowed in case of tne fine not being paid, which it was not. AN UNFORTUNATE. ’ A man named J. O’Connor, being charged with vagrancy, asked if that meant that he was guilty of starvation, because that was precisely the condition in which he found himself at the time of speaking. He told a mournful tale, saying he could get nothing to do, no one would employ him in consequence of his being subject to epilectic Sts. Sergeant Price stated that the prisoner’s story as to the epileptic fits was true. He was subject to them, and now had no place in which to live. Mr. Crawford remarked that defendant would perhaps be less subject to those fits if he were to abstain from drinking liquor. As he wanted board and lodging, the best thing to do would be: to commit him for cue calendar month. Defendant was committed accordingly. A VICTIM. Prank Brnham had been found lying in the public street helplessly drunk, and was locked up. Being called upon to answer the charge laid agaiusTt him, he pleaded guilty, and there bein" no previous conviction, he was fined os. and costs, the usual alternative being allowed.' ■ ROBBERY FROM A, CHURCH. A boy named James Ellis, about 14 years of age, pleaded guilty to stealing from St. James’s Church, Lower Hutt, a harmonium cover, value 335. The Magistrate required to hear evidence. Constable Stewart stated that ho received information from the Ilev. Mr. Pancourt that the harmonium cover had been stolen from the churcjr. His suspicions fell_ on the prisoner, and he searched for him, finding him at length in a hay loft, with the missing cover wrapped round him as a blanket. Prisoner formerly was employed by a farmer, and was paying £1 per week for board and lodging at an hotel, but lately bad left. He had a six-barrelled revolver in bis possession ; and there were several other matters which would be brought up against him if he was remanded. Mr. Crawford failed to see how he could (/rant a remand, the boy having pleaded guilty. Sergeant Price stated that the prisoner s mother was living in Napier and that his father was dead, bo that he almost occupied the position of an orphan. He (the sergeant) suggested that the most advisable course would be to send the lad to the training ship.

Mr. Crawford said that refuge was full just now. lie regretted that there was not a reformatory for young offenders such as the prisoner, biit in the absence of such of an institution all he could do would be to send him to gaol for a month. Prisoner was therefore committed to prison for one calendar month, the police being requested to make arrangements if possible for

his being kept separate from the other- prisoners. THE HOT! ASSAULT CASE. Neil MoGuirk was charged with having on the 6th instant violently assaulted one Phillip J. Murtagh. Mr. Ollivier appeared for the prosecution ; Mr. Buckley for the defence. A good deal of evidence was gone into, there being a cross action in which McGuirk charged Murtagh with assaulting him". As it turned out Murtagh was really the offending party, and his Worship find the latter £5 and costs, or the alternative of one month’s imprisonment. ________