RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5199, 20 November 1877, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Monday, November 19. (Before H. S. Warded, Esq., R.M.) DRUNKENNESS, &o. John Matthews was fined 10s., ot in default forty-eight hours’ imprisonment, for the above offence. Inspector Atchesou gave the prisoner a bad character, saying he was an idle fellow. His daughter had been before the Court recently for stealing, and his wife for receiving stolen property. Caroline Matthews, the wife of the last defendant, was charged with being drunk, and having assaulted the constable who took her husband into custody. The constable stated that the woman struck him in the face several times. Fined 205., or in default seven days’ imprisonment. John McAllister, charged with being drunk and disorderly, was fined 205., or in default 48 hours’ imprisonment. , ASSAULT. William Parnell stood charged with having assaulted G. S. Lockie on the night of the 17th inst. The prosecutor deposed that he resided in a hoarding-house kept by the defendant in Cubastreet, and ou Saturday night a disturbance took place between him and his wife. Witness was in the room at the time, and on attempting to separate them a struggle ensued, and defendant struck witness a blow on the head with a fire shovel, inflicting a severe wound. The offence was proved to have been of a violent and unprovoked nature, and his Worship sentenced Parnell to one month’s imprisonment. INDECENT ASSAULT. John Wohnert, remanded from Saturday, was brought up on the above charge. Mr. Buckley appeared to prosecute, and Mr. Allan appeared for the prisoner. No further evidence was called, and the Bench inflicted a sentence of six months’ imprisonment. NUISANCE. Messrs. Woods, Crosbie, and Co., butchers, were charged with neglecting to keep clean their slaughter-yards at Kaiwarra, and also with allowing pigs to stray. His Worship reserved judgment in the first case, and in the second inflicted a penalty of Is. for each pig at large. Mr. Allan intimated his intention to appeal against the decision of the Bench, on the ground that the identity of the pigs had not been proved, and that the place where they were found was not a public thoroughfare within the meaning of the Act. ASSAULT AND ROBBERY. Thomas Keenan and Edward Hughes were charged with assaulting William Overton, and robbing him of his watch. From the evidence it appeared that as Overton was proceeding along Lambtoa-quay at an early hour on the morning ot the 28th ult. he was stopped by the prisoners, who knocked him down, and took from him his watch. Information was given to the police, and one of the men was shortly afterwards arrested. The other made himself scarce for a time, but was subsequently arrested at Havelock. Keenan was further charged with assaulting, with intent to do grievous bodily harm, Alfred King. It appeared that the prosecutor was passing along the street on the same morning as that ou which the robbery above referred to took place, and had a lady with him, who pointed out Keenan ns a person who had said something insulting to her on a previous occasion. An altercation took place, and recourse was had to blows, when Keenan, apparently getting the worst of the fray, picked up a stone and threw it at King, lotting him on the head, inflicting a wound. There was also a cut on his head, which appeared to have been made with some sharp instrument. Both prisoners were committed for trial at the next criminal sittings of the Supreme Court.