RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5340, 9 May 1878, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

■Wednesday, May 8. (Before J. O. Crawford, Esq., R.M.) DRUNKENNESS. James Johnston and John Gebbie were each fined : ss.,‘"dV “the' usual alternative -of twenty-four hours’ imprisonment. , ILLEGALLY ON PBEUISES. - ■ Edward Murphy was charged by the nolice with being illegally on the premises of Messrs. Greenfield and Stewart. : Prisoner, admitted the offence, and was sent to gaol for seven days. J i ■ : ■' :: ■' - i BREACH OP THE LICENSING OBDINANOE. Ann Osgood, proprietress of the’Wellington Hotel, was summoned by the police for selling a quantity of beer in her licensed house on Sunday, sth May, contrary to the: provisions of the Licensing Ordinance. t Mr. Buckley appeared for the defendant. Sergeant Smith deposed that ho visited the hotel in question last Sunday about one o’clock. He saw .a number of persona inside the hotel. ■ Thebar was open. Ho saw two young men drink a pint of beer of each. Witness asked

Seccomb, the manager of the hotel, to put out the men, and six persons left the hotel. The men whoTvere drinking were not boarders. By Mr. Buckley : Could not say if the men drinking were hot travellers. Mr. Buckley contended that the case must fall, through as the burden of proving the persons not travellers rests with the informant. His Worship to Sergeant Smith : Do you know these persons to be resident in town ? Mr. Buckley ; That does not matter, they might have been travelling for their health. W. J. Seccomb, manager for Mrs. Osgood, said that a number of persons called at the house on the day in question for drinks, but were refused.

' By Sergeant Smith : I never saw two men drink at the bar. Never heard them-wistf-you good-health. Mr. Buckley said that no doubt the Act was very faulty. The offence complained of was a criminal one, , and must be dismissed on,.the grounds before stated, viz., that the' prosecutor must prove that the persons served with the drink were . hot travellers. This they could not do. . i -!, His Worship : I must dismiss the case. It appears to me that it will be a very difficult matter to get a conviction as the Act how stands, ...

The "police then withdrew the case against the lessee of the Te Aro hotel.

THROWING STONES. Arthur Williams was charged by J. M. Kelly with assaulting him by throwing 1 a stone and hitting him on the leg. ; Both plaintiff and defendant were boys. From 1 the evidence it appeared that the accused' never intended to strike the plaintiff. The father of the plaintiff appeared in Court and stated that the case was brought to act as a warning to other boys who were in- the habit of throwing stones. His Worship dismissed the case, administering a strong caution to the lad. ,