RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5426, 17 August 1878, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Friday, Auuust IG. A U K Fit ACTOR Y HKAMA>*. Albert Edwards, an arl-ic eel seaman belonging to the ship “Medea.' was charged with assaulting James Coles, the chief officer of that vessel. The complainant deposed that the prisoner came on board the ship in a state of intoxication. The captain pushed him forward, but ho persisted in coming aft. Witness pushed him back again. Insoucr then caught hold of witness by ths whiskers, and struck h ‘Tho\«i>s£r°of tlie ship “Medea” save evidence corroborative of the chief officers statement and added that lie put the prisoner in irons until the arrival of a constable. ilis Worship said that the master of a vessel was not justified in putting a seaman in irons when in nort His Worship had no doubt, however, that Urn prisoner was veiy disorderly, and deserved to bo punished, and lie would order him to bo imprisoned, with hard lacor. for twelve weeks. ATTEMPTED ROBBERY. Nicholas Tcmperlej' was charged with attempting to rob the till of the Post Office Hotel, Grey-street. Miss Anno Corlleld, the barmaid of the hotel, deposed that she was at the far end of the bar on Thursday afternoon about 4 o'clock, at which time the prisoner was standing at the counter. For a short time the accused was hidden from witness, as there was a screen between them which shut out the view. Witness was iusy attending to some customers, when she hoard a noise behind her, and on turning louud il ickly she saw’the prisoner reaching over the counter and pulll g out the drawer, which had money in it. Khc then reported the matter to Mr. Overton, the landlord. Mr, Ellaby. who was present at the time, corroborated the lust witness’s statement. Prisoner, on being asked if ho had anything to say, stated lie never had the remotest Intention of stealing. He heard some persons talking, and fancying lie knew their voices he stepped on a chair to look over the screen so as to see who they were. Ho got on to the counter, and that was the noise that attracted the barmaid’s attention. His Worship remarked that the statement of the prisoner was a most improbable one, and sentenced him to U days’ hard labor.