MAGISTRATES' COURT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 348, 5 June 1877, Page 3

MAGISTRATES' COURT.

THIS DAY. (Before T. W. Parker, Esq., It.M.) DRUSK AXD DISORDERLY. John Jones was charged with having been drunk and disorderly in front of the Alliance Hotel, last night, and with assaulting the arresting constable. Constable Donovan stated that the man was very violent, and knocked him down several times. He (witness) had to get assistance to remove the accused to the lock-np. The accused, who was very noisy in the dock, stated that it was the first time he had ever been in a Court. He also tried to make out that the arresting constable had taken money out of his pocket before reaching the lock-Tip, and that the amount (L2 18s. 6d.) stated as having been found tipon him when searched was not correct. James Reid was called, and stated that he had assisted the constable in taking the accused to the lock-up. It would have been impossible for the constable or him (witness) to have taken anything out of the man's pocket, as it was as much as they could do to get him to the lock-up. Constable Welch stated that he was present when the accused was brought into the lock-up, and searched him, the reason of his having to do so being that the prisoner was so violent that Constable Donovan had to hold him while being searched. All the money found upon the prisoner was L2 18s. 6cl. In his statement the accused again said some of his money had disappeared very mysteriously. Sub-Inspector Smith said that although he had been asked several times, the accused had refused to give any information with regard to the amount of money he had lost. His "Worship said he believed the statement made by prisoner with reference to the loss of his money was a mis-state-ment, made for the purpose of aggravation. The case was not one of ordinary drunkenness, and he would therefore inflict a penalty of L 3, with 10s. costs of witness, or three weeks' imprisonment.