RESIDENT MAGISTRATES COURT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 862, 20 January 1879, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATES COURT.

THIS DAY, (Before T. \Y. Parkin, Esq., R.M.) David Green was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Wansbeck-street. Fined 3s. William Baker was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Thames-street. Fined 23. Joseph Williams v. Catherine Moore. Mr. Newton for the plaintiff; Mr. O'Meagher for the defendant. In this case the defendant was charged with using abusive language to the plaintiff on the 14th of .January in a public thoroughfare at Whitstono. The defendant having expressed her feelings on the subject in a somewhat strong manner to Williams, Mr. O'Meagher succeeded in proving that the defendant was not on a public thoroughfare—it was a side road leading up to Williams' house. He further argued that Williams' action was simply and purely vindictive, and that there was no evidence to prove the language was used in any place within the wording of the law on that subject. He asked his Worship to dismiss the case. The Bench ruled that the language had been proved, but that there was some slight provocation owing to the service of a summons on John Moore, the defendant's husband, for trespass. His Worship thought that the expense to which the defendant had been put in coming to answer the charge was a sufficient punishment. He thought it would have been wiser on the part of the informant to have closed his ears to the abuse in the same way as the witness Hardy had done. His Worship said he would dismiss the case. Mr. Newton : Am I then to understand that your Worship holds the offence to be proved, and yet dismisses the case 1 The Bench : Yes ; I think that the defendant has received a sufficient caution to

indues her to govern her tempoc and tongue on future occasions. If not, stronger measures will have to be adopted. I dismiss the case.