RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1216, 10 March 1880, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

:'!■..■••■■ YESTERDAY. (Before T. W. Parker, Esq., K.M.). LARCENY. John Hawker was charged with having, at Oamaru, on the Bth instant, stolen 16s from the North Otago Hotel, the property of William Morgan Southan. The evidence of Louisa Martin, barmaid at the North Otago Hotel, -was to the effect that, on Monday evening she was in the billiard-room behind the bar, and heard a noise" as though' some one was at ;the till. On running into the bar, she saw a man jump off the, counter, and followed him into the street, when she caught hold of him. She forced him into the hptel, and; a constable was sent for. The prisoner then laid three shillings mi the table, . saying that there was the amount he had taken. .On the constable takiug charge of the money it amounted to 15s. .

Constable Cleary Btated in his evidence that on the way to the lock-up prisoner asked to be permitted to have a drink, and, on receiving permission, he produced a shilling from his mouth. The accused was sentenced to: three months' imprisonment in the Dunedin Gaol. ■_ « THIS DA¥. (Before S. ' Gibbs and S. E. Shrimski, Esqs., J.P.'s.) DUTTNKBNKESS. Mary A. Robinson was charged with having been drunk and disorderly in Torridge-street last evening,:and was discharged with a caution. Walter Pennington, charged withhaving been drunk and disorderly in Thames-street last night, was fined 10s, with the alternative of three days' imprisonment. DISGUSTING OHFEITCES. Margaret M'Doiiald was charged with -having loitered in Trent-street and importuned passengers for the purpose of prostitution. Evidence having been ; taken in proof of the char s, Inspector Thompson asked the Bencli to inflict a heavy penalty, as the conduct of this class of people in that locality was so bad that they had become a nuisance to the respectable portion of the community. He had employed a constable in plain clothes to do duty in the locality. The Bench inflicted a fine of 40s, with the alternative of one month's imprisonment with hard labor, Mr. Gibbs stating that he thought it was time that the Contagious Diseases Act was brought into operation. • John Darkin, a respectable-looking young man, was charged with having, at Oamaru, on the sth instant, committed a oriminal assault upon a girl named Elizabeth Anne Evans, and with having had carnal knowledge of the prosecutrix. Inspector Thompson prosecuted, and Mr. O'Meagher appeared for the accused, who denied; the charge. : On the application of Mr. O'Meagher, the case was adjourned until Friday, in order to give time for the preparation of the defence, the learned counsel stating that he had only been retained that morning.