RESIDENT MAGISTRRTES' COURT. TUESDAY,16TH DECEMBER,1862

Otago Daily Times, Issue 310, 17 December 1862, Page 6

RESIDENT MAGISTRRTES' COURT. TUESDAY,I6TH DECEMBER,IB62

(Before A.. 0. Strode, Esq., R.M.)

Drunkenness.— John Roberts, charged with t'lh offence, was found guilty, and fined iv 205., or tin usual alternative iv default of pay me at. Joh.i Morris, on being asked what he ha I to say to i!io same charge, replied that he had just lauded iron Sydney, and that haviug met with some old m-it::,-,-, he took a glass too much, aud did not know what; had occurred. He was fined in 20s. John itobuts was then charged witii assaulting the constable who took him into custody. Complainant said that he found prisoner throwing dirt on the window* of tin Scandinavian boarding house, and on remonstrating with him, was savagely assaulted by himself and his Sydney mitjs. His Worship inflicted a fine of £t and costs, at the same time remarking that if they thought to co;u* over here and play then- rowdy tricks wifcuout puuishraent, they would be much mistaken. William Matthews, another of the same party, was fined 20.s and costs for being drunk. Charles Morris was al*o fined 20s, or 48 hours imprisonment for the .same offence.

Indecency.—Robert Henry was fined 30s au.l costs for exposing his parsoa in fie public streets.

Obscenity.—David Brodie was accused of usingl obscene language to the constable who apprehen 'el Henry. Prisoner said he was only talking1 to lib; mate; but his Worship thought that supposing that was the case, the language was so curious, he would impose a fine of 20s and costs.

Absconding froji Service.—A young lad named John Napier was accused of having desert I the service of his employer, Edward Pritchard, blicksmitli. Prisoner, who 13 au indentured apprentice, left, as lie said, because of repealed threats of personal injury; but this was firmly denied by the master. After hearing both sides, his Worship onsidered there had bean faults on both side*, arri ordered the lad back to service, with a caution that ii' again brought up he would be seat to prison for two months.

1 Alleged Theft.—Arthur Campbell, charged with stealing three books the property of Mrs Baker, was discharges ; and Samuel Pritchard, placed at the bir charged with stealing a chest belonging to Mis Baker. It appeared that complainant landed from Sydney on the Ist August, ana among her Jugga^i was the chest iv question, whi.:h contained a largo quantity of valuable articles. It went a mis-ing and nothing more was heard of tilUhe 13th of last month, when in consequence of an advertisement in the Times she applied to prisoner aud found her chsst in the front room of his dwelling-house. Afterwards procuring a search warrant, the books were ibund in a house formerly occupied by Pritchard, and at that time by CampbelL The explanation by the latter, who was summoned as a witness, was that the box had been received by them in the ordinary course of business as carriers. Having no address it was placed in the Government store, where it lay fir some time till he and Pritchard were oblige! to remove it. The chest was then open and any one might have appropriated its 'conteuts. Several other witnesses were examined, and af'er alengthy trial the case was dismissed, and Mr Pritchard discharged.

Caution to Carters. • John M'Neil was fined in 10a and costs for leaving a horse and cart unattended in Hope-street.

> Warning to Shipmasters.—Alexander Beverage, master of the schoouer James Daly, was charged with having neglected to keep a light burning on board ofsaid vessel while it was lying in the channel between Port Chalmer3 and-Dunedin. Defendant admitted the offence, and stated in extenuation that it was not customary for vessels to show a light. His Worship thought'; it a very serious matterj butas the case had only been brought up as a warning to othere, he would impose the penalty of 20s and costs merely. CIVIL CABE3. Nuisances. —E. Boulton, for throwing shavings into High street, was finel Is and costs; and for " keeping a cellar door open, 403 and costs., 'Messrs Jones, McCarthy, and Farley were allowed till Friday to remove the nuisances complained of.. In $hv> cosl-s of-Mackie, Cano,.Lang f ,Muir, Driver M'Lean and Co, Sheahan, Proudfoot,'and Solomon, the Inspector an abatement of the nuisances, ■ . . ' „