COURTS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9079, 20 February 1908, Page 5

COURTS.

Pfessv Association. Christchurch, February 19. At the Magistrate’s Court this morning P, Hi Bruges, on remand, was charged with having fraudulently appropriated trust money. He did not appear, and the police asked for a remand till March 4th, which was granted. Invercargill, February 19. Jacob Michael Harnen was fined £5, with £2 6s costs, at the Bluff today on a charge of having wounded Andrew Erndsten-with intent‘to do bodily harm. The accused is a Russian Finn, on the Norweigan barque Hermes, and the other a man named Steward. The latter was drunk, and a brawl ensued, during which a wound (very slight) was inflicted. It was pointed out that the accused was an alien, speaking only a few words of English, and the matter would be complicated iff he was kept in goal till the shi# sailed. The Court therefore acted summarily, the captain undertaking that the accused would not come ashore again.

At Wanganui sitting of the Supreme Court yesterday the new. trial of the alleged house-breakers, Richard Black, Elizabeth Black, and Onrigio Tolley, was the first dealt with. The'new trial arose through the jury of the previous day not being able to agree upon their verdict/ The evidence given was the same as that at the previous trialAfter had summed up the jury retired at 11.30, and returned after an absence of three hours and a half with a verdict of guilty. His Honour, who, in his summing up, had advised the jury that the evidence was not sufficient to warrant a conviction, said he would not pass any sentence upon thejprisoners, as ho would reserve the matter for

the Court of Appeal, and would reserve judgment till the next sitting of the Supreme Court. Alexander Nelson, charged with stabbing a man named Needham, was next placed upon his trial. Nelson, an employee of Wanganui, arrived home one evening early and found his wife absent. He went down town to look for her and on his return found Needham inside the gate. After some conversation Needham“it°was alleged,"assaulted Nelson and in the struggle which followed was stabbed by a knife with which he was cutting tobacco. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty. The case of Rex v. Sullings was the next called, Sullings being charged with keeping an unlawful gaming house' at Ohakune. Constable Carey stated that in company with Constable Thomson lie had visited the accused’s house at Ohakune on the 21st October, and saw eight or nine men playing some game with dice and money being exchanged. He therefore arrested prisoner. In cross-examination by Mr Wilford the constable admitted that he had not seen Sullings playing. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty. Sitting in Chambers yesterday morning His Honorjjheard a moticn by Messrs Fullerton-Smith and Miles to remove the case of McFarlane v. the Mar ton: Clubhouse Company, and A. Brown, a claim under the Contractor’s Lien Act, to share in the funds in, connection with the erection of the Clubhouse, into the Supreme Court. Mr Cohen opposed the application on behalf off the plaintiff, but His Honor granted the order ofr removal.