MAGISTERIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2130, 20 January 1880, Page 2

MAGISTERIAL.

TIMARU.—YESTEBDAY. (Before 11. Beetham, Esq., 8.M., and E. Cr. Kerr, Esq., J.P.) HAIUTUAL DKUNKKNXKSS. John Jackson, an old limn of about 70 years of age, against whom there were several previous convictions,. was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, with hard labor. FORGERY. Margaret Cordy, a young girl of seventeen, was charged with having, on Jan. 17, 1880, feloniously forged an alteration to a certain document for the payment of £1 4s, with intent to defraud. It appeared from the evidence that the accused had been employed fintil recently as a domestic servant, and was paid off by her employer on Saturday with'the'cheque for £1 4s on the Bank of New South Wales; The cheque was afterwards altered by the accused from £1 4s to £l2 4s, and she endeavored to change the altered cheque at a draper’s shop in town. After some further evidence, his Worship remarked that a conviction for forgery could not be sustained. The cheque had deceived no one, as it was taken in the Jirst place for £1 4s, and the alteration at once detected. It Was a most clumsy attempt to altdr the ■amount.

Inspector Pender intimated that the girl had been getting into bad habits of late.

His Worship, addressing - the accused, said he trusted she appreciated the position in which she was placed. She had been charged with an offence for which she could have received 14 years’ imprisonment if found guilty. If the acthad been the result:of getting into bad habits, he Imped that this would be a lesson to her. The accused was then discharged. , . THIS DAY. [Before R. Beet-ham Esq. R.M.] DU USKKNESS. An inebriate was fined os. CIVIL CASES. Judgment was given by default with costs in the following cases Guthrie and Co., v. Buss, £lO 16 2d ; Hamcrsloy v. Smith, £6 15 Cd; Tate and Hall v. Vickers, £56 6s; Webster v. Cook, £4 6s 2d ; Webster v. Eeid, £2l 3s; Caskey v. Exlcy, £2 10s; Priest and another v. Watt, £4 17s 6d ; and another v. Tregoniug. £37 10s ; Perry and Perry v. Lane, £27 11s 8d; Baker v. Smith, £7 5s 6d ; Salek v. Brien, £9 12 9d, judgment by consent. Egan v. Ormsby—Claim, £26 10s 6d, Air Hamorsley for plaintiff. The facts of this case were given as follows: —The plaintiff having disposed of certain property of his to Messrs Ross, Sims and Co., afterwards repented his hargin and employed Mr Ormsby professionally to recover the property for him. This Mr Ormsby ultimately effected incurring certain necessary expenses in the process- The plaintiff now blamed his solicitor for not advising him with regard to the sale of his property, and sued him for the sum of £26, balance of monies received.

His Worship, in summing up the case, said there was not a ghost of a case against Mr Ormsby, who had got the plaintiff out of a terrible mess, and he, the plaintiff, ought to be very much obliged to Mr Ormsby, for the manner in which he had helped him through his difficulty. Judgment would be given for the amount paid into Court, £4 9s 6d.