MAGISTERIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2191, 27 March 1880, Page 2

MAGISTERIAL.

TXMAEIT—this day.

(Before Iris Worship the Mayor and E Gr. Kerr, Esq., J.P.)* 'I'HR EFFECTS OF DRINK,

A man was brought up, on remand, on suspicion of being of unsound mind. Dr Hogg stated that the man had been under his care for some days past and lie thought had now quite recovered. He'liad no doubt that drink was the exciting cause of the man’s mental condition when arrested.

The man was discharged with _ a caution to abstain from alcoholic drink in future.

drunkenness,

Peter Smith was charged with this offence.

Sergeant Haldane said the accused was an habitual drunkard ; this was the third conviction against him for drunkenness during the year. Yesterday when arrested he had a bottle of spirits by Ins side, and was lying in a helpless state of intoxication.

Inspector Ponder remarked that the police were not actuated by any ill feeling towards the accused iu making these statements, but they did it for his own good. The accused was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labor. A COWARDLY ASSAULT

Alfred Crainim was charged with unlawfully assaulting and heating Alfred John Parsons, of the Club hotel, Tiuiaru, on the night of "March 23. It appeared, from the evidence of Mr Parsons, that on the night of the 23rd he visited the Shamrock hotel, accompanied by a friend, llis friend having some, business to transact, in the house, Mr Parsons strolled outside, and while waiting there tin; accused jostled up against him, and asked for a match. Mr Parsons replied that he was not a smoker himself, and had not got one. The accused then suggested that they should go into the house and have a drink, but the prosecutor refused to do this, and started on his way homo. Ho had not gone far when a piece of brick —about a quarter of a one —struck him on the hack with groat violence. He turned hack and met the accused, and said, “You scoundrel, you shouldn’t have done that !” The .accused replied, “ Oh, it wasn’t me that threw it.” The prosecutor told him that he might have waited until he was charged with the act. John Borchill, storeman, Timaru, deposed to being at the Shamrock Hotel on the night' of the 23rd. Saw the accused deliberately pick up the piece of brick and throw it at Air Parsons. Would swear accused was the man. The accused, who had a wandering vacant look, made a rambling statement to the Bench, in which he denied having thi’own the brick.

In reply to the Bench, Inspector Pender said that the police knew nothing against the accused ; they suspected however, that he was actuated by some secret motive in assaulting Mr Parsons. Although it had nothing whatever to do with" the present case, and the police could not prove the connection, their Worships would doubtless remember the prosecution by Mr Parsons of a young man named Gridin, formerly employed by him. This prosecution, it was thought, had probabty something to do with (ho assault. The Bench remarked that they considered the charge fully proved; the public must be protected, and it was not to be supposed that assaults of this kind were to be committed with impunity. The accused would be imprisoned for one month with hard labor. The Court then adjourned.