MAGISTERIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2585, 4 July 1881, Page 2

MAGISTERIAL.

TIMARU—THIS DAY. (Before B. Beetham Esq., 8.M., and F. LeCren, Esq., J.P,,) DRUNKBNNKSS. A first offender was dealt with in the usual way. A BTSEST ROW. 0. G. Chorlston was charged with being drunk and disorderly and with assaulting a constable in the execution of his duty. William Boase was also charged with the name offence and also with damaging Government properly to the value of 12s 6d. Both men pleaded guilty. Consteble Brady stated that bo was on duty on Saturday night l '-’in- the Main South road and about 7 o’clock arrested Charlston, who was drunk; A crowd collected and.Charlston assaulted witness and Struggled with him. The other defendant Boase then came up. He had been' drinking too. He struck witness several times and knocked his hat off, jumping on it as it lay on the road. (Hat exhibited, looking decidedly the worse for wear.) Mr Moses White deposed to witnessing the disturbance. His Worship told the defendants that they might feel thankful that nothing was known previously against them. Drink Seemed to have been the cause of their conduct,' but that could not be accepted as an excuse for resisting the constable. He should send them to gaol for seven days, without the option of a fine, and Boase must make good the injury to the constable’s hat (12s 6d.) CATTLE AT LARGE. George Taylor, for allowing cattle to wander at large on the Upper Pareora road, was fined 6s. DISMISSED. Two men, charged with committing a breach of the peace by fighting on the beach, near the George street Landing Service, were discharged, there being no evidence to prove their identity with the offenders. TRESPASSING IN PURSUIT 0E GAME. George Hawker, Edward Acton, Andrew Wood, A. G. Dymond, and W. Halstead were charged with trespassing on the Rockwood estate (near Pleasant Point) in pursuit of game. Mr Reid appeared to prosecute. All the defendant’s pleaded guilty to being on the land, but denied that they were in pursuit of game. 0. H. Bayley, manager for Mr Gibson on the Rockwood station, said that on June 21 he met the defendants on the estate. They each carried a gun and had a retriever and a cattle dog with them. Went up to them and took down their names, telling them he would have to summon them. There were about 4000 sheep on the estate, and witness had suffered considerable loss during the last four years from trespassers with dogs. That was the reason the cose had been brought. George Hawker, one of the defendants, explained that the party had stuck up a wild pig and followed it on to the Rockwood land, but the trespass was unintentional.

The other defendants having corroborated Hawker’s statement, His Worship told the defendants that according to the Act, if any person was found trespassing with a gun it must be considered prima facie evidence that he was trespassing in pursuit of game. Still ; the Bench was willing to accept the pig story as probable, and if the defendants paid the costs of tho information he thought that that would meet the case. DOMESTIC THOUBLES. Robert Anderson appeared on an adjourned summons to answer the charge of failing to provide for his wife and family. Mr Jameson appeared for the com* plainant and Mr Hamersley for the defendant.

After some argument Mr Jameson resolved to withdraw the information but the ease will probably crop again.