RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 3, 16 November 1863, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Friday, 13th Nov. 1863. (Before M. Price, Esq., It.M.) Dkunk and Disorderly.- Joseph Brown, "William M'Leary and Thomas Collins, were fined the usual amount for being drunk in the streets, Street Pugilism. —Maurice Connor and Robert Fairburn were brought up by the police for an exhibition of the manly art of selfdefence in the public streets. They were each fined 10s. The Late Sticking-t;f Cask. —Alexander Barlow, James Barlow and David Tweedie, were brought up charged on suspicion of having assaulted and robbed William Acton on the 2nd instant. The assault and robbery which the three prisoners were alleged to have committed, took place while the prosecutor was on ! his way from Switzer's to Invercargill with a large quantity of gold, and a sum of money, all of which had been taken from him. It turned out that on the prosecutor being shown the three men, who had been arrested at the Half Way Bush, lit stated they were not the men who had robbed "him. The prisoners were discharged. CIVIL CASES. Henderson, Bon«r, and Co., v. Craig. —Mr Harvey appeared for plaintiff; Mr South for the defendant. This was an action brought to recover £76 2s 6d, for damage alleged to have baen sustained 'by the plaintiff in consequence of injury done to a quantity of timber brought in the Storm Bird, of which the defendant was master, arid also by reason ©f short delivery of a portion. The only question which the Court had to decide —the fnjury to the timber been proved to have arisen from the sea water, and exposure to the weather —was whether the defendant was responsible for such damage, the goods having been placed on the deck of the vessel. The bill of lading, it appeared, did not clearly state that the timber was to have been taken in the ordinary manner, and to be delivered in '" good order and condition," but that it was shipped at the risk of the consignor, and it was elicited-in evidence that being conveyed on deck, instead of in the vessel's hold, less than the ordinary freight was charged. The I Bench looking at the bill of lading, was of I opinion that the timber had been shipped at the risk of the consignees, and that the defendant was not responsible.for any damage that might have occui'red through exposure to the weather. It had been proved, however, that short delivery of two pieces of timber hadT)een made. A verdict for 8s 6d was therefore recorded Saturday. Nov. 14t,.18u'2. Thk BlacK. List.—John Gordon, charged with being quietly druuk on the previess day, was fined ss. John ConnaT was charged with having whilst drunk, conducted himself in a disorderly marine?. It appeared by the statement of the constable who arrested the prison-cr, that he had takpn possession of a public house in Deestreet, and having a large piece of brick in his hand, he was men icing everyone therein. The Bench fined him £2. John Young was charged by J. H. Lee, with damaging property to the amount of 15s. It appeared that on the previous evening the defen-dant—wh-oinCourt appeared to belaboring under influence, or " suffering a recoverj',"—was staggering down Tay-street, and the complainant, barring his entrance to the Provincial Hotel, by closing the glass door, the defendant' broke the glass in forcing himself In. The Bench inflicted a penalty of £\^ and ordered him to pay the amount ofdumage in addition.