RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1880, 18 April 1889, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Geraldine—Wednesday, April 17, 1889.

[Before the'Her. G. Barclay, and K. H. Postlelhwdie, Esq., J.P.’s.] UNLICENSED VEHICLE. Albert Hoskins was charged by the police with having on the 11th inst., at Geraldine, unlawfully plied for hire with a carriage, the same not being licensed by the Geraldine Town Board, contrary to Section 2, By-law No. 8, of the said Board. Defendant pleaded not guilty. James Rennie, expressman, sworn, said he saw defendant drive a load of passengers to the racecourse of Geraldine townspeople, and a load of people who had come from Christchurch. A person named Warnerj asked him if he (witness) was going to; the course, and he replied that he was; soon. Warner went in to change his. clothes and came out again, and witness not being ready to start defendant came along with his trap and picked him up. Hoskins had a boy in the trap at that time. On the occasion of taking both loads he was plying for hire the same as anybody else. To defendant: Do not know what you charged. Do not know if you took any money.

Q. Fox, another expressman, deposed to seeing defendant pick up passengers, and saw him take two loads. In reply to defendant witness stated that he had not taken out a license himself this year, and did not intend to while defendant was at large. Constable Willoughby stated that on the evening of the JLlth inst. acting on instructions from the Geraldine Town Board, he stopped defendant and asked him if he had a license to carry passengers, when defendant said “ No,” F. Warner, who was driving, said he was in charge of the buggy. In reply to defendant witness said defendant gave him a list of those persons he carried that day. Defendant said this was to allow of the constable making ioqniries as to whether he charged them for the trip or not. F. Warner, called by Constable Willongby, said that he went down with defendant to the races on Thursday last. He got up apposite the Crown Hotel, and defendant gave him the reins and he drove down to the racecourse and beck. When leaving the course witness brought the mare round, and it was with his permission the others got up. Hoskins had nothing to do with it, they were friends of witnesses and no money passed. To defendant: You were not plying for hire when I got up. Defendant being sworn, stated that those who rode with him were friends of his. He did not charge them anything, nor did be take any money from them. He had been asked to meet the train from Ashburton on the 10th inst. Had done so and had conveyed his friends to Geraldine. They asked him to take them to the races on the following day, and be had done so. W lien got to the course they found they wanted two buckets and also a boy brought over from Geraldine, Went back io Geraldine to get them, and while there Warner asked him fop a lift over to the coarse, and be had given him one, bat made no charge for carrying passengers, and took no money. The Bench considered the evidence adduced did not warrant a conviction, and dismissed the case.

alleged larceny, The same defendant was thou charged with having qn the 10th day of April unlawfully and feloniously stolen and carried away one bushel of osts, the pro* party of George Eos. Prisoner pleaded M £fqt godly.” Conatabje Willoughby askad for a remand fop one week oft account of the Eastep holidays,

Prisoner objected, and asked that the evidence in support of it should bo led. Constable Willoughby, sworn, said that on Sunday last he received iaforma'ion from Mr George Fox that he had reasons to suspect that prisoner was habitually stealing oats from his place. Oo erquiriug from whom the information was derived he found it came from Mr J. E. Hood, watchmaker, who lived next door. Upon questioning Mr Hood, the latter informed witness that Hcskins was in the habit of going to Fox’s (place when he and his daughter were away, and coming out of his stable with a sack hslE full. Witness watched at Hood’s place for two days, and on Tuesday siw Hoskins ,walk up to the place with an empty bag. looked about as if wanting something;

picked up a bucket, went into the stable, and a few minutes afterwards came out with a bag (produced) and went towards home. Witness went up to him, and told him he wanted to see what he hud in the bag. Prisoner said “Oats.” Witness asked him if Fox gave him leave to taka them, Piisoner said “ No, but Lizzie Fox did.” Went down to prisoner’s and at kad Lizzie Fox if she gave prisoner leave, and she said repeatedly, when asked by prisoner, that she never gave him leave to take them.

George Fox, sworn, said that he had never given prisoner leave to help himself out of the bin, or to boirow eats from him. The Bench remand to the 2|fth inst.l. f The Court then adjourued.