RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2004, 6 February 1890, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Geraldine—Wednesday, Feb. 5, 189®. [Before Captain C. A. Wray, R.M., and Rev. Geo. Barclay, J.P. DAMAGING PROPERTY. Three youths, named Alfred Stringer, W. Gaiger, and Wjd. Gaby, were charged with having on the Ist February unlawfully broken the palings on fences belonging ta Joseph D de, J. Huffey, and the Trustees of the Primitive Methodist Church to the value of os. The two latter pleaded " Not guilty,” and the first-named pleaded “ Guilty.” A, Fisher was called, and deposed to seeing some palings off of the fences named, and also to his doorstep having bean wrenched up out of the asphalt, and the doorstep moved from Mr J. Riordan's door. He valued the damage to his own doorstep at J Os, as the step was embedded eight or ton inches in the aephalt. The damage to the fences was about ss. Alfred Harris gave evidence as to being with the defendants coming down the street, and seeing Stringerdo the damage. The defendant Stringer freely admitted having done all the damage, and in reply to the Bench said they had been to a wedding dance, where they got a little to drink, and coming home he thought he would have a lark.

The Bench told defendant they were inclined to take a lenient view of the case. He was cautioned, howeyer, that the fact of having taken a little drink should not cause him to be destructive. The charge was a serious one, and he might have been imprisoned with hard labor for two months. He was advised not to appear before the Court again on a similar charge, or it would ba harder for him. Defendant was fined 5s for each offence, with damages and costs, amounting in all to £2 la. DAMAGING RAILWAY PROPERTY.

G. Aiiken, W, Aitken, J. Aitkeo, W. Stnnger, and W. Colbert, five boys, were charged ; with damaging a railway truck and the goods shed at the Ealing siding to the extent of £1 15s, and also with removing a railway truck without leave.

Two of the Aitkens were represented by their mother, and Stanger by his father. A p'ea of “guilty” was made in each case.

it appeared from the evidence that ac incline exists at the siding mentioned, aor the lads pushed the truck to Iho (op ol this, and then jumped in to ride down, They left the door of the truck down, and it caught the side of the goods shed, damaging it and the truck to the extern mentioned above.

Henry Harrison was called to prove seeing the boys there playing with the truck, and their acknowledging the damage as done by them.

Mrs Aitken said her boys had never been upon the line before, and that when asked to go and ride on the truck inquired if they would not get into trouble, and were told ‘‘No.’ 1 Hearing of he damage she had goao to the station master and offered to pay the same, and she objected now to the extra costs bsiog put on. The Bench stated that having to uppeir in court and pay the extra costa would perhaps act as a deterrent to the boys in the future. They decided to inflict no uno, bat ordered the damage and coat-% *hich amounted in all to £3 6s, to be paid be* ween the five lads. The Court then rose.