POLICE COURT.—Yesterday.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 59, 14 December 1871, Page 3

POLICE COURT.— Yesterday.

Before W. Fraser, Esq., R.M. Drunkenness. —Julius Anderson was charged with being drunk in Abrahamstreet, Graliamstown, on the 13th inst., to which charge lie pleaded guilty, and was fined 10s. with the alternative of 24 hours’ hard labour in case of non-payment. Furious Riding. William Condon Hazard was charged with furiously and negligently riding ahorse in Albert-street, Graliamstown, on the Bth inst., and pleaded not guilty.—Mr. Bullen said one of the witnesses in this case was absent in Auckland—The R.M. remanded the case until Saturday. Negligent Driver. —William Reid was charged with allowing his horse and cart to stand in the street with nobody to look after it, lie being at such a distance as not to have control over them.—The R.M. said under Vie Municipal Police Act any one offending was liable to a penalty of £lO, and this should be generally known amongst carters and others. The defendant would be fined in the mitigated penalty of 2s. Gd. and costs. Assault. —William Evans was charged with assaulting'Richard Lediard, at Grahamstown, on the 12th inst. by striking him on the face with the clenched fist.— Mr. Dodd appeared for the complainant, and Mr. Macdonald for the defendaut. — The prosecutor deposed that he resided at Graliamstown, and knew defendant, who is a paper-hanger. Witness was busy painting at Mr. Kennedy’s place in Owetistrcct on the 12th, when the defendant without any provocation came up and abused witness : wanting him to fight, which offer was declined, and ultimately struck him.—By Mr. Macdonald : There has been no quarrel between us lately. He has often wanted to fight me, but that was some time ago. Did not attempt to interfere with defendant until he got me down on the ground and hit me, and his boy helped him. I then did seize hold of of him, and tore his waistcoat. I went into the building to get out of defendant’s way, and he followed me. I was perfectly sober.—James Fitzgerald deposed to being present when the occurrence took place. Evans came up and asked if “ old Buggins was about, as he would like to kick him.” Some words ensued, and finally they got “ entangled” together, and Lediard fell and was hit by Evans.— Charles James also deposed to seeing a slight row between tho parties. Saw Evans knock Lediard down. Evan’s boy was present, and hit Mr. Lediard.—Mr. Macdonald for the defence said, according to his instructions the boot was on the other foot altogether, or at all events that it was a case of six of one and half dozen of the other.—James Clarke deposed to seeing the row between the parties ; could not say who was the aggressor.—George Sawyer stated that he saw the parties sparring at one another. Did not think either of them displayed much science ; did not see the beginning of the affair.—William Duthie deposed to to seeing the parties scuffling together ; could not see who first commenced hostilities. Each had hold of the other appaently.—William Wakeuian said there was a grudge between the parties. Sometime ago Lediard said he would back himself

for £5 to fight defendant. Was not present when the assault- took place.— Thomas Evans, son of tho defendant, stated that Lediard first assaulted Evans. —The R.M. said taking the whole of the evidence, it appeared to him that there had been bsyl blood between the parties, and that complainant must be of rather a pugilistic turn of mind to offer at the age of 72 to back himself for £5 to fight defendant. Under tho circumstances ho did not think a sovere penalty was called for, and fined defendant 10s. and costs. Cruelty to Animals. —John Negus was charged with cruelly ill-treating and beating a horse at Tararu, —Defendant pleaded not guilty.—Thomas Brown, carter, Tararu, said he saw defendant there on the 7th inst. Defendant was in charge of a team aud pair of horses, and he kept whipping one of the animals all the way from Mr. McKenzie’s to witncsse's paddock, a dist ance of about 150 yards. The defendant kept holding the shaft horse, and kept beating tho leader ; the leader swerved twice on to the footpath. Witness has been a carter for many years. There was no occasion to beat the horse at all, as the poor little beast was doing all lie could. Witness said, “ easy with that whip.” Defendant then made use of very bad language towards witness. —Esther Brown, wife of of last witness, corroborated her husband’s testimony.—For the defence, Benjamin McCall was called and stated that he saw the defendant driving his team at Tararu on the day in question. Witness was driving another team. It was a very heavy, sandy road, and there was a big hole at which the leader of defendant’s team stuck, and defendant then slightly touched the animal with the whip, but did not keep on beating him. A man and a woman were standing on the hill, aud the man sung out to defendant. Witness did not hear what defendant said in reply.—The defendant said his leader could not pull just as he got to a bad place on the road, and he hit them a few times with the whip, but nothing more. Tho horse got frightened, and swerved towards the fence, and then Mr Brown sung out.—The R.M. said lie could little doubt from the evidence of Mr. Brown and his wife that defendant had cruelly beaten this horse, and that this was too often the case with parties in the habit of driving at Tararu This information being laid under the Rural Police Act (Tararu not coming within the Municipal Act), he had no power to inflict a higher penalty than £5, which he should impose with the alternative of one month’s hard labour in case of non-payment. John McMinnin was charged with allowing a mare and foal to wander at large in Rolleston-street, and was fined 2s 6d and costs, or 24 hours’{imprisonment in case of non-payment.