RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2611, 22 May 1877, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

THIS DAY. (Before W. Fraser, Esq., R.M.) DBTTNKENNESS.

Two persons were charged with being drunk and incapable last night. One defendant was on bail, and as he failed to appear his bail was forfeited. The other pleaded guilty and was fined 10.g and costs, with the usual alternative. : Henry James, Frederick J. Hollis, and Theophilus J. Hollis, three boys, were charged with stealing from the Tararu Railway Station house one pair blankets, two gimlets, and one tin dish, the property of the Tararu Tramway Co., on or about the 17th inst.

The boy James pleaded guilty, and the brothers Hollis not guilty.

Mr Bullen said that the lads were in the habit of fishing off the Tararu Wharf. The younger lad had gone into the tramway shed, and, by his own admission, had taken the articles. He thought he could prove that the others had abe ted him. William Crisp, sworn, deposed—l am in the employ of the Tramway Co., and have' charge of • the station house. I entrusted the key to a man named Bone on Wednesday or Thursday. I did not give any of the defendants permission to go into the house. ; George Bone, sworn, deposed—l am employed as lighthouse-keeper at Tararu, and know the station-house at Tararu. I often have charge of the key. Last week I saw two blankets, some gimlets and some tin dishes there. I know the defendants. After I missed the things I had a conversation with the elder lad, Hollis. It was on Sunday^and I told him to go to church. He gave me some impudence, and I called him a thief. He said that he did not steal the things out of the shed, but Wilson (meaning James) had.

Sergt. Mulville, sworn, deposed—ln consequence of information given to me, I saw the lad Frederick Hollis* and accused him of stealing the articles. He said all he knew about it was that the boy James' mother had told him that James had found some blankets. I asked him if he was at.the Tararu wharf on the day the things were stolen," and he said he was there fishing. He afterwards admitted that he had seen young James with a bag, and had been vrith him when he had got in at a window of the shed. I then went with Frederick Hollis to James' house, and James admitted that he had got the things from the station house, and the Hollis boys had helped him through the window. Fred. Hollis had told him to go in and take the gimlet. James said that he had given Hollis the gimlet, and that he had lost it. Henry James, sworn, deposed—l recollect being at Tararu on Wednesday or Thursday last. Fred told me to go in and get a gimblet. He helped me to pull a board over the window, and the Hpllises ran away; I got a gimlet and a pair of blankets. I gave the gimlet to Fred, and took the blankets home." I told my mother where I got them, and she said she would give them up if they were come for.

By the Bench—l am sure that I told

my mother where I got the blankets from. I told Hollis I had moleskins in the bag. His Worship said that James would be imprisoned for 48 hours and once privately whipped. Frederick Hollis, being over the age of 14 years, would be imprisoned for one month, this being a second offence. Theophilus Hollis would be discharged. Court adjourned.