RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2920, 25 June 1878, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

THIS. DAY. (Before W. Fraser, Esq., E.M.) DRUNKENNESS.

Five individuals were charged with drunkenness yesterday. Three were en bail and did not surrender, and the other two appeared, pleaded guilty, and were each lined 10s, and costs.

BREACH O ; THE FISH PLOTECTION ACT,

William Landy, a fisherman, and John Sorby, a fish-hawker, were charged with breaches of the Fish Protection Act, 1877, the former with catching flounders less than nine inches from the snout to the root of the tail, and the laLer with Belling the same.

Mr Dodd appeared for the defendants and pleaded guilty. He- said that the men had been acting under a misapprehension, as some time back in answer to a petition a telegram had been received from the Hon. Mr Sheehan to the effect that instruction! would be issued uot^to prosecute for breaches of the Act. He read several telegrams on the matter, and asked as this was the first offence that the bench dismiss the case. -

Mr Uullen said he did not press for a penalty, as the police had brought the action to show the fishermen that the Act was in force, as no instructions had been received to the contrary: His Worship said he, had received a circular from tbe Department of Justice' to the very opposite effect to the telegram read by Mr Dodd. He then dismissed the defendants with a caution. r; ' ■ / -ASSAULT.- ' .-.- ..'■ There was a case of assault on the list, but as neither party appeared, the case was struck out.

ANOTHEB CASE.

Emma Perston was charged with unlawfully assaulting her son James Perston, at Shortland, on Friday last, by bitting him on the head with a candlestick. ~

The defendant, who appear, d in Court evidently ercited with liquor, denied the ofi'ence.

Mr Bullen referred to the painful nature of the case, and said that the action had been brought not only in the interests of jus'ice, but also to protect the defendant's children from her violence.

James Perston, sworn, deposed—?l reside with my mother and brother in Pollen Biireet. My father died two months ago, and since then several times my mother has: threatened to do me injury, and I Hve,been frightened for my life. I sleep with my brother, and we have to barricade the bedi-oom door. Once she accused my brother of stealing her purse, and said she would chop him down like Mrs Wail had done. On Friday last she came into my bedroom and hit, me with a candlestick on the foreaead. She has threatened to poison me. Mj sister lives with "Mrs Hicks, as jlie is frightened to live at home.

By defends at: My brother did not hit me. You did.

Anne Hicks, sworn, deposed—lam the wife of Thos. Hicks, and reside near Mrs Perslon's. The. children often come to me with complaints of their mother's violence. Mrs Perston has bsen incapably drunk for the last fortnight. I recollect the boy coming to me on Saturday morning with his forehead cut and told me bis mother had hit bim with a brass candlestick. In consequence of Mrs Perston's violence my husband has been protecting them for several nights. By defendant—The little girl seid that she had been hit by her mother. ; 'Constable Dey, sworn, deposed—l am siaiioned at Sho tland. In consequence of instructions 1 have frequently visited Mrs Person's house, and often found her in a drunken sl-.ie. Complaints have been made of he.assaulting and beating her children. The boy complained of having tbe cut irflicted on hjs face by hex', and the. neighbors had also complained. 'Defendant said that she had conducted herself properly since her husband's dea.h. -

His Worship said he thought it. would be better to bind Mrs Perston over to keep tbe peace, for three months, herself in one surety of £50, and two other sureties of £50 each. He hoped that npge of her friends would come forward as sureties until she hail perfectly recovered from the habit she had contracted since her husband's de^th.

Court adjourned.