RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3943, 18 August 1881, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

THIS DAY. (Before H. Eenrick, Esq., R.M.) CHIMNEY ON FIBE.

James Browne was charged with having his chimney on fire on his premises in Pollen street. —The Police having proved the case, defendant was fined 5s and costs.

LAKKIKINISM. Samuel Quadri and Michael Quadri were charged that on the 6th August they committed a breach of the Vagrant Act l>y assaulting the well known character, George Turner, in Pollen street.

Sergeant Major O'Grady, having stated the case,

George Turner, sworn, deposed—On Saturday night, at II o'clock, he was going home, when he was kuocked about by a lot of lads in Pollen street, who threw stones at him and otherwise assaulted him. There were several other lads besides the two Quadris, but he could not say who they were. He had given them no provocation.

Margaret Reddish deposed she saw the two defendants near her premises oo Saturday night, and hearing a great noise she went to che door, and saw four larrikins annoying the plaintiff. She endeavoured to persuade them to leave, but they would not, so she then sent fora policeman. Am positive the two defendants were two of the boys who were there. Would know them by their roices if I had not seen them. Constable Stapleton deposed that the two defendants were always in the streetia late at night, and gave a deal of trouble. They had been before the Court for_>^ similar offences. 'f l ' Samuel Quadri, aged 15 years, denied having seen the plaintiff alter half-past nine on Saturday night. Midael Quadri, aged 13 years, gave similar evidence.

Frank Cain, sworn, deposed—l am employed by Mr Quadri. On the 6th, iust. 1 was finishing my work when one of the lads came into the shop and complained of not being well. That was about half-past eight. I did not see either of them afterwards.

By Sergeant Major O'Grady—l lire with Mr Quadri. Alter leaving work at eight o'clock I went to, bed.

His Worship held the case had been clearly proved. He regretted the law would not allow him to order them to be flogged. He would therefore order their father to be bound over, in his own recognisances, in the sum of £25, for the good behaviour of the lads for a period of six months. He held the parents were greatly to blame for allowing their children to be out in the streets at such an hour of the night. A NEGLECTED CHILD. Maria jNeill Smith, a young girl aged seven years, was charged with being a. neglected child within the meaning of the .Neglected and Crimiual Children's Act. :

Sergt-Major O'Grady deposed that the child had for some time been almost entirely kept by the neighbours in the Karaka, but latterly the father had objected, and she had therefore been in. a most deplorable state. He had visited ttie house, and found it in a very dilapidated condition, there being no fuel, light, or food in the house. The father ia a labourer, but is seldom in employment. J. B. Mason, Believing Officer, deposed he had visited the house ia question. The only furniture was a bunk, on which the father and\child had just been sleepiag. There was neither food, fuel, light, cooking utensils, or anythiug of the kind. Four squares of glas^ out of eight in ,tne windows were broken. Smith had spoken to him some time ago about getting the child admitted to the Orphanage, the charge for which was an annual payment ©f £10. He had seen the child ia company with the father as late as 11 o'clock at night. The father did not try very much to get work.

Three other witnesses then gave further corroborative evidence as to the manner in which the child had been neglected.

The father of the child haviug expressed his willingness to have the child sent to the Orphnuage, His Worship made an order to that effect.

Court adjourned