POLICE COURT.-This Day.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4793, 20 May 1884, Page 2

POLICE COURT.-This Day.

(Before Dr. ffilgour and H. E. Lawlor Fsqs., J's.P,) - , DEUNJt.

A One man was fined ss, or in default ordered to undergo 24 hours' imprison* ment, for this offence.

, '■ ASSAUIiT. Wn>. Fagg was charged with assaulting Gtforge Martin, his apprentice. Mr Fagg admittc 1 having struck the lad under ex> treme provocation. George Martin deposed that he was apprenlic: lljMr Fagg. Last Saturday moraing he was at work wireing billies, and Mr Fagg, upon hearing the hammer stopping, went into the room in which he was working and said he was not doing sufficient work, and he would stop it out of his (witness') wages. Martin. replied that he could do so, and thereupon Fagg struck him in the mouth and eye, marking him.—Upon reing questioned by the defendant witness admitteJ having said, when Fagg threatened to stop money from him, " stop it and be d-i—-d."

Walter Grundy, another apprentice of Mr Fagg swoi'e that he had gone in to ark Martin a question about his work, spd thd latter, slopped working to answer him. Fagg then went in and said he was talking aad he would step it out of his money. Martin replied that he could do so, when F£gg struck him. Fagg had £i:uck Martin and wit?egs before tl_;,t day, Martin went to put on his coat when he was first struck and Fagg oalled him a coward, then Mr.rtla " squared " at VUu

Mr Fagg stated that Martin was an in* corrigible lad, and this was the third time he bad to appear in the Court through him. The boy came late in the morning, talked and whistled instead of working, and did all he could to aggravate witness; he wasted and destroyed material. When spoken to on the morn* ing of the assault the boy swore at witness, and when the latter, under great provocationstrupk him, Martin placed himself in a fighting attitude and they had a "tussle," Martin striking him in the eye and running away. Before giving their decision! the Bench decided to hear .

A CBOSS ACTION,

Being an information laid by Wm. Fagg against Geo. Martin for absenting himself from his hired service on the 19th inst.

The informant deposed that defendant stayed away from his work yesterday without permission. Martin was appren* liced as sixteen years of age in February, 1881. This was the third tb>o he had to bring the lad before the Court. Mr - Miller, who appeared for Martin, said that bis client was not an apprentice at all, as the law provided that bo apprentice should be over the age of nineteen, and Martin was older than that, hence his apprenticeship had expired. '' William Brownett, guardian of the lad, swore that Martin was nineteen years old last August, , ,; ; The benph said it appeared that it was perfectly understood that the boy Was over sixteen years of age when he was apprenticed in February 1881, he was not an apprentice, and the case was therefore dismissed as was also a charge of disobedience laid by the same informant against Martin. "; '""'■'- '-"'^":;';';:;-'* '"tv-^ In the assault ease, the; Bench said no doubt an ussault had taen committed, but under great provocation, as the. lad bad undoubtedly beon impudent to his matter. A lenient view would, be taken and defend* ant would be fined 20s and.costs £2 Us. ANOTHER ASSAULT CASE. ' : . Mrs Elsie Curtis was charged with assaulting C. W. Curtis, and was called upon to find Buretieß that she would keep the peace. C. Curtis deposed that on Saturday last Mrs Curtis went, into the kitchen, commenced smashing crockery, and threw a Striding bowl at his son's head, calling im many offensive names, and being very abusive generally. She got very much intoxicated, and was locked up by the police. His wife had been a source of great trouble to him, and had spoilt his business. She was likely in her temper to take anything in her hand and assault people. „ The defendant was bound over to keep the peace.in her own recognisance of £50. ■-!.-;-■ •>-:- .. :.; ■„- .V-J,'- ' PBOHIBITION OBDEB. '. The same defendant bad a prohibition order granted against her, operating in the Borough of Thames, and Counties of Thames, Piako, Tauranga, Waikato, and Coromandel, for twelve months, on the application of her husband.