RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. (Before G. G. FitzGerald, Esq., R.M.)

West Coast Times, Issue 282, 18 August 1866, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. (Before G. G. FitzGerald, Esq., R.M.)

Friday, August 17. Committing a Breach of the Peace. — John Crawley was charged with fighting in the public street, and fined Ll, or in default forty-eight hours' imprisonment with hard labor. Breach or Police Ordinance. — John Nicholas was fined L - or Jn default -four days' imprisonment, for depositing rubbish in a public thoroughfare. Lunacy. — Henry S. Scale, op remand from the 16th instant, charged with being of unsound mind, was committed to the Lunatic Asylum, Christchurch, on the medical evidence of Drs. Ryley and Dermot't. — Donald J. Troughton, on remand from the 15th on a similar charge, was discharged on the evidence of Dr. Ryley. Larceny from a Dwelling whilst a Police Officer. — John Acheson Carr, on remand from the Bth instant, was further remanded until the 26 th, at the request of the police. The evidence of Constable Charles was taken, which was precisely similar to that taken on a former occasion, when the prisoners Carr, Aldridge, and j Chamberlain were charged together, I Larceny from a Dwelling. — John and George Henry Chamberlain I on remand from the Bth instant, were also remanded until the 26th instant. The evidence of Constable Charles was also talten in thfs case. jfiip Worship, at the conclusion of Al- ' drjdge'B case, in reply to Mi Button, stated that' the prisoners would be remauded from time to time until Sullivan's attendance could be obtained to give evident 9 Against them, ' . 7 • 1

Wilful anj> Coerbpt Perjurt.— George Henry Chamberlain, on this charge, was also remanded until the 26th instant. Chamberlain 'made a rambling statement about his innocence, and blamed the police for his present difficulties, and the obnoxious position in which he was now placed. Mr FitzGerald objected to allow him to rail at the police, informing him at the same time, that such conduct could not possibly benefit him in his case. CIVIL CASES. In Rickets v Mitchell, heard on the 16th his Worship gave judgment this morning for the defendant Vith costs. Bell v Goodsall. — Mr Rees appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Button for the defendant. The plaintiff stated, that on the 10th inst. he was* knocked down whilst on the wharf, by a cow, which had just been landed from the steamer Thane. The animal, as soon as it had got out of the slings, knocked him down and trampled on him. Two witnesses were called, wfio plaintiff's evidence as to his having been knocked down by the animal in question. Dr Dermott deposed, that he Irad attended Bell for certain injuries on the calf of his leg, which would prevent his walking about for a few days, and following his calling as a hawker. Mr Button moved for a nonsuit, on the grounds — first, that the plaintiff had not proved negligent keeping ; second, that until the cattle were landed, they were in the charge of the ship, and the defendant not responsible ; third, that it was necessary to prove the scienter — i.e., that the defendant was aware of the vicious propensities of the animal. Mr Rees, in reply argued that the fact of defendant's offering to compromise the matter for L 5, was au admission of the scienter. His Worship requested Mr Button to proceed with his defence. F. W. Eicke, called, stated that the plaintiff, with several others, were looking on v at the landing of these cattle. The cow when hoisted in the slings struggled, and on coming to the ground landed close to where plaintiff vvas standing, which caused him to scamper <-,ff ■ Plaintiff stumbled over some timber :id fell, to the great amusement of th.? "'j, Zanders. The plaintiff got up, auJ halting himself, joined in the crowd rl * ■„ itched the landing of the remaindc- o? -he cattle. The witness stated that the cow might possibly have touched Bell with her shoulders, but that was all. Mr Eicko further remarked that the cattle were pail-fed, and quiet cattle bred at Wanganui. After hearing counsel on either side, his Worship reserved judgment until •to-morrow (this Hughes v. Abbott, Abbott, and Clarke. — Mr O'Lougblin for the plaintiff ; Mr Oakes for the defendants. This was an action for L62i)s 9d, balance of wages due. Judgment in this case was also reserved until to-morrow (this day). Liston v. Hutchens— Mr South appeared for the plaintiff. For goods sup&c, &c. Judgment by default for L 22 4s 6d, and costs. Leston v. Russell — Mr South appeared for plaintiff. For goods supplied, &c. Judgment by default for L2O Is 6d and costs. Leston v. Cedarwall. — Judgment by default for LB4 19s 6d. The Court was then adjourned until 11 o'clock to-morrow (this day).

' The " Hobart Town Mercury," of the 25th tilt., remarks of the financial prospects of Tasmania : — " Finance will be the stumbling block of the present session, both to the government and to both houses of parliament. In the short space of fonr years the'Treasuier has outrun the constable to the extent of LIOO,OOO on his general revenue, and what he is going to do to prevent, a recurrence o^ this in future it is not for us to say unti parliament meets. We hear, of course, of all sorts of impossible projects, but we prefer waiting to hear what the Treasurer himself Has to say on the subject, to taking an account of his intentions fro jo. the lips of others, however well-informed. He will, no no doubt, astonish us, as he has done before on similar occasions, but we must not put up with that. All we have to demand of him is, that he will lay no more pitfalls for himself, but that he will bring up his revenue like a man. That is what the colony wants, and what both houses of parliament must insist upon. We have had too much seesaw — too much fiddling with finance — and we must now see whether the colony cannot be put in a position that will be creditable to itself and to all that are in it. We pretend to no forecast of what the result of the business will be. But whatever it is the present government must be made to bring up their revenue to their expenditure." The progress of goldfields enterprise in Tasmania still drags its slow length along. The "Mercury," in its Summary for Europe, says : — " We have very little to report of the Fingal goldfields this month. From the Fingal Quartz Crushing Company the only account that hai reached us is that they crushed early in the month a trial simple of ten tons of quartz from Grant's Reef, which yielded two ounces four pennyweights of retorted gold — that is, at the rate of four pennyweights i and upwards to the ton. That is the best return that has been obtained since the quartz crushing companies began. It is also gratifying to learn that a fins sample of quartz has just been found in the same reef with specks of gold all over it, and. that promises to be very abundant in its yield. But we have to set off against this the windirc; up of the Alliance Company, owing to the vant of encouragement for further operr 1 ~n*. That is to be regretted, but it must bo -a down to the chances of war. ..When ! c Rev. W. B. Clarke was here, his exper^tionßof large deposits of gold being found on that side of the island were exceedingly slight. His belief was that attention should be turned to the other side of the islan d, where, on the same parallel with the Ballarat goldfields of Victoria, he had no doubt gold would be found in equally large quantities, although it might be at a somewhat lower depth. Thither public attention is now being turned, and Mr'S. B. Einmett, of Circular Head, is about to visit that part of the country again. Its, exploration should not, however, be left to the almost, unaided exertions of one individual. The whole of that side of the island ought to be thoroughly explored, arid the chances are that we ihnll have a proposition to that effect •tarty. Somy (if ths blitolt s»ud brought

from the Hellyefc was lately sont to us, and on comparing it with the black sand of New Zealand, in which so much gold has been found, it appeared to us to be more auriferous when viewed with the naked eye. Specks of gold were distinctly visible in it. But we shall probably have a scientific analysis of this to report on next month, Meanwhile the weßt country will not be lost sight of."

Paddy's Stratagem.— An Irishman, driven to desperation by the stringency of the money market and the high price of provision, procured a pistol and took to the road. Meeting a traveller, he stopped him with "Your money or your life." Seeing Pat was green, he said, " I'll tell you what I'll do— l'll give •you all my money for^ that pistol." "Agreed." Pat received the mon^y, and handed over the pistol. " Now," said the traveller, " hand back the money, or I'll blow your brains out. 1 ' " Blaze away my hearty !" said- Pat, " never a drop of powther there's in it." DUTIHAM COAIi POB THE FRENCH NAVY. The French Minister of Marino, we understand, has agreed, on the representation of M. Niboyet, the French, vice-consul at Sanderland, to submit Sunderlund coal to competitive experiments with the Northumberland steam coal, mixed with the Welsh coal in the usual manner, for use in the Imperial navy. Should the experiments be successful, Sunderland "coal will "be placed on the list for the French navy .—" Newcastle Daily Chronicle." A Sharp Son. — A man was married some three weeks since, in one of the eastern countries. When the ceremony was over, and the register-book bi'ought out, the clergyman enquired what was his father's Christian name. If he had been asked what was the Hebrew for donkey he could not have looked more puzzled and perplexed. Neither the bride nor the bridesmaid, nor the groom's man, could help him ; 90 at last the hopeful and respectful son, scratching his head, made answer, " Well hang it if ever I heard the old chap's arst name, in all my life ! " The clergyman was obliged to leave it blank in the register. A Sailor's Notion of Wi^ere to Learn Manners. — As George 111. was walking the quarterdeck of one of his men-of-war with** hi« hat on, a sailor asked his messmate " who that fellow was who did not dowse his peak to the admiral ?"— " Why it's the king."— " Well, kiiig or no king," retorted the other, •'he's an unmannerly dog." — "Lord, where should he learn manners ?" replied Jack ; "he was never out of sight of land in his life/

A When does a cow become real estate ? When she is turned into a field.