RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, HAMILTON Yesterday.—(Before H. W. Northcroft, Esq., R.M.)

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1291, 7 October 1880, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, HAMILTON Yesterday.— (Before H. W. Northcroft, Esq., R.M.)

Drunkenness and Obscene Language. Thomas Hall, charged with this offence pleaded guilty to having been drunk, but could not remember the bad language. — George Dickenson deposed that he saw the prisoner near the Hamilton Hotel on the previous evening, and heard him make use of very bad language, which could be plainly heard across the road. — Constable Wild gave corroborative evidence. He had previously cautioned the prisoner. His Worship fined the prisoner £2 ss. with costs, 195., in default, one month's imprisonment in Mount Eden Gaol.

Furious RidingE. H. Kelly and J. A. Kelly was charged with this offence. Mr Hay appeared for the defendants, and pleaded guilty, and the magistrate inflicted a fine of £1 each, with costs.

Civil Cases. Judgment was given in the following cases for nmouut and costs : — Cumming v. Bright, claim £H 18s 4d; G-. Edur*>cumbe v. R. Henry, claim, £6 ; T. Dawson v. F. Reynolds, claim £11 17s; Small and Conies v. Brown, claim £3 19s 9d ; same v. It. E. M. Campbell, claim £7 Is ; same v. Mullins, cbnm £2 Os Cd.

Defended Cases. Thomas Dawson v. James Uzzell, claim £') (Ja Gel, for drinks, etc.— Mr O'Neill for the plaintiff, ftnd Mr Hay for the defendant. — Mr Hay objected that the account was not explicit enough, the natnre of the drinks was not specified. If they were lemonade the price was recoverable ; if not, then he had been instructed to plead the Tippling Act.— Mr O'Neill submitted that the account wa« made out in the ordinary way. — His Worship overruled the objection. — The plaintiff deposed to the eonectness of the account. — Mr Hay called the defendant, who deposed that he did not owe anything to plaintiff, he having" settled up about six or seven months ago. In cross-exam^uation, witness said he know nothing about the Tippling 1 Act, and did not plead it because he did not owe plaintiff anything, but ou re-examination he said he intended to plead the Act, and had instructed his solicitor to do so. — Samuel Coombes, sworn, said he was with the defendant Avhen he squared up, giving plaintiff £l 18s 6d.— The plaintiff was recalled, and deposed that the balance owing 1 by Mr Uzzell had never been £1 lS.s 6d, he had paid in several small Hims. — Mr Hay said, the drinks supplied not being specified must therefore be presumed to be liquor, and he would plead the Tippling Act. The only other item, 2s for a disner, the defendant had according to his evidence paid. — Mr O'Neill said as the defendant had pleaded the Tippling Act, he would of course take the benefit of it, and the learned Council asked His Worship to give judgment for tho 2s fer the dinner and costs — Hia Worship questioned the witness at some length with a view to finding out why he pleaded the Tippling Act, when he had other grounds for defending his case, but could get no satisfactory answer. His Worship then proceeded to administer a severe rebuke to the witness. He said he honoured the man who came to the Court prepared to defend his cause on its true merits, but he thought very little, indeed, of the man who, after obtaining goods, sought to shirk payment of them under such a law as the Tippling Act. He thought it was about the lowest act to which a roan could descend, and publicans would be fully justified in demanding off men who so conducted themselves payment before delivery for whatever they wanted. The witness might consider himself justified, but in his (His Worship) opinion the course he had followed was mean and low in the extreme. — His WorBbip said the defendant might think he was legally right, but he was morally wrong. He would give judgment for the plaintiff for 2*, and costs, £2 29.

The smallest railway is that from North Bellerica to Bedford, Massachusetts It is 8^ miles long, and the rails are 2ft. lOin. apart, giving: a speed of 20 miles an hour. This fact should enable our Government to permit the trains on our branch lines- to be run at a maximun speed greater than that at present allo-wed: " American securities have risen in England. This is due in a considerable degree to ;an apprehension that the state of exchange will soon necessitate gold shipment to New York.