RESIDENT MAGISTRATES' COURT, CAMBRIDGE. Yesterday.—(Before H. W. Northeroft, Esq., R.M.)

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1369, 9 April 1881, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATES' COURT, CAMBRIDGE. Yesterday. — (Before H. W. Northcroft, Esq., R.M.)

, Alleged Assault. Major Wilson waa charged . on the information of A . Isaacs with assault. Mr Hay appe-ired for complainant, and Mr F. A. Whifcaker for defendant. In opening the case Mr Hay laid considerable stress on the fact that the defendant was a Justice of the Peace, and should have been the last to commit an assault. He then called A. Isaacs, who said he was a storekeeper, residing in Cambridge : Remembered 25th March. Saw defendant that day in an office adjoining his own premises. He did not know whose office it is. It is occupied by the Native agents and Mr Firth. He hud busineps there, and had been there repeatedly. No one ever challenged his right to go there. On the day stated in the information he went to receive payment uf an order for £22 some odd shillings. The native who had given him the order asked him to go into the office and he would see it paid. He sawMr Searancke in the office, who handed a cheque to the natives for £34. The native then refused to pay complainant, referring him to defendant, who, he said, would pay him the amount of the order. He (complainant) asked defendant for payment, and the latter replied that he would not do so. Complainant then told defendant he would have to summon the native, to which he replied that that was what he had better do. Complainant retorted that that off-hand way of his (defendant's) did not suit him, as he wanted his money. Defendant next ordered him to leave the office. He replied he was waiting for payment of £7 due by another native, which was subsequently paid. Major Wilson turned the native out by the shoulders, and then addressing complainant, told him he had no occasion to remain any longer. He again asked plaintiff to leave, and he declined doing so. Defendant then went outside, and brought in Mr J. Gk Wilson to turn him out. Mr Wilson did not turn him out, Upon plaintiff resisting he was dragged through the room by five or six persons, and struck on the face by defendant. By Mr Whitaker: I tell the Court positively I did not know whose onlco it was. I expected to get payment of the order from Mr Searancke. He knew Mr Searancke was in tho employment of the patetero company. Witness did not know it was the office of the Patetere Company. He knew defendant was a director of the Patetere company. He saw Mr Williams another of the directors in the office. The office had been lately created as an addition to the offices occupied by the Patetere company. Major Wilson asked him to leave three times and he declined doing so He struggled when the parties were engaged dragging him out. They squeezed around on him when dragging him out. Mr Whitaker : But they did not succeed in squeezing any of the money out of you. Witness : No. It take? a good deal of squeezing to do that. Cross examination continued : Defendant struck me in the face but not severely He struck him before he was laid hold of by the others. He would positively swear that it was defendant who struck him and none of the others. The blows he was struck did not mark him. To Mr Hay : Major Wilson never told him that the office was his. He (complainant) was there with the consent of Mr Searancke. Witness did not eousider he behaved improperly in the office. Mr W. N. Searancke was called but did not appear. Mr Hay said they had taken all necessary precautions to have the witness present. It was understood he had gone to Wellington, and in that case he (counsel) would apply to have the witness compelled to attend. Mr Whitaker : On what authority do you make that application ? Mr Hay : On the ground that he has disobeyed the order of the Court. He proceeded to quote authorities in support of his contention, when Mr Whitaker said there could be no doubt but that a warrant might be issued if the Court thought proper. He would ask the Court, however, to say how far the question of expenses to the witness might be pleaded in extenuation of the witnesses' non appoarance. After further discussion it was agreed that the case should be adjourned till next Court day for the attendance of the witness. A. McLeod was charged with using threatening and abusive language to D. Carnachan. Mr Hay appeared for complainant, and Mr Dyer for defendant. The latter stated, as a bar to action, that the subject of the dispute between the parties involved a question of title to real property, and the matter could not be considered by this Court. The objection was sustained, and on the application by Mr Dyer for costs, Mr Hay objected that if the Court decided it had no jurisdiction to try the case it had no power to award costs. The case was adjourned till next Court day to enable counsel to argue the point.

Theft of a Watch. Samuel Kingdon, a lad under 10 years of age, waa charged with stealing a watch. Mr Dyer, who appeared for accused, tendered a plea of guilty, stating in extenuation that the accused was the child of respectable parents, aud that this was his first offence. The boy had been chastised for the theft ; the watch restored to its owner, and he (counsel) understood the police had no desire to press the charge. The Magistrate deferred his decision,

Civil Case. J. Edgar v. 0. 0. Montrose ; claim £20, amount of wages alleged to be due to the plaintiff for reporting for a paper published by defendant. Mr Beale for the plaintiff, and Mr W. M. Hay for the defendant. Mr Hay applied for an adjournment, on the grounds that he had not had time to get up his case, and that he wanted the evidence of witnesses now in other parts of the colony. The Magistrate decided to hear the evidence of plaintiff who might be away from the place when the case again came on, and his two witnesses in attendance, and then adjourn for the hearing of the defence. The plaintiff was then examined as to the debt. Messrs S. E. G. Smith and R. 0. Carrick were examined in regard to the question of the amount of wages usually paid to reporters, and on other points touching the custom of newspapers «nd the case was then adjourned.

Among the beautiful gifts that reached the German Empress last Christmas Ere was one sent to her Majesty by the Empresi of Japan, which has created quite a sensation among Berlmese naturalists. This novel and interesting present consisted of a couple of Japanese dogs, the first of their kind ever imported into the Fatherland? But f° r the shortness of their ears, they would tear a general re* semblance to the variety of spaniel known as King Charles. They are long»haired and silky, snowy white in color, with a few black spots on the body, and with coal-black heads. Their moat remarkable feature in their eyes, whioh areextroardinarly large and lustrous, and which . it, seems, as they grow older increase in size until they attain the dimensions of a two* shilling piece.