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

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1510, 9 March 1882, Page 2

RESIDENT MA GISTRA TE'S COURT, HAMILTON. Yesterday. — (Before Mr H. W. Northcroft, R.M.)

Breach of the Destitute Persons Act. Alexander Smith was charged on the information of his wife, Mary Jane Smith, with having brutally ill-treated her, and with neglecting to provide for the support of herself and her four children.— Sergt. McGovern prosecuted, and the accused was defended by MrW. M. Hay. The plaintiff sworn, said she remembered having brought a similar case before the court on the 28th ult. It was withdrawn at her request. She did so because MiHay had assured her that her husband would be kind to her, and take her and the children home. She would have gone home that day had he not used threatening language to her. Accused himself did not ask her to go home, and denied having authorised Mr Hay to say so. It was over two months since she left his house. She did so because she was afraid he would strangle her. He once put a rope around her neck. He was never very kind to her. He told her to clear out and take the children with her. She van away once before because she was afraid accused would do her an injury. — Mr Hay was about to ask the witness a question touching her fidelity to her husband, when— His Worship said that would not mend the case, and he would not compel the witness to answer such a question — In reply to the Bench, witness said she had four children under 14 years of age, but accused had taken away three of them the previous day. She prayed for an order compelling the accused to support her and the children— This closed the plantiff s ease — Mr Hay said he hoped to show cause why the court should not gra&t the order prayed for. The information was bad because it disclosed more than one offence. One offence was brutally illtreating, and the other of neglecting to provide, &c. Moreover neither the names nor the ages of the children were specified. One complaint should have been lodged on account of the wife, and another for the children— The Bench considered the objection good, and dismissed the complaint. —Mr Hay said he hoped some arrangement would be come to between the parties. The accused was willing to take his wife home and behave well to her — Mr Northcrott said the woman had already withdrawn two charges, and unless she had been greatly provoked it was not likely she would have come forward a third time. The parties had only just left the court on the pievious occasion when the accused commenced to use foul and threatening language towards his wife— Mr Hay : Accused denies all that your Worship— Mr Northcroft :If he denied it five hundred times I would nob believe him— The parties then left the Court.

Civil Cases. In the following cases judgment was given for plaintiffs for amount claimed and costs : — Geo. Edgecumbe v. Hendry and Dacre, claim £10 ; P. LeQuesne v. F. Vincent, claim £2 16s 6d ; same v. J. Gavin, claim £2 5s ; Wiseman v. J. Gavin, claim, £2 0s 6d.