RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT, CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2358, 20 August 1887, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT, CAMBRIDGE.

Friday. —(Before Mr H. W. Korthoroft, R.M.) George McCann, was charged with slaughtering cattle on sections 25 and 20 at Hantapu, without having obtained a license. The proceedings were taken by the police, Constable Brennan conducting the prosecution. In his opening statement, ho said the accused had been killing cattle, sheet) and pigs for various settlers in the neighbourhood of Cambridge, which had been sold by auction by Mr T. B. Lewis. It had no doubt been a great benefit to the farmers and also to the purchasers, but the defendant had over-stepped the law by taking cattle to his slaughter-yard, and the butchers naturally objected, hence the prosecution. —Defendant pleaded not guilty.—Captain McPherson, clerk to the Waikato County Council, proved that defendant had not taken out a license.—Charles Arnold, butcher, deposed he had seen carcases of beef hanging in the slaughter-house,—Mr G. E. Clark said he had sold beef at Lewis’s sale, but did not know who slaughtered it, neither had he paid anything for having it slaughtered. —Mr T. B. Lewis was called, but declined to be sworn until he knew who was going to pay his expenses, upon which the R.M. severely censured him, remarking that as a J.P. he should know, that in a criminal prosecution the court could call witnesses, and that justices should be the first to render any assistance to the police in carrying out the law. —Mr Lewis'was then sworn, and deposed that he sold meat by auction tor the farmers. He did not employ the McCanns to slaughter; the fanners arranged that. He told the McCanns that Mr Clark was going to send a beast in, but did not instruct them to go and slaughter it. They assist at the sale, but he only paid one of them for doing so. Replying to the R.M. he said the farmers paid for the slaughtering. The money passed through his hands, but ho never paid the McCanns in money ; they sometimes had a joint of meat. Ho did not know how they were paid for slaughtering.—Mr James Forrest deposed that he was a farmer, and frequently sold meat at Lewis’ sale. He paid John McCann for slaughtering. He gave him 5s and the hide. He drove the beast into McCann’s paddock, and left it there. He did not make any arrangement with George McCann. Michael Hanlon gave similar evidence, with the exception that he paid !)s. John McCann was called, hut did not appear, and the Court was adjourned until 2 p.m. for his production. When the Court was resumed, the accused admitted having assisted his brother to slaughter, and was fined 10s, and costs 30s. The costs would have been much heavier if the witnesses (the butchers) with one exception had not refused to take any expenses.—The R.M. commented very severely upon the way in winch one of the witnesses, Mr James Forrest, had been prompting the accused, and pointed out that the 27th Section of the Slaughtering Act was made for the especial benefit of fanners, and that they must have known that they had gone beyond that section when they took their beasts to the slaughter-yard. There were several unimportant civil cases, only one, T. Wells v. W. Hoany, being defended, Mr Dyer for plaintiff and Mr Ansenne for defendant. The amount sued for was £2 11s 2d, and judgment was given for plaintiff, with 19s costs.