THE COURTS.

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, I LAWRENCE. Friday, May 23. (Before Vincent Pyke, Esq., R.M.) Chue Que v. Ah Fat. The accused who was remanded from Tuesday, was again brought up on the charge of assaulting Mrs. Chue Que, at 4 o'clock on the morning of the 13th May. Mr. Gooday for prisoner ; Mr. M'Coy for complainant ; Mr. Blewitt, Interpreter. Mr. Gooday asked for a further adjournment of the case, to enable him to produce Ah Chow — a witness who was very important for the defence. The Magistrate said he could not do so ; it was beyond his power. Mr. Gooday then called, Chue Que, who deposed : That he was the husband of complainant, and knew defendant. He (witness,) left the Chinese Camp two months ago to look for employment, lie left a little money -about £1 with his wife, and made provision for her while away. He told her that she could go to Ah Fat, who would supply her. He had arranged with Ah Fat to look after her necessities, aud to watch Ah Chow, who. lie thought, had illicit intercourse with his wife. He (witness) returned on Tuesday last by the coach. He told hia wife that he had heard of her doings, and cautioned her. See Que deposed that he was a gardener at the Chinese Camp, and the husband of Mra. See Que.* He remembered the 13th inst. He was in the camp on Monday night and Tuesday morning. He slept in his own house, and with his wife. He got up at 7 o'clock in the morning, and his wife did not rise till later. She was not out of the house on Monday night, and could not have got out at 4 o'clock in the morning without his knowing it. Mrs. Ohue Q.ie came to his house on the morning of Tuesday, the 13th inst., about 8 o'clock, and stayed a short time. Cross-examined by Mr. M'Coy — lie did not try to prevent his wife from giving evidence, neither did ho say he would swear anything to shield his countrymen. Sum Ah Lee, storekeeper at Chinese Camp, deposed that he had known the defendant for some years. Defendant was not a bad but a good mau. He (witness) knew Mrs. Chue Que. She lived next door to him. From his bedroom window he can see the front door of Chue Que's house. He could not really tell whether complainant was a good or a bad character, but he had cause for suspecting her conduct. On the night of the 12th of May, he saw a man going into her house, but could not say wh* he was. On the following morning, he saw Ah Fat at the door of her house. When tha door was opened, he saw Ah Chow in a state of nudity, standing in the doorway. Ah Fat was attempting to assault him, but Mrs. Chue Que who came to the door

prevented him. Ah Chow had his trowsers in his hand. Witness slept in his store on the night of the 12th inst, and he heard no noise or any disturbance. See Que's house is 50 or 60 feet from Chue Que's. In cross-examination the witness said he believed he was asleep at 4 o'clock in the morning. Sam Yick, butcher at the camp, deposed that he slept in his own house in the camp, which is situated about 4 yards from Chue Que's, and he heard no noise or disturbance. He got up in the morning between six and seven o'clock, and when feeding his pigs about a quarter past 7, he heard a noise, and saw Ah Chow running away from Chue Que's house undressed. He further saw Mrs. Chue Que catching Ah Fat by the arm. Ah Fat then slapped her on the face. The defendant had been at the camp for the last five years, and is a respectable man, and not likely to commit the offence of which he stands charged. Mr. Gooday said he had no other witnesses to call, but could do no more nnless he had Ah Chow, for whom a summons had been issued. The Magistrate said he could not further adjourn the case. All the evidence which had been given to-day, referred to 7 and not to 4 o'clock. He characterised the defence as the most extraordinary one ever set up in a court of justice — viz., that if a woman is of bad character, she may be assaulted and beaten without redress. Such a doctrine, said his Worship, may do for the latitude of Canton or Pekin, but is not allowable in any part of the British empire. The Chinese must be taught that such is not our idea of the relations between man and woman. There was no doubt that an assault had been committed, and there was as little doubt that the female witnesses had exaggerated the matter very much. A violent entry had been effected into the house, but the personal injury had been very slight. Judgment would be, fourteen days imprisonment with hard labor. Brydie v. Grundy. — On the application of Mr. Copland, the Magistrate said he would allow professional fees.