MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr Florance, S.M.)

PROHIBITED LIQUOR. At the Magistrate's Court this morning, Jeremiah O'Sullivan pleaded guilty to a charge of being drunk on April 4th, and also to a charge of procuring liquor during the currency of a prohibition order. Sergeant Hanson stated to the Court that O'Sullivan was a victim of circumstance in that he was waylaid by vagrants, two of whom were before the Court, and supplied with liquor. He

asked that lie be dealt leniently with, arid be given another chance. On the* first charge O'Sullivan was convicted and discharged, and on the second he was convicted and fined £2, with. 7s costs. VAGRANCY. . Fred de Lisle arid James Raglan Akersten each pleaded guilty to charges of being vagrants, and were each sentenced to a month in Picton gaol, with, hard labor. THE FACTORIES ACT. The District Inspector of Factories proceeded against D. Smart on a charge of having failed to pay wages fortnightly. The defendant was represented by Mr McNab, who pleaded, not guilty pro forma, in order to get the Magistrate's ruling on the word "occupier" in the Factories Act. Henry Steere, Inspector of Factories in Blenheim, stated that the sawmill which was run by defendant was registered by him. To Mr McNab: The name of the firm was Smart Bros., Ltd. Mr Harvey was the secretary of this company. To the District Inspector: The defendant had applied on Wednesday last to have the company registered. William Binley stated that he was employed as yardman at this sawmill. He was engaged by the defendant on .February 22nd, his wages were £19 2s 6d in arrears. On February 24th he received a cheque from the defendant for £12 and a promise of the balance 1 the following week. He had since got the money. 1 To Mr McNab: If he had not got th© money he would have sued the com- , pany. ' ! The Magistrate imposed a'fine of £1, with costs amounting to £1 10s. KEEPING BOOKS. On another charge of failing to keep proper books, the defendant pleaded guilty, and the Magistrate convicted him and mulcted him in costs amounting to 16s. SCAFFOLDING. David Wemyss, in behalf of Wemyss Bros, pleaded guilty to having erected a scaffold exceeding six feet high on a building in Maxwell Road without having obtained permission. A conviction was entered and a fine of £1 with £1 5s costs imposed. POLICE v. PAUL. This case was called on, but on the [ application of Mr Mills it was adjourned until to-morrow morning, at nine o'clock. CIVIL CASES. Judgment for plaintiffs, for amounts claimed, with costs, was given in the following undefended civil cases:—W. lies y. W. Duff £5 ss; W. Carr v. R. O'Brian, £17 12s 7d; Skelley and Bready v. H. Humphreys, £2 Is 6d. HIGGINS v. CAMPBELL. The Magistrate gave his reserved judgment in the case Higgins v. Campbell, for the recovery of a dog valued at £20. Judgment was for defendant with fees based on the claim of £20, together with costs amounting to £6 2s.