MAGISTERIAL.

\ , CHBISTCHUECH.

Monday, Dec. 9. (Before Mr B. H. Fisher, J.P., and Mr J. Forrester, J.P.) Drunkenness.— Two men who had not been previously convicted were each fined 6s and costs, in default twenty-four hours' , imprisonment. False Pretences. — Thomas Broomhall Smith, alias J. B. Steel, alias Lord Worthy, 1 was charged with having, on Dec. 3,. at Southbridge, obtained the sum of .£2 from Horace James Pick by means of false pretences, to wit, a valueless _ cheque 1 on the Union Bank of Australia; also, 1 with having, on Dec. 4, obtained from the said H. J. Pick by means of false pretences. Accused pleaded not guilty. The ' evidence for the prosecution showed that on Tuesday last the accused went to the Southbridge Hotel and told the licensee, Mr Pick, that he was on a visit to Mr Campbell, of Homebrook Station. Accused represented that he was a friend of Mr Campbell's, and asked Mr Pick to cash a cheque for £2 Mr Pick gave accused the change, | I and went to the Union Bank at Southbridge and presented the cheque, but it J was returned as the drawer had no funds l to meet it. Accused was a remittance man i, and on Nov. 4 put .£3O into the Union r Bank, but when he wrote out the two ' cheques at the Southbridge Hotel he had ■ only Is to his credit. John Eobert Cameron, of Homebrook Station, stated that he did not know the accused, who, when arrested by Constable M'Cormick, of Southbridge, said I he had an account at the bank. Accused E made a statement to the Bench to the E effect that he had been one hundred and l sixteen days in the hospital, and had been » under three operations. After being dis--3 charged he took some liquor. He remem--3 bered writing one cheque, but was under 3 the impression that he had money at the bank at the time. Accused, who had been j previously convicted, was sentenced to two > months' imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to run concxirrently.