COURT OF PETTY SESSIONS.— This Day.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1494, 24 November 1874, Page 2

COURT OF PETTY SESSIONS.— This Day.

(Before W. C. Daldy, P. Dignan, T. Cheeseman. and G. S. Graham, Esqs., Justices of the Peace.)

Margaret Brainsbury, with an infant in her arms, pleaded guilty to being drunk last night, and was fined ss. and costs. AN ANGRY HUSBAND. Edward Boucher, on wan ant, was charged with violently assaulting Anne Boucher, on the Ist iuat , by throwing a brass caudlestick at her head. Prisoner pleaded not guilty. Mrs Anne Boucher d.e.r>os&d that she went out for a walk with the children, and on that evening her husband became very desperate, put her out of doors, threw a candlestick at her, and burnt the children's clothes. He also got hi 3 butcher's knife -he was a butcher by trade—and threatened to make sausage meat out of her and the children. It was all owing to drink ; he was seldom sober, or she believed he would not act in such a manner. He threw the weights at her. She had now left her home, and was afraid to return. He swore he would get rid of her, and be happy. She did for him all that a wife could do. She waited upon him and persuaded him to give up the curse of the family. Reuben shaw, labourer, deposed that on the night in question he went into prisoner's shop lor a leg of mutton, and found prisoner in a terrible state of excitement. He was using awful language towards his wife, and threw a knife and a 41b weight at his wife's head, which missed her and nearly split the door. His wife was very passive under the circumstances. He concluded that, the butcher was certainly mad. Eliza Home, a young married woman, went to see her sister, and found her trembling under prisoner's hand. She was afraid that he intended to murder her. He had often acted in a similar manner, but his wife continually forgave him. Prisoner, on being asked what ho had to say, replied that he had been in business as a butcher for ten years; he did throw a knife, but he had a glass or two of beer in his head at the time

The Bench said that prisoner ought to be punished for his conduct; but in consideration of his youug family of six children, the Bench ordered him ta find sureties for his good behavour for three months ; himself in £50, and two others in £20 each. Bail was not procuaed and prisoner was sent to Mouat Eden. ALLEGED LUNACY. A man named Lowe, who was remanded on a charge of lunacy, through incessant drunkenness at Biverhead, was discharged on promising to keep sober in future. FALSE CHEQUES. Frederick B. Duvall, a man of education and respectable appearance, remanded from last week, was again brought up on seven charges of obtaining money on false pretences by means of valueless cheques —1. £3 from Hubert Oram, of the Prince Arthur Hotel, on the 6th inst. 2. £3 from Adam Cairns, of the Royal Mail, on the lOfch inst. 3. £4 from Ed ward Perkins, of the Occidental, on the sth inst. 4. £5 in money and goods from Mr R,. H. Bartlett, on the 6th instant; (5), £2 from Hubert Oram, on the 10th instant; (6), £3 from D. McLennan, on the 12th instant; (7), £2 10s from Hubert Oram, on the 12th instant.

Prisoner pleaded not guilty to the first two offences, and guilty to the remaining five.

Mr James Hume, agent of the Bank at Ngaruawahia, proved that prisoner closed his account at the bank, and drew all the money to his account.

Mr Oram and Mr Cairns v proved to giving prisoner cash for the dishonoured cheques j but as prisoner pleaded .guilty to the remaining charges there was no necessity of calling the other gentlemen to prove their cases. Sergeant-Major Pardy took prisoner into custody on the several charges ; and upon being asked by the Bench if anything was known of the prisoner, stated that he had been previously convicted at the Supreme Court, and sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment for similar offences.

Prisoner stated that in passing these cheques he had no idea of swindling ; he had about, £20 due to him, which he fully anticipated would have been paid into the bank which, had it been done, would have enabled him to have met the demand. He stayed in Auckland a fortnight after he cashed the cheques, which was a clear proof that he intended to behave honestly in the matter. The Bench found prisoner guilty, and sentenced him to six weeks' imprisonment with hard labour for each offence each sentence to follow in succession, making together forty-two weeks.

This concluded the sitting of the Court of Petty Sessions.