POLICE COURT.—This Day.

Auckland Star, Volume X, Issue 3082, 6 March 1880, Page 2

POLICE COURT.—This Day.

(Before J. E. Macdonald, E«q r , i^jj, DRUNKENNESS.

Three men ■« ere charged with this «fll»n and dealt wilh"accordingly. v atm

„ ..... , y INDECENT CONDUCT." Edward Laverf ■ was' charged under th Vagrant Act with indecent conduct w evening in High-street, in the presence ' t persons passing^ ' w ot Prisoner, an old man, plcadedlnot Ku ilf v The police thought be was of the gain rt ■ging party, but he had nothing to do wit? them. v Sub-Inspector Pardy said the prison^', conduct.was disgracsful, and his lansui ,l to itie constable very bad." &"ayi Constable MeGilp deposed to the w on j .which were . addressed to Constable M "Clellan, who *as clearing the Court Prisoner said he was quietly leaving th Court,; when he was jßuddenly lifted fm behind into the street. As a gentleman ht protcsWd ngainst such inexcusable con duct. ' ,F "Constable McTlellan deposed that it w the drunken gum digger that interferes with Lavery. Witness did not touch him ; Another constable corroborated, also Sergeant Major Mason. Prisoner was un der the influence of liquor, and verw violent. ; y

The Court found prisoner guilty and imposed a fine of 10s and 2-i costs. ■i. Maggie's shawl. / Mory Dogherty was charged with stealing Margaret Barstow's shawl, on the 2ndinat in Chancery Lane. ' 13! Prisoner pleaded not guilty. Sub-Inspector Pardy said the shawl wai traced to prisoner. Another woman was equally guilty, but had escaped. . HewonU ask for a remand. v Eemanded until Monday, CAUGHT AT LAST. Charles' Morgan, a smart youth, of Welsh parentage, was brought up on a charge of stealing eight ducks and fowl?, on the 12th lnst., at the North Shore, the pronertv «f Edward McCrum. l pnyof Prisoner pleaded guilty, and was fined 40s and costs, or one month's imprisonment with hard labour. KXPOSURIE OF PEESOK. John Shea was charged, on the informa tion of Sergeant Greene, with exposing his person in Arthur-street,'at Ouehunea. ™ the sth inst, T un Prisoner said he was too drunk to know anything about it. Bernard Greene, S.P., deposed that prj. soner was lying in the road upon his back in a half nude state, with a number of chil. dren around him. The Court fined prisoner 10s and costs or 48 hours. , ' l CART UNATTENDED. ' Henry Hassell pleaded not guilty to a charge of leaving his-cart unattended ia Darby-street on the 3rd inst. Defendant said he was not guilty j he left a man in charge. Constable Igoe deposed that there wasa man, but he could not bp in charge, as he was lying drunk by the wayside. His Worship said thatbetween defen. dant, this man, and the beer, it 'faas pretty clear that the charge was correct;'5 Fined 2s costs 9s. NEGLECTED. - Peter Bropk was charged with being a neglected child within the meaning of the Act. Fanny Green said the boy was entirely neglected, his mother was dead, and his father, an old man, was in the-Waikato, She had supported the child for two years, but was not in a position to keep him any longer. He was seven years of age. The Court committed him to the Indns. trial Home for the full term ; to be brought up in the faith of the Church of England. GDM DIGGEES.

Tlios. Mulvaney, Win. Saramons, Jolm Holland, Wm. Jarvis, and Peter West were charged with trespassing on the land ot John Charles Board, at Te Kunui, near Itiverhcad, on the 19th nit.

Mr S. Hesketh appeared for the informant.

Defendant admitted being on the grouod without a knowledge of wrong-doing. Mr Hesketh made an explanatory address, and said the owners were not disposed to punish the men severely, but to let gum-diggers know that they must not intrude upon other persons' land.

John Foster deposed that he saw the defendants digging gum on his relative's land at the Kumeo. On the 19th February, he and a constable went down and arrested the five defendants {on a charge of stealing gum. He had cautioned Jarvis on the previous evening, but nc went the next day, and continued digging. He went and asked him to give up the gnm. Jarvis begged hard for the gum he had got. He consented to allow it if lie would not dig there again, Jarvis said he would not. StilHhe whole of the men persisted and dug in the nightj and when they saw a constable approaching they would take to their heels and escape into the bush. The damage done was very considerable, aud it cost £1 each bole on filling up, and rendered the land obstructive to the plough. Charles Board, son of the proprietor, gare similar evidence.

Constable Naughton, stationed at Helensville, gave evidence as to the arrest of tin five men. The holes were from one to three feet deep. Tne effect of the digging destroyed the surface of the ground. They begged to be let oft", and they would not return p.gain. Told them that Mr Board was determined to prosecute them. Tho gum-digging was still going en. There were about 190 men altogether. Notices not to dig were placed about the property, and as often pulled down. This being the case, Mulvaney stepped forward and spoke vigorously in defenceof himself and " chums." Trade, he said, was bad in Auckland, money was tight, Mount Eden full, and rather than put himself upon the country, he shouldered his spade and pick and started with the sole view of earning an honest penny. " Ah, ah, I'm an honest fellow, your Worship." Here the speaker broke into a roar of laughter, and reviving, said he went to live, and "faith he did'nt mane any harm."

His Worship : You seem to take a very cheerful view of the case. Would any of your friends like to speak ? Mulvany : Oh, Lord, no; we're all of a kidney, aud I am the deputed spokesman. His Worship commented upon the case, and gave the defendants to understand that they would be severely punished should they repeat the wrong. Mr Hesketh said Mr Board did not wish for other than a light punishment, hut if they repeated the oflencCj they would be subjected to the heaviest tho law would give. Fined Is each, with ccats £7 10j, beiDg 30s each. BREAKING AND ENTEEI'G.

Peter Mori is was charged with breaking and entering the shop of Mr. Isaac tevy, ou the 22rid ulr., and stealing therefrom sundry articles of clothing, vnlue £10. Sub-Inspector Pardy asked for another remand in this case, as a witness had not yet arrived from tho Waikato.

Remanded until Monday next, This was all the business.