POLICE COURT.-THIS DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 143, 18 June 1888, Page 5

POLICE COURT.-THIS DAY.

(Before Mr H. C. Baddeley, R.M.)

Drunkenness. —One first offender was lined 5s and costs, or 24 hours' in default. Edward Stripling was lined £3 and costs or 14 days, and Mary Hamilton was sentenced to 7 days' hard labour for having been drunk.

No Lawful Excuse. —Margaret Wall was charged under the Polico Offences Act with being found by night without lawful excuse in an unoccupied house belonging to Peter Dignan.—She was sentenced to three montha' imprisonment with hard labour. - Obscene Language.— Mary Naughton and Elizabeth Bickerton were charged with using obscene language in a public place on the 13th of June.—Mr Bromfield appeared on behalf of both the accused and pleaded not guilty.—Sergeant Kiely deposed to the nature of the offence. Corroborative evidence was also given by Detective McGrath.—-Mrs Naughton asked Mrs Bickerton to put away a broom and come out to fight, and then the women quarrelled and used most disgusting language to each other.— The defence " was that the language was never used;— His Worship commented upon the filthy, atrocious, and most disgusting language which had been used in the presence of Mrs Naughton's_ own daughter. He sentenced the prisoner Naughton to three months' imprisonment with hard labour. The prisoner Bickerton not having used such bad language, was sent up for one month.—Sergeant-Major Pratt next applied to have the three daughters of the woman Naughton committed to the Industrial Home. The girls were named Catherine, aged 10 years and 5 months, Ellen, 8 years and 7 months, and Elizabeth, aged 6 years and 8 months.— Sergeant McMahon deposed that the mother of the children kept a house of ill-fame and was a woman of low character. —Sergeant-Major Pratt then applied to have the children committed to the Industrial School under Section 16, Sub-sec-tion 4 of the Industrial Schools Act, 1882. —His v Worship accordingly committed them to the Home until they were 15 years of age. Breach of By-La ws.—William Paul Davis pleaded guilty by deputy to allowing his cow to stray at Devonport, and was fined 5s and costs. ' Assault.—A. Farrival was charged with unlawfully assaulting one Thomas Slator by striking him with his clenched fist.—Mr C" Buddie appeared on behalt of the plaintiff and Mr W. J. Napier for the defence.— Thomas Slator deposed to seeing the defendant in his office. Farrival asked " Why you summons me?" He was very excited, " and was prancing around, but witness was watching. Witness went into an inner office when the defendant rushed in to him, and then hit him in the cheek-bone. Witness threw down the letter he was reading and jumped off the stool, but the defendant ran off before he could get at him.— By Mr Napier : Mr Farrival had occupied witness's house and there harboured French convicts for whom Mr Napier was acting as counsel. . Witness had summonsed the defendant for one week's rent. Witness did not get any weiDon, as he was not afraid of the defen-dant-Mrs Slator also gave evidence.— T>7- Wilkins deposed to examining the rOnintiff's eye. He stated that the comSKanb might become blind but was not prepared to say that he would go Wind. (Left sitting.)