MAGISTRATES COURTS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11152, 19 December 1901, Page 2

MAGISTRATES COURTS.

A TRIVIAL CASE. Four boys, named Quinton Hanson, David Smith, Peter Stephens, and Harry Stephens were charged at the Court yesterday with damaging, to the extent of Is, a fence belonging to Edith WiLliams, by filing through one of the -wiree. Mr Cresswell appeared for the defence. The Bench, consisting of Messrs B. P. J. Hamilton, and S. Lawrence, J.P.'ls, decided that the case should never have came before the Court, and dismissed it. THE CYCLING BY-LAW. G. CouH was fined 10s and costs for riding his bicycle on the footpath. MEASURING A WHITEBAIT NET. George Langford, a fisherman at the Styx, -was charged -with whitebaiting -with a scrim hand net having an opening of more than nine square feet. Mr Russell appeared for the defence, and the only question for decision -was the suse of the net, which, -was produced in Court. As the shape of this was an irregular ellipse, the measurement of the size of the opening proved no easy matter to non-experts. Langford explained that .he had bought material for a nine foot opening, supposing that the mouth was in the shape of a parallelogram. He had thought that in whatever way this parallelogram was bent into an ellipse, the area must remain the same. The Bench was of opinion that the net was larger than nine feet, and a fine of 20s was inflicted. INSUFFICIENTLY ATTIRED. A lad named William Cuming was charged with bathing in the river at New Brighton without being properly attired. The evidence showed that he had worn only trunks. He was convicted and discharged, the Chairman ol the Bench remarking, at the same time, that passers by must be protected. A FALSE DECLARATION. For making a fatse declaration with regard to a dog which was to be registered, Wm. Barber was fined 20s and costs. At fLyttelfem yesterday, MrH. W. Bishop, S.M., was on the Bench. A prohibition order was issued against John Edwin Blackkx, on the application of his son. John Stevenson, who pkaded guilty to a charge of being absent from the Tokomaru without leave, was sentenced to fourteen days" imprisonment, and ordered to be put on board when the steamer is leaving. Judgment by default was £i'ven in Field and Ferrier -c Mason, £4 Os /d, and Heard and Co. v Riley. £1 Is. EKXi WORRYING SHEEP. At the Culverden Magistrate's Court yesterday Dr. McAxtiur, "S.M., presided in the case of Annie Maynard (Mr Brvne) v P. Butler (Mr Harper), claim £41 *7s 6d, for fifty-four ewes, value 15e 6d each, worried" or chased by defendant's dog at Mcdbury, on Aogxist 27th. After hearing lengthy evidence his Worship reduced the claim from £41 7s 66, and gave judgment for £23 5s and costs against the defendant.