MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11791, 14 January 1904, Page 2

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

j Messrs C. Hood Williams, W. W. Tanner, M.H.R., and T. York, J.P.'e, presided at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. DRUNKENNESS. A male first offender, arrested in Hereford street, was convicted and discharged. ALLEGED HORSE STEALING. Ernest Samuel Skilton (on rannEd) appeared upon a charge of stealing, at Syden.ham, on October 9th, 1903, a pony gelding belonging to William Columbus, valued at £20. Mr Donnelly represented the accused. ■ The prosecutor gave evidence to the effect that his pony had disappeared from his paddock at Sydenham on October Bth. About noon on* December 29th he saw the accused riding the pony along High street. The accused, when "stopped, esplainod that he had been in possession of the horse for some time, and threatened to pat the prosecutor 4- up" should he make any trouble over the matter. The accused consented to accompany the prosecutor to th-e police station, but when approaching the Casbel street bridge made an attempt as if to got away. He was, however, induced to oom-i on, Mid, on arrival at. the police f-tation, was interviewed by Detectives Ohry.stall and Mitchell. In "reply to Mr Donnelly the witness stated that it would have be«n possible for tin? pony to have jumped the fence. After hearing further evidence th*. presiding justice intimated that the case had not been substantiated, and would accordingly be dismissed. A SUBSTANTIAL FINE. William Vaughan, for whom Mr Donnelly appeared, denied a charge of having ass;iulttxl John James Alexander, at Christchurch, on January sth last. Mr Graham appeared for complainant. Th« prosecutor stated that on January sth, about eight o'clock m the evening, he was sitting in front of hi? house, in Madras street, when the defendant came round and struck him several times on the face, and knocked some of his teeth out. Before striking, the defendant had handed him a piece of paper which he refused to take. Tito defendant said that he went to pay Mr Alexander an account, and to present one. Mr Alexander called him a scoundrel, and assaulted him with a book, and he struck back in self-defence. At the conclusion of the evidence, the presiding Justice, Mr W. W. Tanner, eaid the Cotirt did not regard the matter as a trifling one. Whether it could be called a common assault or not it wa,g a eerious thing when a man sitting quietly reading a book in his own front garden should, without apparent provocation, be treated in the way the prosecutor in the case had been treated. The Bench considered the case proved, and the defendant would be fined £10, in default two months' imprisonment. If the fine were paid, half would be handed to the prosecutor, to pay the d-sn< "s account of £5. The defendant wouli. also bo ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution. A week was allowed wherein to pay the fine. SCHOOL CASES. Michael Hogan, of Prebbleton, one of whose sons had attended school only three days in twelve weeks, was fined Sβ, for failing to send the boy to school regularly.