MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12378, 18 December 1905, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

♦ Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., presided at t'ho Magistrate's Court on Saturday. DRUNKENNESS. A male first offender, charged •with drunkenness, was fined 5s and costs. ASSAULT. John Joseph, Dalton (Mr McConnell) admitted a charge cf having assaulted Janet Campbell at Fendalton on December 12th.. Ho was convicted and ordered to find two sureties of £25 each to keep the peace for three months. A MAORI MAIDEN. Martha Tainui, a young Maori woman, appeared upon a, charge of having on December Bth, with intent to defraud, obtained goods and money to the value oi £2 13s Gd from McDonald Bros, by falsely pretending that sho was the owner of land at Papanui. She was also charged with liaving obtained £G from Kate Fletcher by a similar falsa pretence. McDonald stated that the accused had come to his ihop and obtained goods on the representation that sho had property next to Mr Ifhodes'e in Papanui road, valued at £38,000. The accused contradicted the evidence given by McDonald. On the second charge Airs Fletcher said that tho acensea come to her house to take lodgings, 6tating that her Jiame was McDonald, and that she and her husband liad just arrived from Sydney, bringing some racehorses. Sho eaid that her husband had gone to Kaiapoi. to <liscuss a land transaction. She also said she had a cheque for £250 on an Australian hank, but could not get the money, bo she borrowed £6. Shortly afterwards she left the house, taking all her property with. her. The accused was convicted and .sentenced to 6ix months' imprisonment on each charge, the terms to be cumulative. Tho Magistrate observed that it was inconceivable that the woman tihould have twenty-one convictions Tβcorded against her for similar offences in all parts of the colony, and yet find people- that she could impose upon.