THE COURTS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18150, 13 August 1924, Page 7

THE COURTS.

MAGISTERIAL. TUESDAY. (Before Messrs S. C. Bingham and J. H. Seager, J.P.'s.) DRUNKENNESS. Four male statutory first offenders for drunkenness, who had soent a night in gaol, were each convicted and fined IDs, in default -IS hours' imprisonment. Another statutory first offender was convioted and fined 20s, the amount of his bail. "FOLLY." William Davies, a middle-aged m .V?' pleaded guilty to a charge of being ojj. idle and disorderly person. A. G. Quartermam said that the man had been lound in a shed on Monday night in a drunken condition. Nothing previously was known against him and he suggested that the accused be convicted and discharged. _ Davies said that he had come to Christchurch fron? Kaikoura "to have a look roiind." When he arrived he was the possessor of £ll, but now he was "broke.'' -He said he had been drinking and he , must have been drunk when he went into the shed where he was found, because he did not know what ho went there for unless it was "to get out of the Way." The Bench said that it only showed tne folly of men. in the country who worked and saved money and then in National Week came to town and "threw it arounu. Davies was convicted and discharged. CRUEiLTY TO ANIMALS. Albert Henry George Smith (Mr T. "W. Rowe) pleuded not guilty to a charge o£ having cruelly ill-treated a mare by wording it in harness while it was suffering from sore shoulders. .. ... ■.„ Constable W. J. Harper said that he noticed the horse while he was on du.y near the trotting grounds on Monday, and it was obvious that the animal was sun 6 - 4*?; He spoke to defendant, who told him that he lud driven it for the/, first time that day An examination revealed that the, animal had sores on its shoulders. Witness asked defendant if he was aware that the animal was suffering, and the defendant sad he knew and that he had been treating it for "jfcltowe said that the defendant had been the owner of the mare for about a ioitnioht The animal had been sufferiEg from bUsters on its shoulders,. but the defendant had rested the mare for more than a week, and so when he worked it f« a short period on Monday the Marten were drj However, when the' horse-which «as ex hibited-w.6 examined by the citable the blisters on its shoulders had been rubbed by the. collar, which was too big foi it, and were red and sore looking. Counsel submitted that there was an error of judgment on defendant's part, bjio contended that there was no wilful cruelty,- for wh» Smith harnessed up the horse he was fully ignorant of the fact that the wound would open. , t -.* *<,\A John A Hawkes, a horse dentist said that the mare had been B »f eri '* %?" scalded shoulders, but wbc-ri the borst> was harnessed to the 'trap on Monday afternoon the blisters were dry. However they must have been rubbed by the collar for wtun the constable stopped tie defendant they ActinSenior-Sergeant A. G and that from the man's :Ift :«**£* l °™ convictions it was apparent-that he was a, *TW that it considered that it was a clear case of cruelty to an The man must ..have Jcnown the S that would follow the honiess.ng of rhowe, which he had been treating far sore shoulders, .to a - "He -hw W decidedly cruel to .the horse, ea-d the Jurtfcee 'W be must therefore.be convictedtad sentenced to seven days' im.pr.eonment; with hard labour.'