MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1866, 27 September 1913, Page 12

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

IRATE BUTCHER. STRIKES MEAT INSPECTOR. .Recently, during the course of, duty, Stephen George AVatson visited the premises- of John lienge, butcher, wherem lie saw certain meat exposed for sale, whi'jli, ho believed had not been killed in a registered abbattoir or in a licensed meat export slaughter-house. • A conversation wita the proprietor followed, which culminated in. Watson, being struck in the face. Further particulars concerning the case came , out, at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. ,W.' G. Riddoll, S.M.j . when Jolin fienge was' charged with assaulting AYatson. Tho defendant was'also jointly cliarged,. together with Richard D. and Thomas, Renge, with, having exposed fof.salo meat not killed in an abbattoir or in- a licensed slaHghHc-rhouse. Mr. Kennedy appeared for tho defendant, and Mr. J. O'Shea (City Solicitor) pro■Seouted.' , Regarding tlie charge alleging a breach' of the by-law governing the sale". <Sf meat,- . defendant's counsel contended that '.it must ' be .dismissed, as the .put into court hatl not been sufficiently pioved.. Upon this point.the magistrate reserved his decision!' : .; Tho charge of assault'was then, proceeded with, Benge giving 'evidence to tho .effect that' the inspector bounced into the shop,'-' and in the'presence of a number of customers, complained to tho defendant that ho was offering for sale a carcaso of veal which had not been killed'under proper auspices'. An argument ensued, during:which, stated the defendant, Watson "flared upj" and lost his temper. Ho-caught hold of Bongo, and tho latter, in ail endeavour to get free, struck him.- . : • After .the complainant's '.evidence had been heard, and after stating that lie disbelieved' the ovidenco of' a witness (a boy) for tho defence,-. His AYorship told defendant ■ that he had committed a cowardly-assault. _ A: fine of £3, with costs £2 25., was imposed, £1 of the fine to go to complainant OTHER COURT CASES. Peter Brown was charged with stealing two fish, tho property of the New Zealand Government, valued at Is., and Andrew Archibald Simpson was charged with receiving t-lio fish, knowing them to havo been stolen. Each accused -was fined 20s. Win. Chottor pleaded guilty to a charge of cruelly ill-treating a horse, and permitting' tho animal to work whilst in an unfit state. Mr. AVebb prosecuted for tho Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty to animals. Tho Magistrate imposed a fine of £3 and costs amountinc to £2 6s.

Michael Ilearney, who drove his mo-tor-car on tho wrong side of a load, was lined 10s., with costs 7s. Neil Boyd, who had cycled at night' without a light, was ordered to pay 7s. Couro costs. For driving a motor-car over a railway crossing when a train was approaching within half a. mile, Harry Hill was fined 305., with costs 14s. E. J. Bcavis was ordered to pay Court costs 75., for failing to provido a metal receptacle for rubbish. Patrick Kavanagh was fined 20s. and costs 13s. for allowing stock to wandor, and John Benge and Cecil Graham, who woro similarly charged, were each fined ss. and costs. , A plea of not guilty was entered by E. Johnston and Co., who were charged with exposing _ a quantity of furniture, etc., for sale in a public place—Lambton Quay—contrary to tho city by-laws. Mr. 11. F. Aysou defended. The Magistrate 1 dismissed the case, remarking that a fresh Information could be laid if desired. For behaving in a- .disorderly manner John Farrell and Frank Mnir were each fined 20s. Six first offenders on charges of insobriety wcro leniently dealt with. For vagrancy AVm. M'Enernoy was sent to gaol for a term of six months. Frank O'Brien Gillespie pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing 155., the, property of On Lcc, a Chinese fruiterer. His AVorship remauded tho accused until to-dav for sentence. "