RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 2, 4 January 1881, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

This Day. ; . [Before Messrs. Jonas Woodward and Ebrai.-' ezer Baker, J.P.'s.J CHABGE' AGAINST A PAWNBBOKBB. Morris Hyams, for whom Mr. Gully apr,peared, was charged with having on the 27th ultimo, he being a licensed pawnbroker, neglected to enter in a book kept for .the purpose all particulars relating to a silver watch and gold albert chain, pledged, by Sarah Ballinger. Mr. Gully, in defence, ad-, mitted that there had been a technical breach, of the law, but as it was not of a serious nature, he asked tho Bench to inflict a' merely nominal penalty. The particulars required by the Act had, as a matter of faot, been entered on the block part of the book, from whioh the pawn-tioket had been torn— a circumstance which showed that the defendant had no wilful intention of violating the statute. The Benoh; however, were of opinion that this was % no mere technical breaoh of the law ; that, on the contrary, there had been on actual and very dangerous breaoh, and so far from this plea constituting a defence, it only served to make the case worse. They decided to impose a fine of £5. STEALING JIUNTZ METAL. Henry Hanson, on remand, was charged with stealing 9cwt of Muntz metal from the* wreck of the Progress in Palliser Bay, belonging to Captain M'lntyre. Mr. Stafford defended. Corroborative evidence was adduced for the defence to Bhow that Captain M'lntyre had previously given permission to the accused and three other men to "work" the wreck for their own benefio. The informant's statement, however, wasdiametrically opposed to this evidence. The case was dismissed. • . - (Before Messrs. J. Dransfield and G. V. Shannon, J.P.'s.) BREAKING WINDOWS. Charles Edmonds, Archibald Campbell, George Lee, and. Leslie Besa were charged with having, on or about the Ist October, wilfully committed damage to the extent of 7s 6d to an empty house in College-street, the property of Dr. Watts. Mr. J. E. Baker, agent for the house in question, said the windows had been broken by boys throwing stones, aud a little girl named Annie Johnston deposed to having seen one of the defendants — Edmonds— cast a stone at the windows "about a month ago." Mr. Edwards, who appeared for the defence, commented on the slender evidence brought to substantiate the charge against Edmonds, and asked for a dismissal. _ The Benoh remarked that it was an extraordinary thing that these charges should have been allowed to stand over for such a iomg time, and being of opinion that the evidence was of an exceedingly weak nature, resolved to dismiss the information against Edmonds. The only witness Bubpcenaed for the pros,ecution of Lee was a boy named Arthnr White,whose father attended to explain that his son had been in the country for the past three weeks, and would probably remain there for three weeks longer. " Besides/ added Mr. White, " I strongly object to make my boy a private detootive, and, what's more, I don't intend to do it." In this case also the information was dismissed, and the Bench here interjected that, while of opinion that the praotice of throwing Btones ought to be put down, it would be advisable to withdraw the remainder of tho charges. The police accepted the suggestion, and the informations, including others against Meliss Stewart and Ernest Le Cren were then withdrawn. " "yankbb gbab." Alfred Wakeford, licensee' of the Bank Hotel, Manners-street,' was charged with allowing gambling to take place in his house on ths i"3th ultimo. John ttafferty deposed that on the day named he entered the Bank Hotel and obtained the loan of a shilling on , his watch, with whioh he " shook for drinks." Stephen Maxwell and James Austen stated that they were present on the occasion iv question, and that no " Yankee grab " took place. Rafferty here mattered, "It seems a publican can get a man to swear anything now-a-days for a drink of beer." The evidence being of such a oonflioting character, the oharga was dismissed. ; CHINBSE V. KtTBOPBAfcS. Ah Leong, Lee Chun, William Smith, Jas. Blandford, and George Blandford, stood ohargod with having on the 21st ult. conducted themselves in a manner calculated to provoke a breaoh of the peace in Taranakistroet. It appears as. altercation arose in a greengrocer's shop kept by one of the Chinamen, in which the whole of the defendants, with the exception of Smith, took part. The disturbance arose through one of the Blandford' s entering the shop and "barneying" with the Chinese proprietor regarding the price of a peck of peas. Ultimately, on a given signal, a swarm of Chinese rushed Blandford into the street, where a general wvfii/e ensued, stones and fists being freely used on both sides. Smith was discharged ; the remaining defendants were fined 5s each. A VAGBANT. Sarah Stewart, alias Igoe, oharged with being the occupant of a souse situated in Port 8 Lano, frequented by thieves and prostitutes, was defended by Mr. Forwood. Sentenced to one month's hard labor. BY-LAW CASIB. William Frederick Strike, oharged with driving a horse round a corner at more than a walking pace, appliedfor an adjonrnmentfor a woek, which was granted. James Morgan, charged with being drank while in charge of a heavily laden dray on Christmas Ere, had to pay 5s and costs. John Frost, who obstructed the traffic in Church-street, was fined ss. Hugh Mulligan was fined 5s for allowing Ms chimney to take fire. John Austen, for allowing his horse to stray, was fined 10s. PBOTKCTION ORDER. Kebecca Gilford applied for a protection order against her husband, John Gilford, on the ground that he was an habitual drunkard and treated her cruelly. She also wished him to contribute so much per. week towards her maintenance. Adjourned for a week. Tho Court then rose.