Magistrate's Court.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 128, 1 June 1887, Page 2

Magistrate's Court.

This Day. (Before Mr. H. S. Wardoll, E.M.) WILFUL DAMAGE. John Collier, a middle-aged man, pleaded Not Guilty to having wilfully broken a pane of glass in a restaurant belonging to Julian Allan of Upper Willis-street. The prosecutor stated tho window was wilf nlly broken, bnt here the prisoner joined issue and protested that the window was accidentally broken. The Bench ordered the acousod to pay the amonnt of tho damage. ILLEGALLT SELLING WINE. E. V. Campion pleaded Not Guilty to having illegally sold a bottle of colonial Constantia wine, on 7th May last, to Richard M'Keei'y, a constable, ho not possessing a license. The defendant, who was defended by Mr. Gully, kept a shop on Lambton-quay for the sale of wine of New Zealand growth. Mr. Gully stated <.hat the aocueod, acting on his advice, would plead Guilty. The fact was tfiat Campion had acted entirely under a misapprehension. When he opened business here ne obtained his stock from Mr. Webb, anAuokland merchant, who informed his client that no license for the sale of colonial wino was required, and, believing this, Mr. Campion had started without a license. Owing to the dolay ot tho police in taking out tho summons, the timo in which application for a wine licenses might bo made had passed, and consequently the place would have to be closed, t.a \ license could only be obtained at the annual meeting of the Licensing Committee. The B.M. remarked that he believed the sale had been made under a misapprehension, and ho should only inflict a fine of 20s and lla costs. Mr. Wardoll added that he regretted that tho defendant's place would have to be olosed, as he believed the wine sold by him was pnre, and much better than some liquor sold. DOMESTIC TKOUBLEB. Charles Lucas pleaded Not Guilty to having assanlted his wife and threatened her life. Mrs. Lucas stated that her husband was not a drunkard, but if ho took a couple of glasses of whisky he became quite mad. The night before last he called her children illegitimate, knocked her down, and tore out a handful of hair from her head. According to Mrs. Lucas' statement the defendant was continually urging her to leave him and lead an immoral life. For these reasons she prayed that Lucas might be bound over to keep the peace. The defondant indignantly denied the charges preferred by the prosecutrix. The recriminations of the parties were extremely painful to listen to, and were rendered the more so by the evidence tendered by their 12-year-old girl. The case was remanded in the hope that the unhappy differences would be adjusted by the parties themselves. ALLEGED LABCENT. Cornelius Counahan, on remand, pleaded Not Guilty to the oharge of stealing a number, of baker's tins and other articles valued at £2 15s 6d, the property of Alfred Schultz. Mr. Fitzherbert appeared to prosecute, and Mr. Skerrett to defend. From the evidence for the prosecution, it would appear that the accused had been in the employ of Schultz, and on leaving a full settlement of wages and other accounts had not taken place, and the prisoner, feeling aggrieved, went to his Lite employer's bakehouse after the lapse of a few days and took the tins with which he was charged with stealing. The tins were taken away in open daylight, no attempt whatever at concealment being made. It transpired from the evidenco of Mrs. Schultz that the prisoner had been working for her hnsband for 30s per week without his keep, and had lent Schultz money to buy a ton of flour. Without requiring the solicitor for the defence to enter upon his case, Mr. Wai dell dismissed the information, and in doing so said that it was one in which the police should not have interfered. The matter should have been brought into Court as a private prosecution, or, at any rate, in some other form than that in which it had been. < __ <^^^_^^__ — __