MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 123, 22 October 1874, Page 3

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Thursday, October 22, (Before C. C. Bowen, Esq., R.M., and C. J. Bridge, Esq, J.P.) DRUNK AND CREATING A DISTURBANCE. John Corboy was charged with this offence. The prisoner had repeatedly been convicted for a similar offence, and was sentenced to two months imprisonment with hard labor. BBEACH OF CITY BYE-LAWS. For permitting horses and cattle to wander, the following fines were inflicted : A. Wright (a goat), 5s ; J. H. Hart, 5s ; John Watson, 5s ; George Barrow, 5s ; and William Paterson, ss. For being absent from their vehicles : William Shaw was fined 10s ; John Jones, 10s ; and Alfred Barry, 10s. For driving without reins :—John Parker was fined 10s, George Ward, summoned for causing an unnecessary obstruction, by tethering a cow on the town belt, was fined ss. BREACH OP RAILWAY BYE-LAWS-James Boyce, summoned for driving his horse and vehicle on the railway line, near Papanui, while the train was approaching, was fined 20s and cautioned. DRUNK AND FURIOUS DRIVING. Walter Hartnell was charged with being drunk .and disorderly, and a second charge was also laid for furiously driving his ’bus on the Sumner road, on Sunday, the 18th of October. Charles West stated that he was driving his coach that day from Sumner. Defendant came up with his coach, and tried to pass him between the cutting and the bridge, driving at the time about ten miles an hour. When he (defendant) attempted to pass him he ran over the off fore-foot of one of his (witness’) horses. There was not sufficient room at the place for a coach to pass another one ; and defendant had only two or three inches to spare from the edge of the embankment. Defendant was intoxicated at the time, and when he got past witness he furiously galloped his horses. Defendant did not call out when he came up. His (witness’) horse was so much injured that he had to leave it at Heathcote valley. He saw defendant at the Heathcote bridge shortly afterwards, and when he (witness) pointed out the injury his horse had received, defendant wanted to fight him. Bome of the harness on defendant’s horses consisted of rope. A passenger drove defendant’s coach from the bridge to town. Other evidence was given by passengers in West’s coach, who stated that Hartnell gave no notice when he came up to them on the road. He was driving furiously at the time, and seemed to be half intoxicated. At the Heathcote bridge, when West pointed out his horse’s foot, and the blood and hair on one wheel of his (defendant’s) coach, the defendant wanted to fight him, and also threatened to strike a witness who referred to this.

The defendant denied being drunk, and said he passed the other coach where there was sufficient room.

In reply to his Worship, Inspector Buckley said hat none of the drivers of carriages within a radius of ten miles from the city now took out a license. The law relating to this was now being amended.

His Worship said he would have been surprised if defendant had been allowed to retain a drivers license, as he had before him several times when evidence of careless driving by him had been given. There was not sufficient evidence of his being drunk, and he would dismiss that charge. There had however, been strong evidence of his having driven at a pace to endanger the lives of his passengers, and the full penalty would be inflicted. lie would be fined £n and expense of three witnesses. Peter Moateuson, for permitting his cow to wander on the Kailway line near the Papanui district, was fined 20s.

BREACH OF TELEGRAPH AMENDMENT ACT. George Hefford was summoned for care--Ics-.lv driving and breaking a telegraph post ■•t Waltham. The defendant had not given any intimation to the department of having broken the post. Fined £1 12s, and expense of one witness. BREACH OF POLICE ORDINANCE. Thomas Dennis, Samuel Dennis, Georges TTowroyd, Oha'les Howmyd. Oharlcs Pierce, and b’obert Kitchen, five boys, were summoned for using language to Walter G Barker calculated to provoke a breach of the peace. The complainant stated that on Sunday last he and a friend went down the river to have a pull, and about a dozen boys commenced to throw stoms. Ho asked them to desist and they would not. When he got out of the boat to speak to them they ran away, and afterwards returned with a fresh supply of stones, and repeated the conduct when he returned down the river. Four of the defendants were among the boys who throw the stones. The boy Kitchen was not present. Two other witnesses gave evidence of having seen the boys throwing stones. The ease against Robert Kitchen was dismissed. His Worship said this nuisance of boys annoying people would have to be put down by whipping, and he hoped an Act to permit of this would soon ho in force. The defendants would bo fined 10s each, and he would endeavor to find another way of punishing boys who were guilty of such conduct. USING ART SIVE LANGUAGE. Ann Greenwood, Ellen Moore, and Alice Ellen were summoned for abusive language towards Ellen Lilly on the I Sib mst. The language used complained of was “ Dirty Irish Sally.” varied with “ Irish dirty Sally,” and after hearing several different versions, bis Worship advised the women to keep away from each other for the future, and dismissed the case, recommending them to leave the Court by separate doors. FIGHTING IN THE STREET. Mary Holmes, was summoned for fighting in Peterborough street with another woman. Fined 40s and expense of witnesses, in default, a week’s imprisonment. LARCENY AS A BAILEE. Alexander Fraser was charged on remand with appropriating to his own use a horse, the property of Charles Spalding. Constable O’Shannasay deposed to arresting the prisoner at Rangiora on the warrant produced. Prisoner denied that his name was Fraser, and said he knew nothing about the horse. Charles Spalding said he was a shepherd on Mr Campbell’s station. Prisoner was employed there also. On the loth August prisoner borrowed a black horse from him, branded B on the near shoulder. He said he was going to Hurst’s station, and would return in four or five days. He did not return. He (witness) next ■ saw the horse at Mr Maclean’s station at the Rakaia. Never authorised the prisoner to dispose of the horse. The horse was at present outside the Court, and he valued it at £ls. Had not seen the prisoner from the day he (witness) lent him the horse until this morning. Thomas Kerr, shearer at South Rakaia, re membered seeing the prisoner [at the Rakaia on the 18th of August. Prisoner offered him a black horse, branded B on the near shoulder, for sale. He (witness) bought the horse from him for £9, and got the receipt produced. The horse he bought from prisoner was outside the Court. The evidence was read over to the prisoner, and after being formally cautioned, he said he would reserve his defence, and was committed to take his trial at the next criminal session of the Supreme Court. TRANSFER OF LICENSE. Tho license of the Rising Sun Hotel, was transferred from Thomas Johnson to J. W. Kenuiugtou. LYTTELTON. Tuesday, October 20. [Before W. Donald, Esq. R.M.] FIGHTING IN THE STREETS. Thomas Cain was charged upon the information of Constable Wallace with this offence and fined £1 and 4s costs. Henry O’Neill and William Vincent were charged by Constable Wallace with a similar offence, and the former fined ICs, and the latter 20s and costs. CHIMNEY ON FIRE. Thomas Snoswell was charged with this offence upon the information of Constable Maguire. Fined lOsand coats. BREACH OP STAMP DUTIES ACT. William Holmes was charged with the above offence, and the Bench, after bearing the evidence of Patrick Gallager, adjourned the case until to-morrow, upon the application of defendant,