MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 154, 1 December 1874, Page 2

MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Tuesday, December 1. (Before H. P. Murray Ayusley, Esq, and Dr. Back, J.P.'s.) LUNACY FROM DRINK AND LARCENY. Morgan Harper was arrested on this charge at Oxford by Sergeant Mullens. A second charge of stealing a pair of boots from John Purcell was also preferred against the prisoner. The prisoner was remanded for eight days for medical treatment, to be brought up then to answer the second charge. DRUNK AND DISORDERLY. Hugh O'Neil was fined 20s or 48 hours ; Charles Cockerill, 20s and cab hire; and Wm. Henry Jones, 10s and cab hire. LARCENY. Arthur Charles Wilson, a young lad of respectable appearance, was charged with stealing some silver from a cash box in the Custom House. Chief detective Feast stated that, in consequence of a report being made to him of money being missed at the Custom House, he went there, last evening, between eight and nine o'clock with Mr Hart, chief clerk. They mai'ked two florins, three shillings, two sixpences, and a threepenny piece, which they placed loosely in a cash-box. He (witness) took the dates of the coins and marks on a piece of paper, and saw Mr Hart lock up the cash-box, and put the key into his pocket. He went to the Custom House that morning shortly after ten o'clock, and saw the prisoner there, and took him into a side office and searched him. On searching him he found the money produced—filename that had been marked by him in Mr Hart's presence. The prisoner said he had picked them up, wrapped in a piece of paper, under Mr Hart's desk, and was waiting to see if they would be claimed. J. T. Hart, chief clerk in tlic Customs, gave corroborative evidence, and stated that money had been missed in the Customs office, both from the till and cash-box. Prisoner had been employed in the office for about three months. The present key of the cash box was a diiplicate one, as he (Mr Heart) lost the former key about Wednesday in the race week. He thought he had lost it in the street going to lunch. Since he lost the key he missed £2 15s out of the cash box, though previous to this a few shillings had been missed out of the till. The prisoner told the Bench that he had no witnesses to call. He had not taken the key, and knew nothing about it. He would be sixteen years of age in March. In reply to the Bench, Mr Reston, chief gaoler, who was in court, said he had no accommodation at present in Lyttelton gaol to keep the boy separate from the other prisoners. He had already five boys there, apart from the men, and until the alterations were completed, he could not keep any more distinct. He could perhaps do so for a short period. The Bench told the boy that it was a fortunate thing for him that there was no accommodation at Lyttelton to keep him away from the elder prisoners. A short sentence would be imposed then in the hope that he would come out a wiser boy. He would be sentenced to one month's imprisonment, with hard labor. QUARTERLY LICENSING COURT. [Before C. C. Bowen, Esq., Chairman, and H. J. Tancred, and li. J. S. Harm an, Esqrs, Commissioners]. The first quarterly sitting of the Licensing Court under the Amended Act was held this morning. WINE AND BEER LICENSES. James Boot, Confectioner, High street, applied for a wine and beer license. MrJoynt appeared to support the application, and said there was no house at that end of Christchurch where persons—more •'specially ladies—could go in and partake of refreshment, such as a glass of wine or ale. Many persons who went into Mr Boot's for lunch—those who did not dine in town—•orn plained that they were unable to get a glass of ale with it. The applicant had informed him that he had private rooms where ladie9 could take lunch with uch refreshment as they might desire. Mi iee had a place of this kind in Colombo >treet, but he (Mr Joynt) had been informer! ihat as many gentlemen lunched there, and is he had no private rooms, ladies felt •■• lifhdence in going into Mr Gee's shop, ilr would hand to the Court a petition signed iy a large number of respectable citizen" iud others who spoke of the convenience •hat would be experienced if a wine and beer licence were granted for Mr Boot's -;hop. By granting that which would prove o general a convenience he felt the Court .vould not think such a licence would have any tendency to encourage drinking habits.

In reply to the Court, Mr Joynt said the license was only intended for those who visited the shop during the day to have lunch. The chairman said the Court, would like to view the premises, and the application would be adjourned for a fortnight. Alfred Uiugwood, Restaurant keeper, lTi<*h sUeet, applied for a wine and beer license. Mr Thorms appcarcid tosupport this application, and said the arguments used by Mr Joynt in the previous application would equally apply to this. The applicant would be prepared to piove that he served 1000 meals during the week. The plan produced would show the accommodation provided, and that contempated for the public, and the private rooms for the convenience of la lies. It was really the largest luncheon room in Christchurch, and would be a great convenience to the large number of people who frequented the room. All that Mr Ringwood wanted was to be able to serve those customers with refreshment who visited his place for meals. The Chairman said the Court would also adjourn this case for a fortnight. CONFIRMATION OF TRANSFERS. The following transfers of licenses, provisionally granted, were confirmed, the police in each case reporting favorably. Ellesmere Arms, Tai Tapu—From Joseph Judge to Robert Little. Garrick Hotel, Christchurch—From C. G. Dann to Edward Maples. Half-way House Hotel, Courtenay—From Richard Walton, trustee in bankruptcy, to Caroline Morgan. Rising Sun Hotel, Caledonian Road—From Thomas Johnson to John Kennington. Whit" Horse Hotel, Christchur h—From J. Wesley Smith to Henry Garland. Valley Hotel, Heathcote—From J. Heath to J. Wesley Smith. Albion Hotel, Christchurch—From Joseph Perkins to Charles Truddle. The confirmation of the transfer of the license of the? Oxford Hotel, Christchurch, from Thomas Hall to Joseph Dann, was aijourned for a fortnight, as the parties did not put in an appoa r ance. Mr Wynn WilMams mentioned to the Court the particulars of the temporary license to sell granted to Mr J. Wild, for the Sawyers' Arms hotel, Papanui, which house was lately burnt down, and stated that this license had been granted until the meeting of that Court. Mr Wild was erecting another house as quickly as possible on the site of the old on'', and in the meantime he was carrying on the business in some rooms temporarily filled up. After consideration, the Chairman said the license had been granted for one year, and nothing had been brought before the Court for their interference.