MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1612, 21 April 1879, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Monday, A3?eil 12. [Before Q-. L. Hellish, Esq., R.M.] Dbdnkenness. Three prisoners were charged with this offence ; one was fined in the usual amount and the other two were remanded, as they still appeared to bo under the influence of drink.

Vageancy. Peter Thompson, charged with vagrancy, was remanded for twentyfour hours. Thomas Jones, also charged under the Yagrant Act with having no lawful visible means of support, was, on the evidence of two witnesses, sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labor. Laecent. —Thomas Jones and Henry Tucker, charged with stealing some carpenter’s tools of the value of £4, the property of Robert Yiusen, were remanded for twenty-four hours. Wandbeing Hoeses and Cattle.—The following persons were fined for allowing horses and cattle to wonder at large : —James Clark, 5s ; John Harker, 5s ; John Moor, ss; B. Gaby, ss; D. Santi, ss; Eev. Father Ginerty, ss; George Duke, 5s ; Samuel Taylor, ss. DOG TeespasS.—David Douglas, a youth* was charged with allowing his dog to trespass in the domain. The facts being stated he was allowed to depart on payment of the costs of the information. Albert Ebery, fora similar offence, was fined 10s and costs. LYTTELTON. Monday, April 21. [Before His Worship the Mayor and J. D. Macpherson, Esq., J.P.] Obtaining Money Undee False Pbetences. —Richard Davis, alias W. Saunders* was presented on this charge. Constable Moutray found the prisoner in Mr Hildyard’s shop on the 15th instant, and charged him with issuing a valueless cheque—amount £5. Saw him before this, when prisoner told mo he had been working for a Mr Harley, a brewer at Nelson, from whom he received the cheque. I took possession of the cheque from Mr Hildyard. It is signed John H. Harley, in favor of John Jones. Witness, cross-examined by prisoner, said—l did not think it necessary to arrest you when I first spoke to you. W. Hildyard, a bootmaker, said—l saw the prisoner in my shop on the 14th instant. Ho came in for a pair of boots. I suited him with a pair, price £l. He handed me a cheque (cheque produced and identified), value £5. He said he had been working for Mr Bradley, and ho said he had received it from a man at Mr Bradley’s. I mistook the prisoner for a man I had previously done business with. I at first refused to take it, but afterwards gave him my own cheque for £3, and £1 in money. I presented the cheque at the Bank of New Zealand, receiving the answer “No funds.” I saw him afterwards, and he then told mo the man that signed the cheque was a brewer at Nelson. He was intoxicated at that time. By the Bench —I understood the prisoner to say he was John .Tones named in the cheque. Miss DeCosta —I think it was on Easter Monday prisoner came into the bar of the British Hotel, and asked my mother for a blank cheque. My mother said, “You need not write a cheque out for me to change, as I will not change it.” He then took a blank cheque and went to a private room. He said to mo, “ Who shall I write it in favour of— Mrs DeCosta?” I said, “No, ma does not change strangers’ cheques.” He said, “ I must put some name in.” I said, “Put any name. John Jones, if you like.” Ho then wrote out the cheque, and went away. He afterwards came in and spent some money. Ho spent perhaps a pound altogether that day. By the Bench—He left the hotel after spending about a pound. J. 0. Boddington, manager of the Bank of New Zealand, Lyttelton, testified that there were no funds in the Bank to ,the credit of the person named in the cheque. Sergl. Wilson said, in October,lß7B prisoner was convicted before the Resident Magistrate in Christchurch, and sentenced to six months, for attempting to impose upon a tradesman with a valueless cheque. SergeantMajor O’Grady slid the prisoner was discharged from gaol on the 9th. The prisoner had since cashed Mr Hildyard’s cheque £3, nor had lie returned the boots, or given information as to what ho had done with them. The Bench sentenced him to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labor.