S.M. COURT HASTINGS.

Hastings Standard, Issue 39, 11 June 1896, Page 2

S.M. COURT HASTINGS.

Considerable interest was centred in the proceedings of the S.M. Court- this morning, the Court being packed. Messrs C. A. Fit7.Roy and J. Arnott, J.P.'s occupied the Bench. Mary Brown, charged with having four cows at large without control on Riverslea road, pleaded not guilty. The ranger proved the charge, and defendant was fined 5s and costs.

George Henry Brown, charged with carrying a dead human body in his hackney coach, without giving notice to the Town Clerk. He pleaded misunderstanding the reading of the Act. Sergeant Mitchell did not press for a heavy penalty, but wished the case to have every publicity to deter others from offending similarly. Fined 5s withous costs. John Collinge with having on May 22nd a pony at large, pleaded guilty ;' first offence. Convicted and discharged. W. H. Dewstone : on May 10th having four cows at large without control on Riverslea road, pleaded guilty. Convicted and discharged. Timothy Dunn: One cow at large without control in Park road, pleaded guilty. Fined 5s and costs as there was a previous conviction registered against him. G. Gilpin: One mare at large without control in Northern road, pleaded guilty. Convicted and discharged. ltev. Mr Hobbs : Two geldings and one Shetland ponv wandering in Southampton street. Defendant pleaded guilty, but said his paddock was secured the night before and he could not account fot the cattle being loose. Convicted and discharged. Thos. Home : A black horse loose without control on Riverslea road, pleaded not guilty. Edward Masters, ranger, swore lie found two horses which were redeemed by his brother. W. Horn swore the gates of his paddock wore locked, some one must have opened them. The defendant against whom four previous charges were registered, was fined 10s and costs.

TV". Horn was charged with rescuing one brown horse from ranger. Mr G. H. "Williams appeared for the Borough Council. E. Masters, ranger found horse in Queen street and took possession. Horn appeared with a, hammer, threatened him and rescued the horse. W. Horn denied violence or threats ; took the liorse when Masters let the rope drop. Two other witnesses gave corroborative. Case dismissed.

John McDonald : a horse wandering on public road. Convicted and discharged. John Mc-Hardy, Clivc, charged with allowing a grey mare to wander, pleaded that the authorities were in error, as he only purchased the mare from the pound. Case withdrawn. D. McLeod: one mare wandering on public road. E. Masters, ranger, saw the horse on the road for some minutes; was uncontrolled ; did not know who owned the horse ; asked McLeod for Is ; did not say he would be summoned if he did not pay. D. McLeod pleaded he was unaware tlint the animal was at large, and thought under the circumstances a conviction ought not to be registered. Convicted and discharged.

John Mahoney : A brown gelding wandering in Eastbourne street, pleaded guilty. Fined os and costs. John Myhill: One red cow at large without control, pleaded guilty. E. Masters, ranger, sworn, said a neighbor of Myhiirs admitted turning the cow out of the pa&ilocks for reasons which he did not state. Case dismissed. James O'Neill: Five cows wandering "Willow Park Road without control, pleaded guilty. First offence, convicted and discharged. James O'Neill, expressman, was charged with having his express on other than the public stand when plying for hire at the Railway station, and refusing to leave when ordered to do so. Mr Cook, road overseer, proved the offence. J. O'Neill pleaded that he had the contract for carrying the mails, and it was necessary for him to take up the position he did in order to receive the mails from the guard's van. Under the circumstances, the case was dismissed with a caution. James Sample, hackney coaclidriver, charged with having his horses standing without proper control whilst plying for hire, pleaded guilty. Fined Is and costs. Kaliamu Te Ara, on two charges of having left his cattle to wander, was convicted and discharged. Thomas Rowlands, charged with unlawful rescue of bay mare from ranger on the 26tli May. Mr G. 11. "Williams appeared for the ranger, and said the latters duties were unpleasant and must be protected, The defendant swore he left the horse tied to a gate 011 the road and saw the ranger undoing the rope. Fined 10s and costs.

A Maori was charged with mustering his sheep for the purpose of yarding them without having given due notice to the adjoining owner, and was fined -Co and costs, including solicitor's fee, translation fee, and interpreter's fee. Another case of a similar nature against the defendant was withdrawn.

J. A. Ryder: One cow wandering on Riverlea Road on 23rd May. Convicted and discharged.

Eliza Webb, charged with having two cows at large on Kamiliu road. Defendant explained that while she was opening the gate for the cows to go in, they wandered a short distance away and were taken possession of by the ranger, when he demanded Is, which she refused to pay. Case dismissed. On resuming after the adjournment, Sing Lee, W. J. Webb and H. Wilson, charged with owning wandering cattle, were convicted and discharged. J. Wyatt: Two wandering horses. Defendant stated that he left the animals secured in his yard at night, and found the gate open in the morning. Fined £1 and costs; 7s. Sing Lee, for leaving cart without chaining wheel. Fined 10s and costs, 7s. W. Wellwood, leaving cart unattended without being chained. No previous conviction ; discharged. Mrs Dewstowe, driving after sunset without lights. Fined 10s and 7s costs. Dan Woods, driving without lights after sundown. Fined 10s and costs. W. Baxter Jones, riding at other than a walking pace round the corner of Railway and lieretaunga streets. Fined 10s and costs. Henry Collins, occupier of a house, the chimney of which caught fire. Fined 5s and 7s costs. Daniel Woods discharging fire arms within borough. Sergeant Mitchell did not press the charge. Fined 5s without costs. Adam Vickers and Maurice Cheer charged with trespassing on the Ilawkes' Bay Jockey Club premises and refusing to leave when requested. A second charge of assaulting the care-taker was also dealt with. Sergeant Mitchell wished the public to understand they were permitted on the grounds of the H.B. Jockey Club only on sufferance and that the larrikinism which has for some time past been carried on there would not be tolerated. Mr Coughlan, the caretaker the offence and the defendants were fined £1 on each charge, 16s costs and 6s witnesses expenses.