Stipendiary Magistrate's Court.

Hastings Standard, Issue 88, 7 August 1896, Page 2

Stipendiary Magistrate's Court.

FEIDAY, AUGUST 7, 1896. (Before S. Turnbull, Esq., S.M.) Judgment was granted in the following civil cases : Joseph Annett v. Wm, Armstrong, balance of account, £4 12s sd, and costs 10s. J. Evans v. Pene te Tua, £5 4s, payment forthwith of a week's imprisonment in Napier gaol, order to be suspended for one month. Sam Eidgway v. Einghi, £2 12s 6d. Mr Lewis for plaintiff, and Mr Scannell for defendant. —Mr Eidgway, sworn, said the amount claimed was for goods supplied to a Native woman for which defendant agreed to hold himself responsible. The transaction took place between his salesman and the Natives. —Einghi, sworn, denied this, saying that whilst buying the goods the woman mentioned his name as being liable for the amount but he never said so himself. Mr Eidgway asked him some time since if he intended paying him, and he (defendant) said he might do so or he might not. —W. J. White, salesman to Mr Eidgway, swore the goods were served by him, and Einghi said he would pay for them. —In giving his decision, Mr Turnbull said it was simply a case of one word against another, and under the circumstances he had no alterantive but to nonsuit the plaintiff without costs. ALLEGED BOBBERY. Thomas Eeynolds was accused of obtaining a portmanteau containing a pair of socks, a bible, a looking glass, and a shaving soap case from Mr Wells' blacksmith's shop, the property of one J. Cameron, a laborer. Mr Lee represented Eeynolds. J. Cameron, sworn, said he left his portmanteau in charge of Mr Wells, as he and accused being both out of work intended to walk to Napier in search of it, and the bag was too heavy to carry. Accused asked him to sell the portmanteau and raise some money on it. He refused, saying the things were not worth anything. He valued the lot at £l. To Mr Lee: Did not try to sell portmanteau. Did not say accused might take it for his tools, as it was was worth nothing to him. To Sergeant Mitchell: The reason he would not part with the articles was that he valued them. W. J. "Wells, sworn, deposed that the bag was left by Cameron at his father's place. The accused called for it later, saying he was authorised to do so by Cameron. T. Eeynolds, sworn, said Cameron told him the things were worthless to him. He asked Cameron if he could have the bag to carry his tools in. He understood Cameron to offer no objection. So he took the portmanteau from Wells. The contents were worthless. He gave them to an old man he met on the road. Cross-examined by Sergeant Mitchell —He received a shilling for them. He did not aak for anything. He was hard ap, and was walking to Waipawa lor a job.

Mr Lee, for accused, said there was no criminal intention; the artieles were valueless, and Ms client understood Cameron to have consented to his taking them as they were useless to him. His Worship reserved judgment until 2 o'clock, when as it was the first offence and as there was evidently more thoughtlessness than criminal intention on the part of accused he said he would impose a nominal fine of 10s, costs 14s property taken, in default of distress within three weeks, 14 days' hard labor in Napier gaol.