HAWERA RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume III, Issue 232, 8 April 1882, Page 3

HAWERA RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Thursday, April 6th, 1882. Before Capt. Wilson, His Worship the Mayor, and J.S. Caveruill Esq. Inkstov v. Eagles. — Claim for £1 for cartage. Judgment for plaintiff for amount. ' Exley v. James Bailoy.— Complainant, the registrar of dogs under the County Council, proceeded against defendant for that he hud failed to register two dogs, his property. Defendant admitted that the dogs were not registered, but Bftid he had been .travelling to and from Napier with sheep, aud had not had an opportunity of registering them. The Bench pointed out that he wuh liable to a fine of £5 ; but they wonld impose the small penalty of ss. for each dog, and costs 75., the dogs to be registered forthwith. ALLEGED BREACH OP THE LICENSING ACT. Hugh Owen was charged with having committed a breach of the 155 th Section of the Licensing Act, by selling liquor after hours, to wit, after 12 p.m. on Saturday. Mr. Matthews appeared for defendantArthur Owen was called by the police, and in answer to questions stated that on Saturday* a little after, midnight, he was at the Egmont Hotel ; saw Sergt. Cahill, nnd also Constable Council. Did not remember seeing a man named Tracy or a man named Clarke, nor Frank Drake, nor James Matthews. There was a rapping at the door before he Baw tho police ; did not hear Sergeant Cahill call out; beard someone knocking and then call out, but thought it was some loafers ; the house was shut at 12. Frank Drake was in the house about 11 o'clock, but not afterwards ; Mr. Gower was upstairs with a commercial traveller ; did not see James Matthews there ; he was not on the premises. To Mr. Matthews— The persons mentioned wore not there at 12 o'clock. P. Drake was there about 11 o'clock, but not later. Mr. Gower was doing business with two commercial gentlemen upstairs. He had liquor before 12, but not after 12. There were several lodgers down stairs. I did not open the door when I heard the knocking, because I thought it was loafers desiring to get drink. My brother Mr. Hugh Owen had gone home. He .was not there at 12. A few minutes before 12, he said "You had better close," and went away. I was escorting a jboarder to bed, when I first saw the sergeant. No liquor waß served after 12, to other than boarders or travellers. To the Police — There was no business done in the bar after 12 o'clock. • Mr. Matthews— You mean not with persons not travellers or lodgers ? — Yes. James Matthews, lemonade maker called, and sworn : The Sergeant— Where were you on Saturday night last ? — Witness — In bed at a quarter-past 10. You were not at the Egmont Hotel at 12 o'clock ? — No. Mounted-constable Connell stated : At 25 minutes past 12 on Saturday night, Sergeant Cahill and myself went to tho front door of the Egmont Hotel and distinctly heard bottles rattliug, as if being shifted about in the bar, and we could see a light shining through the wiudow over the door. We rapped for admittance for five or six minutes, but there was no answer. I then went round to the back ; caw a light in a room used as a sittingroom, and heard a noise in the room very similar to the slapping about of cards on a table in the room. I heard tho sergeant oontinue the knocking, and then some person commanded silence in the room, and the lights were turned down. Subsequently, tbe lights were turned up again, and what I supposed to be cardplaying went on. I heard money counted out on the table, and some person remarked to another "You still owe me 6d.'| Another person said, " Oh, I shall lose all this again." I tried to gain admittance by knocking, but could not. To Mr. Matthews— Did you call out police ? — No. Sergeant — Did you see anyone come out of tho hotel ?— Yes. Did you notice who they were ? — I noticed Douglas, the coach-driver, Tracy, Clarke, and Drake. Those were all I knew personally. I thought I saw Matthews. Mr. Matthews — Did you not hear him say positively he was not there ? — Yes, but I do not believe he told the truth. Counsel protested against such a remark. The Bench said Constable Connell should not have so spoken. Mr. Matthews was proceeding to open the caso for the defence, when, The Bench said they wanted to hear no more of the case. Information dismissed. A charge of allowing card-playing was withdrawn. The Court then adjourned.