MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2592, 27 April 1869, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Monday, Apbil 26. (Before C. C. Bowen, Esq., R.M.) Drunkenness. —Frederick Price, who was brought up on Saturday for having been drunk and incapable, but remanded because he was even then in a state of intoxication, appeared on bail to answer to the charge, and was fined 10s., his Worship at the same time administering a severe reprimand.—Frank Richards and W. D. Humphreys were also charged with having been drunk and incapable, but being their first appearance, they were discharged with a caution. Mary Ann Kirkwood was brought up on a similar charge, but pleaded ill-treatment by her husband in extenuation; and his Worship remanded her until to-morrow, in order that enquiries as to the truth of the statement might be made. Embezzlement. Archibald Maefarlane, on remand, answered to his recognizances on a charge of having embezzled a sum of £3, the property of Messrs Burton and Co., mail contractors, in whose employment he had been as a driver. Mr Williams, who appeared for the defence, admitted that accused had received the money stated, but said he had witnesses to call in defence. Sergeant Pardy said the police were not yet prepared to continue the prosecution, a witness at the Waiau not having bad time to attend, and asked for a further adjournment for eight days. Mr Williams requested that one of his witnesses, having come from Leithfleld, might be beard before the remand was granted, and his Worship consented. Robert Green was then called, and said : I am groom in the employ of Messrs Burton and Co., at Leithfleld. On the day prisoner left my employers’ service, Mr Burton told me to take the mail to the Waiau. On the way there, the prisoner, who was travelling with the coach, asked me if 1 would tell Morris at the Waiau, and Blake at the Stanmore plains, that he would be up to see them in the following week. I told the latter, but forgot to leave the message with the former. 1 do not know the prosecutor, Morgan, personally, but I saw a man on the spree at the Waiau, who, I was afterwards told, was called Morgan. He asked me something about a concertina at the time. By Sergeant Pardy: Nothing was said to me by prisoner about Morgan. It was after this case was brought up that I was told about the man being named Morgan. His Worship then agreed to remand the case, as requested by the police. LYTTELTON. (Before W. Donald, Esq,, R.M.) Assault.— John Durham was charged by his wife with assaulting her. Complainant stated that, on Thursday evening last, on returning home, she found him lying on the floor drunk. He got up and abused her, and struck her several times in the face and breast, i e was a quiet man when sober, but when he got drunk he abused her. By accused : I was not in drink when I came home. By the Bench; I consider my life is in danger when the accused is in drink. Sergeant McKnight sworn, said:— The complainant came to the Station on Thursday night. Her face was bruised, and her dress torn. She complained that her husband bad been beating her, and that she was afraid to go home. 1 advised her to go to a neighbour’s house until morning. I went down and saw the accused at Mr Toomey’s. I cautioned him against annoying complainant. He then abused me. On the following day he was drunk, and on Saturday the same. When I arrested him, he was not fit to be brought up. The Bench said it was notorious that the accused was habitually drunk. His wife bore an excellent character. He had laid himself open to be confined for twelve months in the Lunatic Asylum. The sentence of the Court would be a fine of 20s, and costs, the accused to find sureties—two in £2O each, and himself in £4o—for his better behaviour.