MAGISTERIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXII, Issue 7350, 19 September 1884, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

CHRISTCHURCH. Thursday, Sept. 18. (Before R. Bccthain, Esq., R.M., R. Wcstenra, and F. J. Kimboll, Esqs.) Drunkenness. Mary MMntosh was fined jEI or 48 hours in default.—Mary Margaret Long was fined 5s and 2s cabhire.—George Webster, 10s.—A woman, not previously convicted, who said she had taken a glass of beer and another of whiskey at a friend’s house, was cautioned and discharged.—Patrick Murphy and John Wilson were charged with committing a broach of tho peace within view of a constable. Murphy was also charged with resisting the police. Sergeant Morice said that he heard n noise at the back of tho Central Hotel about 3.10 a.m., and going round saw tho two accused fighting, and another man holding a lamp for them to see. Murphy resisted, hut not very violently. Murphy was fined ill and Wilson 10s.—Catherine M‘Donald, who was not fit to appear in Court, was remanded for medical treatment for seven days. Coursing on Plumpton Park. —Mr Spackman appeared on behalf of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society in support of six informations laid against A. Dalgleish and J. Gemmell, of Oamaru; B. E. Hubbard, of Timaru ; T. Surman and H. Howard, of Invercargill; and J. Black, of Waikouaiti; charging them with using dogs to kill game at Templeton (Plumpton Park) without a license to do so. Mr Deacon appeared to defend the accused. Mr Hubbard was the only one of the defendants present, and tho case was heard as a test one against him. Mr Spackman explained that the case had been brought in order to settle the question whether gentlemen coming from a distance and without licenses had a right to course hares on Plumpton Park. Some time ago the Bench had decided that shareholders of the Plumpton Park Company had a right to course hares without a license, and now the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society was acting in conjunction with other similar Societies to have the question as to whether the outside public could course on this ground without licenses decided. Mr Deacon admitted the fact of the coursing, and that defendant had no license, but ho contended these hares were not game, having been reclaimed and placed within an enclosure, where they could he easily caught j that they were tho property of the Company, and therefore there was no need for persons to have a license to kiU them. Ho called W. Q. Walker, Secretary to the Plumpton Park Coursing Club, and a Director of the Company, who gave evidence that the hares on the ground were the property of tho Company, and appeared as an asset in their books. They had coat the Company some hundreds of pounds, and were kept as a source of profit. From the arrangement of races and fences on the ground, the hares could bo easily caught. Mr Spackman said that since the informations were laid he had received a telegram from the Invercargill Society, to the effect that Mr Surman had a license for that district last season. It was Mr Surman’s own fault that he had been proceeded against, as be had not taken the trouble to have his license endorsed by the Canterbury Society when he came hero. Learned counsel agreed to adjourn the legal argument in the case till Thursday next. Ransacking an Unoccupied Garden.— Thomas Jackson, John Evans, A. Golding, and A. Large wore charged with stealing flowers, &c., worth 255, belonging to James Hewitt, and Thomas and William Collier wore accused of stealing a wheelbarrow and flowers, value .£1 17s Gd, also the property of James Hewitt. Mr Joyce appeared for the Colliers. Inspector Pender withdrew the case against Large, and called Archibald Scott, who said ho lived in Salisbury street, and knew a house belonging to Mr Hewitt adjoining his own property, Mr Hewitt was away, and witness had charge of tho place, which was at the corner of Park terrace. About August 23 last witness found that a number of bushes and plants had been rooted up. A wheelbarrow had been taken away, and fives or six rose bushes, &c., taken away. George Hunt, gardener, identified the wheelbarrow as one lie had used on Mr Hewitt's property. He had found it at Collier’s house on August 31 last. Detective Jones said that William Collier had told him that a boy named Thomas had lifted the barrow over Hewitt’s fence, and given it to him and his brother. 'The rose bushes were got from Thomas Jackson’s house, and ho admitted talcing them from Mr Hewitt’s. Had enquired, but could find nothing of any boy. named Thomas. Detective O'Connor said that the boy W, Collier hod told him a boy named Wilson or Wilkinson had given him the wheelbarrow, William Thompson, a boy 12 years of ago, and Alfred Large gave evidence, Tho boys having made their excuses, the Bench said that Thomas Collier had been tho head and front of nil this offending. He set!mod to bo the oldest of the boys. A lot of damage had been done on this unoccupied section. Uis Worship did not know that ho was propared to say that tho boys bad deliberately stolen anything, but they bad done a lot of wanton mischief, and next time any of them wore brought here for such a thing they would bo well whipped. With this caution tho boys were discharged. Miscellaneous. —For driving vehicles or riding bicycles without lights at night, G. Walter, H. Inglis and H. Hobday, junr„ wore fined 5s each.—M. Mosley was fined 5s for negligent driving in High street.— Edward Thompson and J. H. Drury, two cabmen, were accused of fighting on the South Town Belt on Sept. 11. After hearing evidence the Bench concluded that Thompson had provoked tho whole matter, and fined him ill. Drury was fined la. Thomas Broom was convicted of having used insulting language to a guard on the railway at Hornby on Sept. 6, but in consideration of his want of means, waa not fined.—H. Knight, £. Buckingham, and E. Senior,

were fined 6s each for allowing cattle to bo at largo.-—Thomas Johnston, for riding a bicycle, and A, Cooper for riding a tricycle, on a footpath at Piijmnul, ware lined 6s each under tho Public Works Act. HU Worship explained that It was illegal to ride these machines on any footpath, not only in tho City but in any of the suburbs. —-A(filiation eases against George Wells and G. R. Meerie wore adjourned for a week,—A case of failing to provide for wife and children against W, G. Thompson was adjourned till Urn following day.

KAIAPOT. Thursday, Skit. 18. (Before His Worship tho Mayor, and Montague 11. Smith, Esq.)

Drunk in a Public Place. —George Sydney, charged with this offence, was dismissed with a caution.

, Larceny. —Harry Hicks, alias J. Clifford, alias Walter Hicks, remanded from Lyttelton, wivs charged with having stolen goods under the value of £i>, tho property of Mr Beri Lissaman. On tho application of tho police the prisoner was remanded to Wednesday, Sept. 24.

RANGIORA. Thursday, Sept. 18. (Before A. Ivory, Esq., Mayor.)

Horsestealing, Ac. A lad, named Charles William Uunstan, was charged by tho police with having stolen from Kaugiora, on Sept. 5 last, a horse belonging to John Pitzoll, a saddle belonging to Dr Williams, a bridle belonging to J. Polo, and ft waterproof overcoat belonging to E. Jones. Sergeant Barlow asked for a re* mand until Tuesday next. Sept. 23, stating that accused was arrested by Constable Whitty, at Waikari, the previous day, with the horse and articles in his possession, all of which had since been identified by their owners. Tho remand was granted.