MAGISTERIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 9624, 16 January 1892, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

CHRISTCHURCH. Friday, Jan. 15. (Before P. J. Kimball and George Roberts, Esqs.) Dirty Premises. —George E. War nos, who did not appear, was charged with keeping animals ia his yard iu Manchester street on Jan. 1, so aa to be a nuisance and injurious to public health. City Inspector J. A. Stringer said he visited Warnes* yard on Jan. 7, and found 169 head of poultry in a yard measuring 60ft by 20ft. The ground was sodden and filthy, and there were a number of dead fowls lying about. There were also seventeen geese in a stable stall in the yard, with two or three inches of filth under them. It was only recently that defendant was summoned for the same thing and fined a small sum. Courtney Nedwill, M.D., said that the place was in a very filthy condition and might give rise to serious disease. It had been cleaned up a few days before. There were too many fowls ia the yard to enable it to be kept clean. It was injurious to the neighbourhood. Fined £2 and costs £1 13s.— Charles. Dunn, poulterer, was similarly charged in connection with his premises in Manchester street. Inspector Stringer : Visited the place on Jan. 7 and found fifty or sixty fowls in tlu* yard, and about twenty more in pens. The place was in a dirty condition and the smell bad. Since then the place had been whitewashed and cleaned up and made pretty fair. He did not wish to press for a heavy penalty this time. Defendant: “ Your Worships, I’ve read doctors’ books that say that keeping fowls ia healthy, as they act as scavengers.” The Bench: “ Well, you shouldn’t try those experiments there.” Defendant called George Walker, who had lived next door but one to defendant for fourteen years, and never felt any inconvenience from it. Knew that defendant used a lot of disinfectants. The Bench fined defendant 5s and costs, and ordered him to keep hia premises clean. Alleged Uttering. —John Lindsay was charged, on remand, with uttering a cheque bearing the name of P. H. Bruce, for .£3, on the Bank of Australasia, to Hannah Fox, on’Jan. 3. Hannah Fox, wife of John Pox, licensee of the Prince of Wales Hotel, Colombo street south: Accused came to the hotel on Jan. 2. He had a glass of beer which he paid for, and asked her to change the cheque produced. Witness said she did not change cheques as a rule. Accused then said he was an old servant of Miles and Co., and that the name on the cheque, P. H. Bruce, was his own. Witness agreed to change the cheque, and accused then wrote something on the back of the cheque, she could not say what. Witness then gave him three ill notes, and sent the cheque to the Bank. It was returned by the IBank. Next saw the accused when Detective Benjamin brought him a few days afterwards for identification. Accused then said, “ Yes ; I’m the man.” Accused was quite sober when he changed the cheque. It was after dinner when he got the money. Alexander C. MTntyre, in business as a' clothier in Colombo street south: Accused came to bis shop on Jan. 2 and asked for a blank cheque. Accused had a blotted cheque in his hand, and wanted another to replace it. Witness gave it him. Produced the cheque block in Court. Accused asked for a pen and ink and filled in the cheque on the spot. It was for £3 and signed “ Bruce.”' He could not tell what initials, it was then about mid-day. Thomas H. Bruce, clerk in the employ of Miles and Co.: Knew the accused John Lindsay. Ho had not been in Miles and Co.’s employ, but had worked for witness privately at Fendalton. He left his employ on Dec. 14., and was paid by witness’ cheque for £l. The cheque produced was nob signed by witness, who kept his account at the Bank of New South Wales. Henry Robert Law, ledger-keeper in the Bank of Australasia, Christchurch : The cheque (produced) was presented for payment at the Bank on Jan. 5 and payment refused, as no person of that name had an account at the Bank. Detective Benjamin: Arrested the accused on Jan. 6, at 8 p.m., in Manchester street. Told him he was charged with forging a cheque on the Bank of Australasia. He said he knew he did, but ho had plenty of money to pay it, and he had bean going wrong lately. He was much under the influence of drink at the time. In answer to the Bench, the accused admitted the offence, but said he was much under the influence of drink when he did it. The accused was then committed for trial at the Supreme Court. ASHBURTON. Friday, Jan. 15. (Before T. Bullock, Esq.) Drunkenness. —Michael Shea was fined 10s, with the alternative of twenty-four hours’ imprisonment, for being drunk in a public street. SOUTHBEIDGE. Friday, Jan. 15. (Before E. Beetham, Esq., E.M., and E. B. Willis, Esq.) Civil Case. —P. Jameson v. Mrs E. Cook, claimed £lO. Judgment for plaintiff.