MAGISTERIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXXXII, Issue 10512, 24 November 1894, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

CHRISTCHURCH. Friday, Nov. 23. (Before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.) Undesirable Characters. William Reynolds was charged with being found with housebreaking tools ia his possession. Chief-Detective O’Connor and Detective Neill stated that on the previous night about 10.15 they met accused and another man near the corner of Tuam and Colombo Streets. Detective Neill caught hold of accused, and the other man ran away. Accused dropped the bunch of keys (produced) in the gutter, and a chisel was found in his breast. Though not previously convicted, he was known to the police, who for a long time had had him under surveillance. On the previous night the door of a house in Madras Street had been broken open, and the weed bore marks which corresponded with the size of the chisel found on accused. The accused in defence said he knew nothing of the keys, and he intended to use the chisel for the purpose of making patent toasting forks. Ho was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour.—George William Richmond was charged withhaving insufficient lawful means of support. Chief-Detective O’Connor and Detective Neill stated that they saw the accusadontho previous night about a chain from the two men mentioned in the previous case. The accused had been known to the police for ten years, and during that time he had been convicted in Christchurch and Dunedin. He associated with bad characters, lived in a brothel, and had not done any work for some months past. Ha was frequently seen about .the streets after midnight. In defence, • accused said he had been working at Cheviot, and left the city when requested to do so by the police. He returned to Christchurch about three months ago, but had been unable to obtain work. The Magistrate sentenced him to three months’ imprisonment.

Alleged Desertion.— Robert Harrison, alias O’Leary, was charged with deserting from H.M.S. Sapid, at Auckland, on August 4. On the application of Inspector Broham, accused was remanded for a week. Heeding Horses, &c. —Stephen Barrett for herding three horses on the Shirley Road on Nov. 3, was fined 5s and costs.— James Chamberlain for herding one horse on the same road, was fined 5s and coats.— Hugh Henry for allowing nine horses to wander at large at New Brighton, was fined 10a and costs. Cases Dismissed. Barnard Simpson was charged with keeping his ehop open to public view for the purpose of trading on Sunday, Nov, 4. Constable Dillon stated that, between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. on the above date, ha sent a boy into defendant’s shop in Colombo Street for a stick of nailrod tobacco. The defendant sold the tobacco to the boy, who paid defendant 4d for it. Defendant admitted soiling the tobacco to the boy, but denied keeping his shop open to public view. Decision was reserved, pending the hearing of a similar esse against Georgs Ingles Merry. The evidence for the prosecution was similar to that in the previous case, with the exception that defendant’s door was shut when tho boy went there. Defendant opened the door when the hoy knocked and sold him a stick of tobacco. Mr Donnelly, who appeared for defendant, contended that the charge was not proved, and that defendant could not be convicted under the section of the Act under which the information was laid. The Magistrate said the evidence did not disclose any offence under the information before the Court, and the case would be dismissed without prejudice. In the case against Simpson the Magistrate also dismissed the charge without prejudice, but informed the defendant that a fresh information, under another section of the Act, would probably be laid against him.— Joseph Lukey, for whom Mr Swann appeared, was charged with wilfully delaying his drag in High Street on Nov. 10. The City Inspector deposed that defendant was driving one of his father’s drags on* the last day of the races, and instead of leaving the Empire 'Hotel direct for the racecourse the defendant drove round the Triangle to pick up passengers. Defendant obstructed the thoroughfare in High Street by delaying his drag. Witness received instructions from the City Council to allow the drags to stop at the Empire Hotel for ten minutes, and then see that the drivers started direct for the racecourse. Constable Ramsay gaveevidence The Magistrate said the facts did not warrant a conviction, and the case would be dismissed. Similar charges against T. Dalwood and John Brown wore withdrawn.

Miscellaneous, Jabez Lukey, for applying for hire off his regular route, waa fined Is and costs.—John Thompson, for applying for hire in the city without being duly licensed, was fined 5s and costs.— Robert Lynass, for creating a breach of the peaca on the cab stand aft the Christchurch Railway Station by striking another cabman with a whip, was fined 5a and costs.—Richard May Morten was charged with having, on Nov. 3, demanded and received from Arthur Wiffen excessive damages for the trespass of a number of complainant’s sheep on defendant’s land at Hillsborough. The evidence showed that defendant received from complainant the sum of .£lO for the trespass of the sheep, and gave complainant a receipt for the amount, which waa paid under protest. For the defence it was contended that defendant did not impound the sheep, but received the amount in consideration of damage done to the land by the shefcp. The Magistrate held that defendant impounded the sheep and refused to give them up till the sum of £lO was paid. Defendant was ordered to refund the amount and pay costs.

Youthful Offenders. Two small boys aged seven and eight years, were charged with breaking windows in Mrs Pike’s house in Tuam Street, on Oct. 19. The evidence showed that about tho data mentioned all the windows in tho prosecutrix’s house were broken by a number of small boys. The house was unoccupied at the time, and the boys went into the garden and smashed the windows with stones. It was proved that the boys before the Court were concerned in the affair, and also that a little boy, four and a half years old, smashed two or three of the windows. The Magistrate cautioned the

boys’ parents not to let their children get into trouble in the future. The boys were convicted and their parents were ordered to pay 5s each for the damage.—Throe boys, whose ages ranged from seven to nine years, were charged with damaging a perambulator to the extent of ss, at St Albans on Nov. 14. The evidence showed that one of the youngsters assaulted a little girl who was wheeling the perambulator, and the other two boys helped him to destroy it. The boy who assaulted the girl waa convicted and the case against the other two boys was dismissed. The boys’ parents were ordered to pay for the damage to the perambulator,— Three more boyafrom seven to nine years old ware charged with stealing several articles valued 7a fid from James Russell’s house Sydenham, on Nov. 6. The boys broke into Mr Russell's house during his absence, and two of them admitted the offence to the constable. The prosecutor did not wish to press the charge, and the boys were severely cautioned and discharged.