MAGISTERIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11555, 16 April 1898, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

CHRISTCHURCH. , Friday, April 15. (Before Mr W. C. Fendall, J.P., and Mr C. T. Dudley, J.P.)

Drunkenness. —George Fuller pleaded guilty to being drunk in Worcester Street on Thursday night. He was fined ss, with the usual alternative. Breach op the City By-laws. Thomas Wheeler was charged with-having, on April 1, left a vehicle on the roadside unattended, and without having the wheels locked, contrarjr to the city by-laws. He was fined 10s, and pleading extreme poverty, was given a month in which to pay the fine.

Sumner By-Laws. — Abraham was charged with leaving an encumbrance standing on Sumner beach on March 17, contrary to Sumner by-laws. Mr Cresswell appeared for the Borough Council, and said the information was laid under subsection 4, section 3, of the Police Offences Act, which made it an offence for any person to stand in a public place any encumbrance. Defendent was an ice-cream vendor, and had pitched his stand on the beach on the date of the information, refusing to shift when requested to do so by a constable. The Sumner Borough Council had laid this information to show that these people could not create such obstruction with impunity. The maximum penalty was .£5. The Bench fined the defendant 5s and costs.

Unregistered Dog. For keeping an unregistered dog at Sumner Mary Oram was fined 10s and costs 7s. Alleged Theft on the Racecourse.— Michael Leonard Hislop was changed on remand with stealing the sum of £3O in money, the property of Joseph Hawthorne, on April 11 at the Riccarton racecourse. Mr Joynt appeared for the accused. Joseph Hawthorne stated he was a labourer residing at Fendalton. He went to the races at Riccarton on Monday last. He was standing by the totalisator when accused accosted him and asked him if he would have something on the race. Witness said he didn’t care. Accused pressed him, and said that he knew a bit about the horse and jockey ■ himself. He had got the tip from his brother, who was a jockey, and from Derrett. If he had a note at all, he advised him to put it on Cannonshot for the Easter Handicap, which was to be run off in a few minutes. Witness then put £1 on Cannonshot on the totalisator, but the horse was his own fancy, and he would have backed it in any case. Cannonshot won, and accused then came to him, and asking to see the ticket snatched it out of his hand. Rather than make a noise about it, as accused looked a decent chap, witness trusted him, and did not inform the police. Accused went to the totalisator with the ticket and drew the money. He came back to witness and invited him to have a drink, and while on the way to the booth gave him £l7. After they had their drinks accused asked witness to show him the money again, and asking for ,£lO, snatched it out of his hand and went away, telling him to stop at the end of the booth while he went to see his brother and Derrett to get the tips. He went away, and witness did not see him till next day on the course. He had meanwhile reported the matter to Detective Fitzgerald, who arrested accused next day. To 'Mr Joynt: Nobody gave him 10s as a half share in the ticket. The dividend on Cannonshot was £37 3s. Two other witnesses gave unimportant evidence. Detective Fitzgerald stated he was on the Riccarton racecourse during the races, and about 3 o’clock in the afternoon Hawthorne came to him with a complaint that he had been robbed. He arrested accused next day, and when he charged him with the robbery he denied it, but admitted beins in Hawthorne’s company. This closed the case for the prosecution. Accused reserved his defence, and was committed for trial at the next sittings of the Supreme Court, bail being allowed in his own recognisances of £SO, and two sureties of £SO.

LYTTELTON. Friday, April 15,

(Before Mr A. J.P,, and Mr W

Cook, J.P.)

Juvenile Offenders. —William Stone, Frank Stone and Michael Waters were charged with stealing fruit, the property of Mrs Hinett. Frank Stone did not apappear, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. There was no evidence against Waters, and he was discharged. Stone was fined 10s and costs, the Bench remarking that as the expense would fall on the parents they could be trusted to inflict a flogging on the boy with the hope of putting a stop to such petty larcenies. —B. Reid and J. Grousement were charged with throwing stones by which damage to the extent of 4s was done to a window the property of John Haydon. They were each fined 6s 6d.