MAGISTERIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11888, 11 May 1899, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

CHRISTCHURCH. Wednesday, May 10.

(Before Mr W.W. Tanner, J.P., Mr E. Smith, J.P., and Mr P. M. Stewart,

J.P.) ■ Breach of thk By-laws.—Mary Ann Coad, who did hot appear, was fined 10s arid'; .costs for riding lier> bicycle on the footway in Sydenham. ■ ';} \ ■AiiLEGKi? LvcENßiAKtsii.—William Horace Williams was ' charged with- having, on July 4, 1896, ■ at St Albans, wilfully set fire* to the dwelling-house of Thomas Rowley. The accused had already been committed on a charge of being concerned in another fire. Thomas Rowley, a baker, said he was the owner, in 1896, of a wooden c6fctage in Colombo Street, St Albany. It was, unoccupied for about four weeks, and at the end of that period, on one Saturday night, it was completely burned down. Witness was away, and at about-10.45-p.m. he, returned, ■■ and discovered the place to bo on fire. The' house was insured for £IOO. Arthur Chidgey, a builder, said he lived nearly - opposite the last witness's house in 1896. He knew 'the .accused, but did not see him. on,.the night of the fire. Arthur. Leslie, said he passed the, accused in Colombo. Street while going to the fife. He had a talk with the accused a few days later, when he remarked that it was a good fire and a bit exciting, and that he himself had set it on fire.' Harry Mills said he remembered ihe night of'the.'fire. Next day he met trie accused at the intersection of Colombo and Salisbury Streets, when he told witness that he had set fire to Rowley's house, and intended to set fire to more before long. Constable Sturmer said he made a report to his superior officer about the fire. The report was produced. Detective Livingj-tone said that, on April 28, he arrested the accused on another • charge. He later spoke about the fire at Rowley's,, which the accused admitted having caused. ."/•',He 'produced, a .document the accused;.' in which ;he admitted having, .about' eighteen months.,ago, in... company, .with , a man named '..Harry Mills, now a carter for Campbell and Crust, effected an. entrance into ah unoccupied four-roomed house in Colbmoo Street, St Albans, when the accused poured some kerosene over a heap of. rubbish in the kitchen cupboard, and Mil's set fire to it. They then got out,'and th» house was burned down. Constable ; Cassells said that he- was present when' the accused made the statement, which he reduced to paper, and after having read it over to the accused, it was signed by him. The" accused reserved his defene?, and was committed for trial, at the next, sitting-of the Supreme Court. Mumford, alias Hjuricksen, was charged with having, . n May 'J, stolen' a razor, value' 10s, the property of John Brice.' Evidence was taken to ■ tho effect that the razor was missed after the accused ■ left Brice's shop, and the matter being put', in the hands of "the police, it was fouhd ; that the razor had been sold to a second-hand dealer for Is. The accused was identified by the dealer as being the person who had disposed of it, but he denied having done so, and stated that it was another razor which he had sold. The accused declined to make a statement, and was sentenced to fourteen, days' imprisonment with hard labour. The same accused was further charged with stealing a cornet,-value £lO, on Jan. 11, the property of W. P. Gowlishaw and others. On.the application of u.e. police, the accused was remanded till Wednesday next. *'',■' Alleged Bicycle Thkft.-—James Easter was. charged with having, on .April .21, at; Ashburton, stolen a bicycle, value £26, the property of John H. Rickman, and a bicycle lamp, value 15s, the property of David John M'lntyre. There was no appearance of the accused, who was on. bail, and for whom Mr Kippenbergerr appeared, and the Bench ordered a warrant for his arrest to be issued.

■■ Drunkenness.-—An old man, who had been remanded for a'week to receive medical treatment, was charged with being drunk in the Lincoln Domain. Sub-Inspector O'Brien suggested that, as the accused had already beeii; a week-in custody he should, bo convicted and .discharged. The Bench entered a conviction and discharged the accused.—Three first offenders, one female and two males, were each fined 5s and costs, in default twenty-four hours' imprisonment.

Charge l ot? Destroying:a Dog.—James Waldren was charged by Charles Champness with wilfully destroying his dog, valued at £2O, on April 8, at Richmond. Mr WiddoWson appeared for the complainant, and Mr Kippenberger .-for"the defendant. The evidence,, for the prosecution was that the' dog, ,'a cross between a retriever and a Newfoundland, was shot dead by defendant ■in Mrs Champi»ss.'s premises at Dudley Creek on April 15 ; during her absence. She did not see the dog destroyed, but when she came back she saw the two Waldrens covering; Tip a.-hole <m her -back garden, in "nftiich the dog was subsequently found. The d,og*was.*a!yquiet one, and there had been no. complaints about it. No one had been given any authority to destroy it. A veterinary surgeon' who examined the animal's body said that it had been'killed by a charge of shot, and there were signs that it had also been given a dose'of arsenic. In the presence of the surgeon the defendant asked Mrs Champness if she had'.not given him leave to destroy the dog. She .replied that 'she had only given him leave to poison it, and she 'would not allow it to be shot. It was suffering from a large tumour'on the head. The complainant afterwards qualified her statement that she had not given any authority to destroy the dog. She had said that she would only have it poisoned. In defence, it was shown that Mrs Champness had instructed the defendant to destroy the dog by poison. This was done, but it was afterwards shot to put it quickly out of its miseryJ The Bench dismissed the case without hearing the complete' evidence for the defence,' each party to pay their own costs. •■ "■ ;•.' )•' 'v . ■:■■■,-. ~- <■■ ■ "' " Assault.—Raphael Portelh was charged by Peter Thompson with having assaulted him on May 1. The defendant was fined £1- ' •' « T ■• Rescuing Impounded Cattle.—-tlames Barr was charged by F. E. Prebble witii having rescued certain cattle seized for the purpose of impounding on April 26, at Soekburn. Mr Cresswell appeared for the informant. The Bench held the case proved, and fined the defendant £2 and .costs, including the informant's expenses, £2 lis.

LYTTELTON. Wednesday, May 10. (Before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.) Maintenance.—Albert Charles WTiitford was sued by his'father, Edward Whitford, to contribute towards his support. The father is tiftv-eight years of age, and has been unable to work, for the past four years owing to an accident. The other members of the family assisted to support him. Defendant was ordered to pay the sum of 8s per week. . ' , . Civil Cases.—Palmer v. M'Grath, claim £lO on judgment summons. Mr Nalder for defendant. The sunt of £8 had been paid into Court. Defendant was ordered to pay the balance, in default fourteen days' imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended for one month.—Baxter v. ■ Bamford', £3 12s 6d on judgment summons. Mr Joyce appeared for the defendant, who was ordered to pay the amount, in default fourteen days' imprisonment, the order to be suspended so long as defendant paid 5s per week.—Palmer v Jensen, £5 4s 9d. Mr Nalder for plaintiff. Judgment for plaintiff-by default Gealey v. Tan, £8 10s. Mr Joyce for ■plaintiff. Mr Nalder for defendant, Plaintiff was nonsuited, as the plaint had not btcn translated, defendant being a Maori.

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