MAGISTERIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12425, 14 February 1901, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

CHRISTCHURCH. Wednesday, Feb. 13. (Before Mr W. Reece, J.P., and Mr J. C. Sopp, J.P.) Drunkenness.— William Mackie was remanded to Lyttelton for seven days ’ for medical treatment. Theft. —Ellen Parkinson pleaded guilty to having, on Feb. 1, stolen a pair of shoes, valued at 5s fid. She was sentenced to one month's imprisonment. Alleged Wife Desertion. —John Jones (Mr Cassidy), charged with having deserted his wife (Mr Donnelly), was remanded until Tuesday, bail being allowed in accused’s own surety of £25 and one other surety of £SO. Driving Without Lights. —William Rountree, charged with having, on Jan. 18, driven between sunset and sunrise without lights, pleaded guilty, but. explained that his lamp had gone out just before he was accosted by the constable. He was fined 20s and costs. The Sumner Donkeys. —James Felgate admitted having allowed a herd of donkeys to wander on the Sumner Road on Jan. 19. He was fined: 20s and costs.—James Williams, an employee of Frigate’s, was charged with having allowed a pony to wander at large on the same date. William Ekins, the Sumner Council's Inspector, gave evidence, and the defendant was fined 10s and costs. Cows at Large. —(Peter O’Malley, for having allowed two cows to wander on the Sumner Road, was fined 10s and costs, in spite of his protests that he had been driving the cows. LYTTELTON. Wednesday, Feb. 13. (Before Mr R. Beetham, S.M.) Case Dismissed,— Walter .Pay, .tu . .prohibited person, was’ charged- with having procured intoxicating liquor (beer) from E. F. King, a licensed victualler, on Jan. 22 last. He pleaded not guilty. The evidence was to the effect that Constable Connell saw the accused and Ms mother, an old woman, nearly eighty-five years of age, stop outside the Empire Hotel. Day gave what was apparently a coin to the 'old woman, who went in, and came out with two bottles of beer in a basket, which the constable confiscated. The barmaid who had served her did not know her. Accused stated that the beer was for his mother, and not for himself. The old woman made a similar statement, and his Worship dismissed the case. •A Frivolous Action.— William Pitcaithly was charged, on the information of George Taylor Clark, with having used towards Mm abusive language, with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. Mr Leathern appeared for the complainant, and Mr Cressweli for the defendant. The evidence of the complainant and a witness showed that the parties met in the private bar of the Canterbury Hotel, where the defendant said to complainant, “ You are an informer. You laid an information at the Customs that the Cygnet carried over 350 people on New Year’s Day.” There were half a dozen people in the bar at the time, and the words were not spoken in a raised tone. Mr Cressweli said that Mr Pitcaithly had a good defence on the merits, but he would, without entering on it, save the time of the Court by pointing out that it had tot been shown that the words had been used in a public place, or with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. No offence had been disclosed. Mr Beetham said • that a public-house was not a public place within the meaning of the Act. There was no foundation for the information. To bring a criminal information in such a case' was simply nonsensical, and the information would be dismissed with costs.