MAGISTERIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIII, Issue 13716, 5 April 1905, Page 5

MAGISTERIAL.

CHRISTCHURCH. ' Monday, April 3. (Before Mr J. A. Frostick, J.P., and Mr E. Gill, J.P.) Drunkenness.— Four first offenders, three men and one woman, were each fined 5s and costs, in default the usual penalty. Louisa Finnerty, who was deemed to be an habitual drunkard, having been three times convicted for drunkenness within the past six months, pleaded for leniency. The Sub-Inspector said that the accused was an incorrigible inebriate. He understood that the Salvation Army authorities were willing to admit her to a home. The Bench imposed a sentence of two months’ imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended if the accused wont to the Salvation Array Home for three months; Alexander Smith admitted having been drunk in St Asaph Street, and as he had been mice previously convicted within the past six months ho was fined 10s, in default forty-eight hours’ imprisonment.

Wilful Damage,— Martin Spillano. who appeared on a charge of drunkenness, was also charged with damaging a cab, the property of Harold Stewart, to the extent of £2 7s 6d. Accused denied both charges. After hearing several witnesses the Bench stated that it was perfectly satisfied as to the defendant’s guilt. ■ He would be fined 20s on the charge of drunkenness and ordered to pay for tho damage done to the cab and,witnesses’ expenses, in default fourteen days’ imprisonment. Theft of Gold Fish. —Raymond Wood, a young man, appeared on a charge of stealing six gold fish, value £2 os, the property of Edward Harrison. Mr Cassidy, who appeared for the accused, elected to have the case dealt with summarily. Three of the fish had been found in accused’s possession, and on the. charge being reduced to one of theft of three fish, accused pleaded guilty. Tho facts of the case were that the prosecutor was “ shifting,” and had temporarily left the fish at the house he was leaving. On returning next day he had found six missing.' Mr Cassidy asked for leniency, and the Bench inflicted a fine of 20s, and ordered the accused to refund 10s, as the value of two fish which had died since recovery, in default fourteen days’ imprisonment. Pigeon Pilferers. —Two youths named Harold Frederick Brown and Frederick William Topling wore charged with stealing at Spreydon fifteen pigeons, value £1 10s, the property of Woodbine Smith. Both accused admitted their guilt.' The pigeons had been sold to a poulterer, but had been rescued alive. The Bench considered the case a most deliberate offence, and fined the accused £2 each, with costs, and also ordered them to refund the purchase money to the poulterer, in default one month’s imprisonment.

A ; Rolled Gold Watch. —William Evans, alias Ernest Evans, pleaded not guilty to a charge of stealing a rolled gold watch value -4s, the property of S. W. Neate. The prosecutor stated that the accused had sold him the watch in March last for 2a, and had called on Saturday last, wishing to rebuy it. Witness wanted 4s for it, and accused picked it up and departed without paying. Accused stated that he had intended to return and pay for the watch. The chairman of the Bench stated that, the accused had- done a very foolish thing, but as the prosecutor wished now to withdraw the charge, he would be given the benefit of the doubt and discharged. A Compbehbnsive Cleabance. —doseph Leathern was charged with'stealing numerous items of wearing apparel and sundry articles of domestic use, belonging to Christina Lawson, of a total ■value'of'£3.’ ~"'He‘ waS'further charged with stealing a silver clock value 10s, also the property of Christina Lawson. Accused pleaded guilty, and after the facts of the case had been stated by the Sub-Inspector, the Bench sentenced him to three months’ imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to run concurrently. (Before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.)

Default Cases.— Judgment was given for plaintiffs by default, with costs, in the following cases: Charles T. Newton (Mr Lane) v. Joseph Downing, claim £72 2s lOd; Henry Berry and Co. (Mr Flesher) v. A. J. Edwards, £6' 13s 6d; same v. Parata and Ropata, £23 3s 3d; same v. James Maxwell, £7 18s sd; same v. Moody Brothers, 16s 8d; same v. J. H. Law, £37 10s 7d; same v. Chow Tiet, £3 9s 3d; T. H. Griffiths (Mr Leathern) v. John Kerr, £2 16s Sd.

Judgment Summons Cases. —George H. Nankivill (Mr M’Kean) sued Edward Jones for £3 12s on a judgment summons. After hearing evidence of the debtor, no order was made.—Harry W. Bishop was ordered to pay a judgment debt of £lO 14s 6d forthwith, in default fourteen days’ imprisonment. Mr Murphy appeared for Frederick O. Faber, the judgment creditor’. Tuesday, Amir, 4 (Before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.)

Drunkenness. —A first offender, a man, was fined ss, in default four hours’ imprisonment.—Patrick Cashman pleaded guilty to having been drunk in Manchester • Street. The same accused was charged with damaging the arresting constable’s mackintosh to the extent of 10s. He was fined os, with the usual alternative, on the first charge and 10s on the second and ordered to make good the damage done, in default seven days’ imprisonment.

Vagrancy.— Frank Sheenan was | charged with being an idle and dis- | orderly-person, in that he habitually | consorted with reputed thieves and j prostitutes. Mr Donnelly appeared for j ,1110 accused, who pleaded not guilty. Detective Ward stated that the accus- : ed had been about Christchurch and ■ suburbs for the past six mouths. He occasionally did some work. The detective detailed the accused’s mode of life and the character of his acquaintances. In reply to Mr Donnelly witness stated that he had no warrant for the accused’s arrest. Ho arrested the man on a steamer leaving Lyttelton.. Ho had never cautioned the accused about the bad chars dors ho had seen him talking to. lit the course of hrs evidence Detective Connell stated that he had warned the accused in regard to his associates. He did not know that the fact was' that the accused had been arrested in view of inquiries in regard to the Hornby safe robbery. Detective Cox said that after the arrest accused had been asked about the robbery, and where lie was on t’>6 Saturday night. Mr Donnelly said that in the face of the detectives’ evidence he was not going to deny that accused consorted with _ thieves, but he had been arrested with a view to fixing him on another charge. After expressing his pleasure that the detec- i lives had ceased the practice of warn- I ing people out of town, the Magistrate j sentenced the accused to three months’ | imprisonment with hard labour. Breaches of Pbohiihtion Orders.— Charles Alfred Clark, who did not appear, was charged with having been found on licensed premises during the currency of a prohibition order. Tho defendant, who wrote, admitting tho offence, was fined 40s and costs.— Thomas Bradshaw, against whom a similar charge was preferred, was mulcted in the same penalty. Affiliation. —Thomas Green was adjudged the putative father of an unborn illegitimate child, and was ordered to fimT a surety of £IOO that he would leave the colony.