MAGISTERIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14310, 2 March 1907, Page 7

MAGISTERIAL.

CHRISTCHURCH. Friday, March 1. (Before Mr W. H. Hargreaves, J.P., and Mr A. R. Inwood, J.P.) A Peculiar Joke. —Martin Nielan was charged with stealing a pair of boots valued at 20s, the property of Andrew Hanson. Mr Donnelly appealed for the defence, and the prosecution was 00-nduoted by Chief-Detective Chrystal. The evidence given for the I prosecution was to the effect that : Nielan wont into Hanson’s shop, and, ! nobody being in, he put a box, con- - taining a pair of boots, under his coat, i The attention of in re Hanson was drawn ! by a neighbour, and when she asked I him to return the boots, accused said that it was only a joke, and returned them. The accused in defence said he worked on the tramway construction. He was" slightly drunk, and took the boots as a joke to see if they would miss them. Tho Bench said that it was rather a dangerous joke, and one for which there was no excuse. Accused would bo fined 40s, in default seven days’ imprisonment. Ho was allowed two weeks in which to find the money. Footi'Ath Cycling.— Lewis Sandberg was fined 10s and costs for cycling on a footpath. AVandekixc Stock. —Joseph Knott and James Carter, 5s and costs; Charles A. Jacobsen, 10s and costs; Joseph L. Parish, 15s and costs, wore fined for allowing stock to wander along public roads.