MAGISTERIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14980, 28 April 1909, Page 9

MAGISTERIAL.

christchurch; , Monday, April 26. (Before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.) Drunkenness.—Six first offenders, one a woman, charged with insobriety, were each fined 5s and costs, in default twenty-four hours' imprisonment. Another first offender, who was in charge of a horse and cab while drunk, was fined 20s, with the alternative of seven days' imprisonment.— James Moncrieff, a second offender for drunkenness, was fined 20s, in default forty-eight hours' imprisonment. Charge Dismissed.—Alfred Wicks (Mr Donnelly) pleaded not guilty to a charge of having caused a breach of the peace by acting in a threatening manner in High Street. Accused stated that he was walking down High Street on Saturday night after eleven o'clock when he was mobbed by six or seven young fellows, who started to knock him about. He tried to. get away to find a policeman, but just then Constable Phillips came up in plainclothes and dragged him out. Accused said he did not know the constable to bo a policeman, and. naturally tried to defend himself. As Boon as the constable got him out of the crowd the rest made off. The constable's evidence practically corroborated that of accused. The Magistrate said he thought it a very strange affair, hut apparently the accused was not the aggressor, and the charge would be dismissed. Dismissed.—William Halhday pleaded guilty to the theft of a lady's bicycle valued at £5, the property of Miss Agnes Blakesley. Accused was remanded until the following morning to enable the probation officer's report to be obtained. Undefended Cases.—Judgment was given for plaintiffs, with costs, by default, in the following cases:—T. H. Hensman v. J. T. Maine, £ll 0s <d; Elizabeth Lawson (Mr Leathern) v. Robert Kench, £3 12s; Patrick Henley (Mr Hunter) v. Luia Beddmgfield, £3; Beath and Co., Ltd. (Mr Taylor) y. William Stewart, £2 13s 2d; Booth, Macdonald arid Co.. Ltd. (Mr Acland), v. George Bull, £9 10s; A. F. Donoghue v. J. Lowe, £6 8s 3d; same v. R. Bullen, £4 15s; A. F. Carey (Mr Salter) v. F. Gilmore, £2 19s 6d-; Elizabeth Lawson (Mr Leathern) v. Frank Kench, £1 12s; Charles Clark v. Archibald Thomson, £2 16s; W. A. Tribe and Co. (Mr Dougall) v. W. A. Murphy, £3 15s. Judgment Summons. —B. M'Donald was ordered to pay A. F. Donoghue £2 on a judgment summons, at the rate of 5s a week, in default seven days' imprisonment.—No order was made iu the case of A. F. Donoghue v. J. Patterson on a judgment debt of £3 7s. Cost of a Piano.—H. Wilson (Mr Cassidy) sued George Jeffrey for £l2, the cost of a second-hand piano. Defendant stated that plaintiff agreed to send the piano to defendant's house and to accept payment in instalments of £1 a month to date from the beginning of this year, if the piano was satisfactory. Defendant stated that after he had had the piano for a few weeks he wrote to plaintiff stating that he wished to return it. The plaintiff denied any such agreement. The Magistrate said that as defendant had been in possession of the piano for over four months it was.right to assume that he was liable for the piano. Judgment was entere4 for the plaintiff with costs. Tuesday, Afril 27. (Before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.)

Drunkenness. —Three first offenders were each, fined 5s and costs, in default twenty-four hours' imprisonment.—Another first offender was fined 10s and costs' for being drunk on the platform of the Christchurch Railway Station.—Frederick Gough, a statiitory second offender, was <U*o fined 10s and costs, in default forty-eight eight hours' imprisonment. Remanded.—Albert Scott.(Mr A. W. Bishop) was remanded till Saturday, charged with the theft at Hawera, on April 12, of a gold chain, sovereign case and lady's silver watch, of the total value of. £9. Bail was allowed in two sureties of £25 each.

Admitted to Probation. William

Halliday, charged, on remand, with the theft at Christchurch of a bicycle, the property of Miss Agnes Blakesley, valued at £5, pleaded guilty. After rereiving a report.from the Probation Officer, the Magistrate said he would admit accused to probation for three months.

Maintenance Orders. —0. Nasmyth (Mr Wright) was ordered to pay 20s a week towards the maintenance of his wife, for whom Mr Donnelly appeared. —James Joseph Killick (Mr M'Connell) was ordered to pay 2s 6d a week each towards the support of two grandchildren.—Richard Aicken Glover applied for a reduction of a maintenance order in favbur of his two illegitimate children. After hearing the applicant, the Magistrate agreed to reduce the .amount from 6s to 5s in respect of each of the children.—Thomas Kent was sentenced to three months' imprisonment for the disobedience of a maintenance order against him.—Frank Curtis, alias Webb, was sentenced to one month's imprisonment on each of three charges against him of disobedience of a maintenance order.—Vvilliam Hoft was sentenced to six months' im?>risonmen.t for allowing an order to all into arrears amounting to over £BO. The warrant, to be suspended provided accused paid off £1 a week against the arrears.—John Henry Preston was sentenced to one month's imprisonment on two charges of disobeying a maintenance order.