MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 224, 21 September 1907, Page 2

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20. BREACH OF THE LICENSING LAWS. Wm. Farquhar was charged, on the information of the police, with selling I liquor to James Stewart, who was already in a state of intoxication. !Mr McNab appeared for the defend- ' ant, who pleaded not guilty. Ellen McHale, barmaid at the Royal Hotel, said she was in the bar on Monday morning, the 16th inst. She did

not remember a man coming into the hotel with his arm in a sling, but believed that she served James Stewart, now in Court, with a drink upon that morning. The time that she served him would be about 9 o'clock.

By Mr McNab: It was about the time of the arrival of the train that Stewart came to the hotel/ She had instructions from Mr Farquhar not to serve any man under the influence oi drink. The man was leaning against the counter when served, and he was in company with another. From his conversation and demeanour she judged him to be sober. She would not have served him if he was drunk.

Alexander McLauchlan, commission agent, said that on Monday he telephoned to the police acquainting them with the fact that Stewart was lying drunk on the road opposite his office and store. The man was in a very drunken condition. Witness subsequently saw him leaning over the rails near Alfred Street bridge. He had not seen him at the hotel.

By Mr McNab: Stewart appeared to come from Alfred Street rather than from the Roval Hotel.

Constable Bird said that about 10 o'clock on Monday morning lie received a telephone message from Mr McLauchlan. He went in company with another constable and found Stewart in a bad state of intoxication on the footpath. He was foaming at the mouth, and wanted to light people. James Stewart said he was an inmate of the AVairau Hospital. He came from Picton on Monday morning, and left the hospital there by perl mission. He was suffering from a broken shoulder-blade. Before starting from Picton he had a few drinks, but not many, about four whiskies he thought. He had a faint recollection of getting off the train at Blenheim. His only other recollection of what took place during the day was of being locked up. He did not recollect being in the Royal Hotel. By Mr McNab: He had been in the Picton Hospital for about three weeks. He had no friend with him on the train. Ho might have picked up some

acquaintance when he got off the train. His ignorance of what took place on the 16th was due to drink. John Johnston, labourer, said he saw Stewart on Monday morning coming from the railway station. Stewart was drunk at the time. He saw Stewart going from the railway station to the Royal Hotel. After being there about 10' minutes he came out, and walking along the footpath he met witness, and wanted to fight him. Witness gave him a slight push, causing him to fall. He then assisted the man to get up, but he immediately fell down again. The police came shortly after and took him away. Stewart did not, after leaving the Royal Hotel, get past McLauchlan's store. Witness would swear that he did not.

Constable Bunphy corroborated Constable Bird's evidence.

Mr McNab said there was very little direct evidence. Johnston's evidence appeared to be colored, and was contradicted by Mr McLauchlan. As the evidence was en the whole unsatisfactory he would ask the Magistrate to dismiss the information.

Ine Magistrate said he was satisfied that the defendant was guilty, but as it was a first offence he would convict and fins him £5 and costs, without endorsing the license.

A HORSE IN A KITCHEN

T. Tierney laid an information against David Gibb, charging him with assault and using offensive and obscene language towards him. The informaant stated that on the night of the entertainment given in the Town Hall on the 18th inst. by the Dramatic Students he, in his official capacity as caretaker of the hall, objected to a horse yvhich was to be used in connection with the performance being taken into the kitchen. He had, he contended, a perfect right to object, for no one had any right to use this room without his permission. An altercation Itook place between him and Gibbj, and Gibb shook his fist menacingly in his face and used improper language. The defendant called two witnesses, Nash and Fryer, both of whom proved rather hostile, and denied having heard Gibb use bad language. The aggressor, they said, was Tierney, but both were much excited. Other witnesses having been examined, the Magistrate said he would have to dismiss the information, but a request for costs by defendant's counsel was disallowed.

DEBT CASE

Judgment was given by default, with costs, in the case Reynolds and Co. v. George Atwood, a claim for £2 2s 6d.

In the Auckland Police Court today (says a Press Association telegram) Mrs Margaret Henderson wascharged with leaving a child suffering from scarlet fever in a vehicle for public hire. The defendantpleaded that she did not know what the child was suffering from, and the case was dismissed, with a caution.

About twenty additional men are being placed on the Seddon railwayextension works. These are all from the North Island. It is understood there are quite a number of local men anxious to obtain employment on the works now, but their applications to the local Labour Agent have, been met with the reply that only vacancies are to be filled from the Blenheim labour supply. WKy it is thus is hard to understand.

An early Anglo-Saxon custom, strictly followed by newly-married couples, was that of drinking diluted honey for thirty days after marriage. From this custom comes the word honeymoon, or honeymonth.