RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 11, 16 March 1866, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

[Before J. Poynter, Esq., R.M. This Dat. James Hyland pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a coat, vest, and two pairs of trousers from Mrs. Robinson, Haven-road. He was sentenced to six months imprisonment, with hard labor, in Nelson gaol. George Fitzroy pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing two =£1 notes from Richard Stevens, and was sentenced to six months imprisonment, Avith hard labor, in Nelson gaol. Both the prisoners were old soldiers, and seemed affected by the vice of idleness. Last winter, Fitzroy, broke a pane of glass at the police office, for the purpose, as lie said, of getting comfortable AVinter quarters in gaol. He got a Aveeks' imprisonment on the occasion, and was told by the Magistrate that if he did the like again, he Avould get a whipping in addition to an imprisonment. His longing for winter quarters seems to havecome on him agiin, but the fear of the whip prevented him from indulging in his propensity of window smashing. He had comfortable quarters in the Toi- Toi Valley, with very little to do, but he resolved to change his quar- j ters. He was bent on going to gaol, tor on stealing j the notes, he told the landlord of the hotel, Avhere ! the theft took place, that he had taken them. The { Government must not make the gaol accommodation so comfortable, if they are to act as inducements to idle fellows, to rush to them as a refuge from their real or imaginary evils. Pakaavau Coal. — 'Some fine -specimens of this coal was shown us, by Messrs. Lockhart & Co. to-day. They were taken from the vein five feet thick, which has beeu opeued in the neAV drive. A person who made a fire of this coal last evening informs us that it has little smell and waste, and that it is a most durable fuel. Thk Comedy Troupe, — Last evening, the Comedy Troupe under the management of Mr. Frank Towers, gave one of their entertainments at the Odd-fellows' Hall; the attendance was nofc so numeious as we expected it would have been. The performance, which consisted of the comedy of the Honeymoon, concluding with the farce of the Whitebait at Greenwich, was very fair throughout, the farce being very successful, calling forth ug interrupted peals of laughter. It is announced that the Compauy will perform here for five more nights. to-morroAv evening's bill of farce, being Dou Causer de Bazan, and tlie Toodles.