RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 191, 15 October 1866, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

This Day. [Before J. Poynter, Esq., R.M.] DRUNKENNESS. John Saunders, Jonathan Mears, and James Clifford, were each fined 10s. and costs for this offence. iakceny. Thos. Champney, William Brock, William Price, Edward Murphy, and Henry Oswald, were informed against by David Gibertson, boat builder, for stealing a piece of Manilla rope, value £2, on the 10th inst. Oswald had made 'bis escape from the police, and was at large. : The prosecutor said; I am owner of the Bomuo Ljiss, in thi3 port. I mia3ed a piece of Manilla rc,pe,

from 30 to 40 fathoms, from, ' the vessel, which was moored on the beach, for repairs. I found the rope in a boat in which these men were. They were ail in the boat yesterday, when the policemen went -there. They said the boat belonged to them. They had no connection with my vessel, and had no right to go on- board. I did not see them on my vessel. The master missed the rope first. The rope was .worth £2. The rope was produced and identified by the witness, by a particular mark he had made on it, and by it 3 correspondence with the piece from which it was cut. ' . ..? To Price: The rope was missed on Wednesday night, between 7 and 10 o'clock. To the Bench : I don't know the men and never saw them till yesterday. George Davidson: I am master of the Bonnie Lass. On Wednesday night last, I missed the rope from the Starboard-quarter. It was made fast to the shore. Jl never saw either of the prisoners before. I identify the rope now produced. The rope lost was 30 or 40 fathoms long. The rope produced is 36£ fathoms, which agrees with the quantity I lost. I did not go to the boat when the rope was found. Sergeant Nash : Having received information of the loss of a rope, I went on board a boat that was at anchor in the harbor. Martin, Gilbertson, and another, were with me. We found the rope in the boat. The men at first refused to say they were owners of the boat. Two at length admitted ownership, but they all denied knowing anything about the rope. On coming ashore Oswald got away in the crowd that was assembled. Inspector Shallcrass asked for a remand, till Oswald could be found. The Magistrate remanded ihe prisoners till tomorrow morning. Mr. Phillips, on being asked by the Magistrate what he knew about the men, said they had worked for the Dun Mountain Company and were .always considered straightforward. « Mr. Carter and Mr. Owens spoke to the good character of one of the prisoners. The Magistrate said he should reserve his opinion till he had iheard the whole case. It might turn out that the absent prisoner stole the rope. Unless these gentlemen could prove that the prisoners did not take the rope, their testimony would not help them much.