RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Monday, 5th April. (Before Mr T. W. Parker, R.M.)

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2455, 6 April 1880, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Monday, sth April. (Before Mr T. W. Parker, R.M.)

DRUNK. A number of cases of drunkenness wore hoard, and tho offenders fined in small amounts.

PROFANE LA.NQUAGB. William Organ was oharged with uiing profane and abusive language while in a state of drunkenness, and fined 15a.

BREACH OP LICENSING ACTS, Phillip Blakesloy, who was oharged on the Ist instant with selling beer without a license, and whoso oase was held over till Monday, on the understanding that ho would in the meantime got a license, appeared to give notice that he had taken out a lioonso accordingly, and the oase was dismissed.

LARCENY. John Straughan, alias Andrew Anderson, was charged with stealing a silver watoh worth L 9, the property of Joseph Dondoll, in Oamaru in November 1877. The Accused, it appears, is a notorious had character, and was traced by Inspector Thompson to Wanganui, where he was arrostod on this charge on the completion of his sentence for some other crime. John Dondall, sworn, deposed that on the 18th November, 1877, he was engaged in driving a dray drawn by two horses, and loaded with chaff, from Papakaio to Mr Wallace's place near the Awamoko crock. A ba<? of chaff fell off the dray, and lie got up to the top of the load to tighten the rope that bound it, when that broko, and he fell to the ground and was Btunnod, lying in the road in a state of unconsciousness till the following morning. At the time he met with the aooidont, lie had in his pockets a silver watoh. produced in court, with a chain attaohed to it ; some silver cash, and a pooket book, besides a whip that cost 12s, which ho was carrying. When he roooverod consciousness, these had all disappeared. Ho saw the watch somo eight or nine day* afterwards at the police station. Cross-examined by the accused : Ho had had no companions with him on the night of the acoident. There was one man he had spokon to, who was to go tlio same road as himself, but they had parted. The dray and horses were taken home to his employer on the night of the acoident by somebody, but not by the man ho had mot. The watoh might have fallen out of his pocket, but it was quite impossible it could have become detaohed from his waisooat, as the chain was passed through the button hole, and on the other side was a bunch of keys. William John Graham, examined by Inspector Thompson, stated that he wai a tailor living in Dunodin. Ho know the accused, and met him on the evening of tho 18th of November, 1877, on the bridge in Thames street, Oamaru, and was conversing with him for about five minutes, and gave him a shilling. On the Monday following the accused came to the shop whore ho was working, and asked if any of the men working would buy a watch. No one bought it. Ho saw him again the same evening at the Queen's Hotel. There was a tailors' meeting at the hotel that night. At the conclusion of tho meeting he showed the watch to several of the men in the room. They did not buy it, and he then brought it to witness, and said it was a prenont from his brother-in-law in the old country, and that tho reason ho wanted to sell it was that ho had some money to send to the industrial school in Dunedin for tho support of some youngsters. Witness then bought it for L 4. Ho had it a day in his possession, and noticed that tho maker's name was Rothorham. It was ft silver hunting watoh. There was a chain attachod to it, and ho believed that tho watch produced in Court was tho same as tho one bo bought of ace u sod. About a day after buying it, he took it to Mr Lumsdon's, tho watchmaker in Thames street, to bo repaired. After having It thoro about a week, he took It, in oonsoquenoe of what he heard, to tho suporintendant of the polioo. He saw tho accused, on Sunday last, in tho gaol yard. Thore wore two other prisoners with him, but he rooognuod him the moment ho saw him, Examined by tho prisoner ; He did not take the number of the watoh, but h« was certain that the watoh produoed in. Court was the one aooused sold him. Robert laimsdon, watoh maker, Thames street, said that in 1877 the witness Graham loft a watoh with him for some few days. He could not swear that the watah. in Court was tho one Graham, hroughb him. He gave Graham baok the watoh ho brought to him, and told him. to take it to tho police da it was one thai was stolen. Sergeant Beatty said that he recolleoted tho witness Graham coming to the polioo station in Novomber, 1877. He had a watch which ho wanted to had over to Inspector Smith, as he had heard that it t was one that had been stolon. Tho wlfc* ness made an examination of the w-atoh, and Mr Smith took possession of it. Tho number and the maker** name were taken down, and it was identified as the one re* ported to tho polioo aa having been stolen, and he oould identify the one in Court at the same. It had the same maker's name and numbor on it. This was the oase for the prosecution, and the accused asked permission to make a statement. 'I he Magistrate said thai* there was plenty of evidenoe to com.ro.it him upon, but he could please himielf about making a statement, The acousod then said that at the time of tho robbery he was 400 or 600 miles away from Oamaru, and in the North Island. He never saw Graham before in his life, and he had never been in Oamaru but onoe before, and that was four or five years ago. The Magistrate said that he would go through the evidence, and reserve hit decision till later.

A French company hai been formed \y}th » nominal capital of L 1,920,000, 920, 000 for working tho nickel and cobalt minoi of Bel.Alr, in New Caledonia.

Apropot of the importation of foreign meat from Australia, it is stated that during the last two years no fewer than sevon companies have been formed to bring fresh meat to England from abroad— frtfrn Texas, from Hungary, from Spain, and elsewhere. Over L 60.000 has been spent in promoters' fees, advertising, and other initial expenses ; but hardly a pound of meat has beon brought into the country by any these companies. The number of such enterprises, however, is a pretty sure sign that there is a good market in England for fresh foreign beef if a supply can be obtained.