RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 683, 22 January 1866, Page 5

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Saturday. (Before Thomas Bockhum, Eo;]., U.M.) D ItUXKENNESS. Patrick, Sarah, Richard Williams, Mary Eobin.-on, and William Anderson were c.ich finea 20s. and costs for this olTenco, or in default 43 hours' imprisonment. Mary Robinson was sentenced to seven days' additional imprisonment, this being her fouith oll'ence within three months. VAGRANCY. Francis O'Brien was charged with being a vagrant, and having no visible means of support. Ho was ordered to bo imprisoned for fourteen days and kept to hard labour. I'OBGEEY. Stephen Horne was placed in the dock, charged with forging Mr. McLean's name to various documents, with the intention of procuring money from Messrs. Butt and Anderson. Mr. V/yim appeared for tho prosceution, and i\lr. Bevevidge for tho defence. There were no loss than thirty-one different forgeries, but the evidence in tho whole of thorn being precisely the same, only one case was taken. 'The writing in the whole of tho documents wn» a very good imitation, but the letter "c" in "McLean'' was wanting. Daniel AI cLcan deposed : I know tho prisoner. Ho was employed by Messrs. Butt and Anderson carting stones to tho breakwater. It was a part of my duty to give him certificates as to tho number of loads of stone he carted. I gave him a receipt for every loail be li-ft. The writing in pencil on the paper produced is not mv handwriting. Tho signature is hut initio. The signature does not resemble mine, 'there is n>"c"in tho word " 31c." Tt is not my signature, but is writteu in such a way us to deceive a person who is not extremely well acquainted with my signature. Charles liichnrds, deposed: I am a clerk in the employ of Messrs. Butt and Anderson. Tlioy had a contract for carrying away the stone from tho old breakwater to tho now 0110. I know the prisoner. Ho was employed by Messrs. Butt mid Anderson to carry those stones from one place to the oilier. He was paid on production of receipts from Messrs. Amos and Co , or their representative. The lust witness (Amos and Co.'s man), generally signed tho receipts- He was so paid from time to time on production of such receipts. This paper was produced by the prisoner to mo. Ho was paid upon its production. The prisoner came to mo the day 011 which he was paid, and procured from me a few blink forms. Tho prisoner w:n entitled to receive 15/0, but he only received 1-/8, the balance beiug kept back for the fulfilment of tho contract. The signature appeirs so good that one could hardly detoct tho difference between it and any of the other signatures. Tho prisoner was committed for trial. STI: alixg . James 'i'ackett pleaded guilty of stealing from tho till of the Swan Tavern, ;t saucer containing £1 iSs. id. The prisoner was sentenced to four months' imprisonment with hard labour. STOWAWAY. Wm. Miller was charged with being a stowaway 3n boarl the steamer Kanyitira, which arrived in harbour yesterday morning. Captain Seymour said that tho prisonor had no ticket, and he was not ablo to pay tho passage money. His Worship said that would not make the prisoner stowaway, it was necessary to prove concealment. James Kean, mate of the Itangitira, said that the prisoner came on board at Wellington. After the ickets bad been collected, the prisoner was found in :he water-closet The case was remanded until Monday, to obtain he evidence of the steward of tho steamer.