POLICE COURT.—Tuesday.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1306, 22 January 1868, Page 4

POLICE COURT.—Tuesday.

(Before J. H. Home, E?q., and It. Wood, Esq.., J.PO DRVNKENNESB. William Smith, John Combef, and Sarah Ann Moore (first offence), were each fined 5s and costs, with 24 hours in default. BREACH OP WHAHP KEGULATIOXS:. Biohard Farrow pleaded guilty to a breach of the 23rd clause of the Wharf Regulations, by not walking at the head of his horse whilst his cart was moving along the Wharf at a pace faster than a walk. Mr. Wynn appeared for the complainant, arid stated that the prisoner had repeatedly been warned against committing such offences. On this occasion he wa3 sitting on his cart and driving at a furious rate along the wharf. He need not point out that such carelessness endangered life and property. Having repeatedly warned the man the authorities thought it their duty to bring him before the Bench, in order that such a penalty might be indicted os would deter him from again committing the offence. By tho regulations it was in the discretion of tho Bench to inflict a penalty of £20. Prisoner, in defence, said a digger who had beon riding down the Wharf had struck th' horse a smart blow, causing ic to go faster than usual. The Bench inflicted a fine of £5 and cozta. THREATEHING XAXGUAGE. Joseph Campbell <vas charged with having, on tho 20th inst, u6ed threatening language towards his ■wife, by threatening to take her life, at the same timo having an iron bar in his hand; and prosecutrix stated that she feared that unlejs her husband were restrained he would do ber some grievous bodily harm. He pleaded not (juilly. Mr Commissioner Jfaughton conducted the prosecution. Prosecutrix, Catherine Campbell, deposed, that she lived separately from her husband in Parnell. On Saturday la3t prisoner r-ntered the house by tho windew, and after some words he threatened to take her life and the children's. Prisoner: Did you or did you not on the 3lst December take away all my goods and chattels, and my children from the house in an express cart, with a man named !>yde. prosecutor : You need not say anything about the things. Prisoner said the woman had removed all the thing?, and the children, and gine away with a man named Hyde. The whoie thing was a conspiracy between the two to get him out of the way. He would beg to remind the Bench that this unfortunate woman did not know the nature of an oath. Cross-examination continued": I am not living with Hyde now. I was guilty of miscan-iucfc with Hyde on Friday laat. Myself and the children tvero starving until we went to Hyde. For the defence prisoner called a witness who deposed, that he did not see him with an iron bar in his hand. During a period of lour years that prisoner had lived with his wife he had treated her with uniform kindness and consideration. Witness thought he had treated her much too well. He had worked with witness, *»nd given his wife £7 10a every month out of £7 !Ss. The Bench ordered the prisoner to enter into bis own recognisance in the sum of £25, and to find ono surety in a similtr amount to keop the peace for three months. AKOTHER CASE. Fredrick Chatelaine pleaded guilty to havine threatened to strike Michael Yates with an axe, thereby placing him in bodily fear. Mr. Commissioner Naughton said the prisoner was a most violent character, who had often endangered the lives of various parties. On one occasion his passage had been paid to New Caledonia, but he had returned, and was btill an annoyance to the samo parties. The following evidence was taken: Michael Yates deposed that he was a master mariner. Prisoner was an able seaman on board the vessel, but had absconded from the vessel on Saturday morning, and was now on shore pending his discharge. On Sunday morning prisoner came on board took up an axe and threatened to strike him with it. From what witness know of his character he was a man likely to carry this threat into execution. Was m fear of him. The Bench ordered prisoner to find two sureties of £25 each, and to enter into his own recognisance in the Bum of £50 to keep the peace for six months. This concluded the business.