POLICE COURT.—SATURDAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 2422, 30 October 1871, Page 3

POLICE COURT.—SATURDAY.

[Before Thomas Beckham, Esquire, Resident Magistrate]. Drunkenness. —Three persons were punished in the usual manner for this offonce. VAGRANCY. —James Kelly was charged with having no visible lawful means of support, and having pleaded guilty, was ordered to be imprisoned for two mouths, with hard labour. LakCEXT.—John Shiers, against whom 2iprevious convictions had been recorded, was charged with stealing a parcel of holland, value £2, from the shop of Mr. McLachlan. Prisoner pleaded not guilty.—An assistant to Jlr. McLaehlan deposed that, having received information that a parcel had been taken from the door, he ran out and caught the prisoner with that produced, concealed under hi; coat. —Sergeant Egan deposed to the arrest of prisoner, who wa3 known as " Cranky Jack." Sentenced to six months' imprisonment, with hard labour. Breach ot TTaubotjk Regulations.— John lligouey pleaded guilty of neglecting to show a light on board thu cutter Kob Roy, on the night of the 1-lt.li instant.—Mr. Beveridga appeared on behalf of" the prosecution, and explained that the Harbour Master had made further enquiries in the m-itU-r, mid found that Migoney was not to blame, as he had left two men on bourd with strict instructions to hoist J the light. It appeared, lion ever, that, as soon as his back was turned, the meu went on shore wirhout doing so, and were dismissed in the morning. Mr. Bevcridge therefore re- j quested that a merely nominal fine should be inflicted.—His Worship, however, held that it was the boundeu duty of the muster to have seen the light hoisted before ho left the vessel, and, instead of discharging the men, should have brought them hefore the Court for neglect of duty, « ■••n they would, have received at least fu.n- weeks' imprisonment. He thought he would not be doing hi 3 duty if he fined him less than £10 with costs. —A charge of neglecting to leave any person on hoard during the same night was also pleaded guilty to by the same defendant, and for this offence he Was fined £5 and costs. Yageancy.—Patrick Lynch pleaded not guilty to a charge of having no visible means of support.—Constable O'Connor stuted that at ten o'clock this morning he was running in the street in e manner which led him to believe he was not in his right mind.— Detective Jeffrey said the man had just como out of gaol, and was a nuisance to people in the street. —His "Worship thought the evidence hardly sufficient to warrant a conviction, and discharged the prisoner with a caution.