POLICE COURT.—Thursday.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4398, 17 December 1875, Page 6

POLICE COURT.—Thursday.

[Before It. C. Baratow, Esq., K.M.J

Drunkenness.--Five persons for this offence were compelled to choose between paying a fine or undergoing a term of imprisonment.

Larceny.—Patrick Ready, who had just been punished for drunkenness, was charged with stealing, on the 14thinstant, aspawlding hammer, valued at 7s 6d, the property of Thomas E. Powley. Prisoner pleaded not. guilty. On the application of Inspector Broham the case was remanded till Saturday. —Thomas Hamilton and Michael Kilduff appeared on remand to answer the charge of stealing a quantity of ilowers, valued at 4a, from the Presbyterian Cemetery. His "Worship addressed the lads on the character of the offence they had committed. He did not desire to inflict a heavy punishment upon j them, and he would therefore order them to | be set at liberty, trusting that the lesson which they had received would hare a i salutary effect upon their conduct for the future. The lads were according discharged. —A sum of 10s was handed over by them to be distributed among the local charities. —John Conn was again brought on remand, charged with stealing, on the 18th November, two goats, valued at £2, the property of Fergus iveehan and others. It will be remembered that the case was postponed in order that the prisoner might call witnesses for tho defence. William Baker, station-master at Penrose, was first examined, and, in answer to the prisoner, stated that ho had seen him driving threo goats past the Penrose railway station about three weeks ago. Tliey were old goats, and had been in kid. [Witness here described their appearance, and also identified the white one, which had been sold to Mrs. Macnaraara, as one of those he had seen the prisoner driving.] A girl about 12 or 13 years of age accompanied the prisoner to the station, and had charge of the white goat. Saw the prisoner pay the girl ss, and promise to give her 5s more wheu he received another goat, which her mother was to sell him. A. B. Houlton, a gardener residing at Epsom, was next called. Saw the prisoner driving £ome goats about three weeks ago. [Witness hero proceeded to examino the white goat, which was in charge of the police. On his return, he said that he could not swear to its being the same as the one he had seen the prisoner driving.] The white goat he had seen in prisoner's charge was a full-grown one. Henry Scliumaker was then examined. Had seen the prisoner driving some goats about three weeks ago. He had wished to purchase the light one, but tho price asked for it by the prisoner was too high. This completed the evidence for the defence, and His Worship said that taking Baker's statement about his having seen tlie girl in charge of the white goat claimed by Keehan as his property into consideration he had no other course left him but to discharge the prisoner. The girl must have made a mistake in selling the goat. Conn was according discharged, the two goats to bo returned to Keehan.

City By-laws.—William Powley was charged with a breach of the city by-laws by leaving his carriago unattended in Queenstreet on tho 11th instant. Mr. Laishley appeared for tho defendant, and pleaded guilty on his behalf. He did so in order to save the time of the Court, but he would urge in extenuation that the man had drawn his vehicle close up to the kerbstone at tho Greyhound Hotel, at the Victoria-street entrance, for the purpose of securing a fare from a man who had gone into tho hotel. He was not absent from tho carriage more thou two minutes. Inspector Jiroham said that wheu the constable asked him why he left the carriage unattended, the defendant had replied in an offensive manner. The Bench took a lenient view of the caso, and imposed a nominal fino of Is, aud costs 5s 6d.—Henry Alcock was charged with depasturing a horse in Nelson-street, on the 10th inst. Mrs. Alcock appeared for her husband, and pleaded guilty. The offence should not occur again. A fine of 2s Gd and 5s Gd costs was inflicted. Municipal Police Act.—Geo. Petchell appeared to answer to a breach of the above Act, by acting with cruelty towards some sheep which he had had in his charge on tho 11th inst. Mr. Nathan stated that on the day in question he saw the defendant driving past his place, in Karangahaps Jtioad, with a cartful of sheep. They were packed closely together. Saw two of the sheep fall from the cart on to tho road, where they lay gasping for breath. Mrs. Murray deposed to having seen the sheep fall from the cart opposite her door. Constable Clark said that the defendant told him that ho had twenty-six sheep in the cart. Three of them fell on to the road, and defendant took out'five others and left them also by the side of the road until he should return. The animals were being conveyed from the country to Mr. Belcher's place, in Upper Queen-street, from whence they were to be taken down the wharf to the Thames steamer. Defendant said that all the shoep were brought in the cart, in order to be in time for the steamer. He had executed his master's orders. His Worship thought the master was more to blame than the man, and ho would therefore only impose a moderate penalty of ss, and £1 Gs Gd costs. Industrial School.—James Harris was charged, on remand, with failing to pay towards the support of his children, inmates of the Industrial School. Defendant handed in a letter from Dr. Pliilson, stating that he had examined Harris, and found him to bo suffering from hernia, and was therefore uuht to perform any heavy work. A letter from Major .Green was also handed in. The man said that he could not find any lieht work to do. He would be quite willing to work if he could iind employment. Inspector Broham stated that this class of persons thought they had no right to pay for their cluldrens support. They were content to let the Government take charge of their offspring, and considered they were quite justified in shirking payment. His Worship said he would give the man anothe# chance, and remanded the case for four weeks. This concluded the business.