POLICES COURT. —Friday.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4405, 25 December 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

POLICES COURT. —Friday.

[Before B* C- Bare tow, Esq., R.M.] Drunkenness. —Four delinquents were punished as usual. ■ 1: - Deskrtion trom Vessel.—Thomas Rider was charged with being absent without leave from ithe barque lizzie Fox. The prisoner promised to return '.to his ship, and the charge was withdrawn. WtFE Desertion.—Richard JJiccol apprehended on a warrant issued at the Thames, was charged with desertiug his lawful wife. Inspector Broham applied to have the prisener remanded to the Thames.' The accused stated that he came to Auckland to look for work, finding there was nothing to do at the Thames. He had telegraphed to his wife on Saturday last to come up on Tuesday, but it appeared Bhe had applied for a warrant against him instead. He had a chance of obtaining employment here. The Bench remanded him to the Thames. Breach of the Licensing Act.—Joseph Johnson was charged upon a summons with a breach of this Act, clause 47, that he being the holder of a license for the Occidental Hotel, had refused to produce the same to Sergeant Sanderson upon being applied to. The sergeant stated that upon applying to the defendant to produce his license, he said he was not in a position to show it, it was in the possession of Mr. Burton. The license had, howevsr, since been produced by the defendant. The defendant having pleaded guilty to the offence, and a penalty of two pounds and costs was inflicted. Forging and Uttering.—William Crossley was brought up on remand, upon three I distinct charges of forgery and uttering. The first case proceeded with was for having uttered a forged cheque for 10s, upon the Bank of New South Wales, to John Odium. Mr. Quintal appeared for the prisoner". John j Odium, landlord of the Black Bull Hotel, proved that came to his house on the 13th inst., and called for refreshments to the value of Is 6d, in payment of which he tendered a cheque for 10s upon the Bank of New South Wales, which he signed "J. Crossley, elk.," in witness's presence. He also owed a previous account of 7s On presenting the cheque at the bank, payment was refused, and he was told that the same was a forgery. Witness did not give the prisonor any change, as he did not believe he had any funds in the bank. The prisoner appeared to be sober on the occasion. Mr. W. E. C. Osborne, a teller in the Bank of New South Wales, deposed that the last witness had presented the cheque in question on the 14th instant, which witness found to be a forgery. He knew the Rev. John Crossley, of Katibati, who has had an open account at the bank. The signature to the cheque was not like the Rev. J. Crossley's. Believed prisoner to be that gentleman's son. The Rev. John Crossley, clergyman of the Church of England, of Katikati, was called, and proved that he did have an account at the Bank of New South Wales some time ago. The cheque produced was not signed b> him, nor was any person authorised te sign it for him. Witness identified the prisoner in the dock as his son. Detective Grace proved arresting the prisoner on the 17th instant on the present charge. He stated that his reason for forging his father's name to the cheque was because, on 'arriving from Tauranga, he was without funds to obtain board and lodging. To Mr. ; Quintal: The prisoner had the appearance lof having been drinking. The depositions were read over, and the prisoner, through | his solicitor, reserved his defence. The | accused was next charged with having uttered a forged cheque for £1, wth intent 'to defraud- Hubert 'Oram,' 'of* the Prince ■ Arthur Hotel. This waa a similar charge to the foregoing, and similar evidence was adduced*. The prisoner was further charged with uttering a forged cheque for £10, with intent to defraud Alesßrs. Dunningham and King, ef the Governor Browne Hotel. Eri- . dence of a like nature having been given in this case, the prisoner was committed to take his trial upon all three charges at the next criminal sessions of the Supreme Court. This was all the business.