POLICE COURT.—Thursday.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4481, 24 March 1876, Page 3

POLICE COURT.—Thursday.

[Before R. C. Barstoir, Esii., E.M.I Drunkenness. —Four persons for this offence, were treated in the usual manner. Druxk and Disorderly.—James Morris pleaded guilty to having conducted himself in a disorderly manner, while under the influence of liquor, and was ordered to pay a fine of 10s and costs, or go to prison for forty-eight hours witli hard labour.' Vagrant Act. —Sarah Windsor pleaded guilty to a breach of this Act, by making use of obsceue language in Lorne-stroet,' on. the previous evening. Inspector Broham stated the facts of the case, and the woman, was ordered to pay a fine of 40s and costs,' or. undergo forty r eight hours' imprisonment with hard labour. ■ Assaults.—Kapa, a Maori, was, charged with assaulting Henry Dustian, oa the 22nd inst., by striking him with his clenched fist. The prisoner pleadrd ignorance of the whole affair. Mr. Brown acted as interpreter, Henry Dustian, a lad 14 years of age, drposed that while he was on the Wood Wharf, about noon on the previous day, he asked the. prisoner for a match, to light his, pipe. Prisoner took out a match-box, but, instead of giving it him, he ; threw witness down, took the pipe from him, and after lighting the tobacco, commenced smoking it. Prij soner also_ kicked .witness severely on the leg. A number of boys, who were present, •then "pitched on" to the prisoner, and attempted to chastise him. • A man named Ityan came up and put an end to the scuffle, the Maori shortly afterwards going: into the Sailor's Home Hotel. William Johnson deposed to having seen the Maori kick the lad Dustiau. His Worship found the prisoner guilty, and ordered him to pay a line of 20s, and costs (14s), or'to go to prison . for 14 days with hard labour.— Henry John Woods, a lad 13 years of age, pleaded' guilty to a charge of having assaulted Kapa, by striking him with his clenched fist. He had done, it in .defence of his mate. Inspector Broham askedithat the charge might be withdrawn, as it was but a petty affair. The charge was then withdrawn, and the lad discharged with a caution.

Larceny.—Georgo Littlewood appeared on remand charged with stealing on the 20th. instant, a gold watch and chain, vain I at £IS, the property of A. Gill.— Inspector Broham applied for a further remand until the 27th instant. He had not as yet obtained sufficient evidence as to the man's guilt, and if on the 27th he had received no further information in regard to the alleged larceny, ho would ask that he might be discharged, ltemanded accordingly. Insulting Language.—Henry Holbrook was charged with using insulting language to Sergeant Martin, by saying he would get him the sack and have Mm shipped out o£ that. Inspector Broham stated the case and His Worship ordered defendant to be bourn! .over, himself in £20 and two sureties of £10 each, to keep the peace for six mouths. ' ' Wife Beating. —In the case of George Harrison, charged with assaulting his wife, Mary Harrison, there was no appearance on behalf of either party when called on, "and it was accordingly dismissed.

Rural Police Act. — Thomas Merrick pleaded guilty to a breach of this Act by furiously riding along the Lake road, North Shore. Inspector Broham narrated the facts of the case, and His Worship imposed a fine of 2s 6d and costs, £2 12s.

Training School. — Laurence Cosgrave denied his ability to contribute towards the support of his son, an inmate of the Training School. Detective Jeffrey stated that the man had constant employment and was quite able to pay forhis sou's support. As there wasno appearance of the complainant, Captain Breton, master of the Training School, the ease was adjonrned sine die, defendant to receive notice when his presence at the Police Court would again be required.

City By-laws. — William Miller was charged with a breach ef By-law No. 1, by failing to keep the lights burning on his hansom cab at night. Defendant pleaded ftdilty, and Mr. Philips, town clerk, only desiring that a nominal penalty should be inflicted, a fine of Is ;;nd costs 6s 6d was im-posed.—-Walter Pitcher pleaded guilty to a similar offence and was fined Is and costs 6s 6d.

MuNicrpAL Police Act.—Patrick Mullampy was charged with a breach of this Act, by cruelly ill-treating a horse, by driving it yoked to a stage carriage, while suffering from sores on its shoulders. Defendant pleaded guilty, but urged in extenuation that the animal was yoked to the carriage for him, and he was compelled to:driveit. Mr. Philips, to*vu clei'k, pointed out the difficulty that existed as to ascertaining who really was to blame in these matters. Mullampy certainly should not have driven the animal in the state in v, liich it was. His Worship inflicted a fine of 2s Cd and costs 6s 6d stating, at the same time, that if the owner had been charged with the offence, he would have dealt out a severe punishment.

Assaults.—-Agnes Falconer was charged by Bridget Hartuey with unlawfully assaulting her, by striking her on the chest and. krocking her down. Mrs. Hartney deposed that while she was in Mrs. Falconer's house, on the 17th instant, preparing, at her invitation, to go to the Domain, Mrs. Falconer accused her of talking about mutton. Thie she denied, and defendant began abusing her. Witness left and went to Mrs. German's verandah, to the end of which defendant came shortly afterwards, and said, in a mild manner, "Mrs. Hartney, I wish to speak to you." Witness went down, and defendant at once struck her in the chest, and committed the assaulc complained of. Mr. German gave corroborative evidence, and stated that neither of the women were drunk. Mrs. Falconer stated that complainant was drunk, and did not know what she was doing. She would not go home and prepare her husband's tea. This was all the evidence. Bis Worship, after a short deliberation, ordered the defendant to enter into her own recognizance of £10 to keep the peace towards complainant for the space of six months.—George Proude was charged, on the informatien of Sarah Crockett, with unlawfully assaulting her son, Atkinson Crockett, by beating him with his hands and kicking him. As there was no appearance on behalf of the litigants, the case was dismissed. City Kates.—A number of cases for nonpayment of city rates were settled out Jot Court. '