LAW AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7878, 22 February 1887, Page 3

LAW AND POLICE.

POLICE COURT. -Monday. Before Mr. J. P. Klnr, J. P.] Drunkenness.—-Three men were fined 5« and costs for this offence. John Johnson was fined £5 and oosts, or 14 days' hard labour in default for a third appearance. Vagrancy.—Kate Taylor was charged with having no visible means of support at Auckland on February 20. Sentenced to three months hard labour. [Before Measn. J. P. Ring: and B. W. Hammond, J.P.'i. Labceny.—William Simpson waa charged with stealing a tailor's smoothing iron, valued at 14s, the property of William B. Meidrnm, February 19 ; also with stealing a roll of tweed, valued at 40a, the property of Jamefj Davey, on February 19. Aoounod pleaded guilty to both charges. Sergeant related the instance* of the oase. Sprite uced to three months' hard labour wp on eaoh charge, the sentenoes to ran oonsitfjatively. / Stkalino a Bell. James Murphy and James Smith were charged with stealing a handbell, the property of soma perjj9,n unknown, on February 19. Remanded 'till Friday. /

Stabbing Affray. — Janet V/hite (a. middlo-Rjjed woman, was charged with unlawfully wounding Peter Jacob V y stubbing him in the heart with intent to /jo grevious bodily harm, ou February 20. / Pater Jaoob deposed that he was a mariner;, and the accused cohabited with him iii a house in (Jbauoery-street. There wig a bit of a quarrel between them on Spiv, day. Accused had the knife produoed (ft sailor's sheath knife about six inches in her hand, and stabbed him on the left br oast with it. It just scratched the tilt lid, and bled a little. She held the kmfe-blw/.e downwards when she stabbed him. ' The affair took place in the yard, about one o'clock in the afternoon. His olotbes were out by the knife. He took her to the station, and asked ConsUl/Va A brains to take her in charge. To the '/jench : The accused did the deed in the Wjat of temper, and had 110 intent to do havfci at the time. Ha had no desire to press the charge. A man named Alexander PbAfips was called as a witness, but he did d/j4 appear. Thomas Steel, carpenter, Oharjeery-street, sawtheoomplainsnt and the aoifAsed together in their back yard on Sunday. Saw nothiDg in her hand, but Jacob gavy her a slap with his hand. Dr. J. H. Hooiftft deposed to examining Jaoob, and found a, slight scratch on the right side of the breast. It was about an inch and a half J.ong, and very shallow. It was not a d*ugf*,-ous wound. The Bench considered that ';he evidence was insufficient to send for i trial, and would dismiss the case, but the cot/i plain act could, if he liked, lay an information fOT aggravated assault. The proneoutor declined to do so, and the Bench ordered the case to be dismissed, and Jaoob to pay the doctor's fee and witness's expenses. [Be or« Messrs. J. P. King and 6. T. ColHn», J. P.'i.]

La < oeny o* Coal.—George Norria wa charged with stealing a quantity of coal valued at la 6d, the property ef Hammonc and Byron, on February 18 Accused ad mitted the charge of stealing the coal, and was ordered to return th« ooal, which he did, and heard do mo about it till he was arretted. The Bench gave the accused a severe warning, aud diamiaaed the caa«.

Tkuant Apprknticb —Anthony Gussey, apprentice to Messrs. Garrett Bros., was charged with absenting himself without leave from his employment on January 13. There was n j app*-aranoe of either party, and the case wac struck out.

Firkmah*B Wages. — Robert G. Hutton, master of the a. a. Janet Niooll, was summoned on the charge of neglecting and refusing to pay £31 81, due as fireman's wage* to George Thomas, on February 16 Mr. F. Earl prosecuted and Dr. Laiahley represented the defendant, who pleaded not guilty. Complainant was a fireman, and was, in oonsequnnce of « disablement sustained to his hand, pnt on shore at Papeete, and went into hospital. During hit stay on shore his wages were deducted, and the balance, £19 odd, waa offered to the complainant, but he refused to take leas than the whole amount doe. On leaving Anokland he waa quite well except a small blister upon his hand, oalled a sea out. He, in pursuance of his work, had to clean oat the boilers, and the muok, &c., caused the wound tft become worse, and the doctor pronounced it a case of blood poisoning. George Thomas, Dr. Hooper, and other witnesses, were examined for the prosecution. In defence, it was contended that the work was that which any healthy man oould perform, and if the defendant had not been indiicreet in his habits, his stoppage at Tahiti would not have occurred, fie had not complained of the injury being caused by his work until he entered the Hospital, and it was not caused by accident or negligence on the part of the defendant. The work of the cleaning of the boilers was not dirty, except to olean the salt off, and there waa no verdigris in them, tie (defendant) thought that, after paying the hospital fees, there would bo no objection to the deduction of the wages for the time he was ashore. The chief engineer, second engineer, and defendant were examined. The Bench gave judgment only for the amount of wages which had been already offered by the captain to the seaman when he offered to pay him off at the shipping office (£l9 8s), and each party to pay their own ooata