LAW AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9308, 18 September 1893, Page 3

LAW AND POLICE.

POLICE COURT.— [Before Dr. Giles, R.M.]

Drunkenness.—One first offender was fined 5s and costs or in default 24 hours' imprisonment with hard labour. John Cousins, for a similar offence, was fined 20s and costs, or in default 48 hours' imprisonment.

Alleged Forcible Entry.—Regina v. Carl Weber, alleged forcible entry ab Onebttnga on a farm section in the possession of William Morton. Mr. C. E. Button • appeared for the Grown, and W. J. Napier for the defence. The hearing was adjourned unlil next Monday, in order that ib could be taken by Mr. Bush. Larceny. —Denis Sullivan was charged with having, on the 13th September, stolen two spirit flasks from the shop of James Ah Kew. Sergeant Gamble conducted the prosecution. Accused was undefended, and pleaded not guilty, Ah Bing, manager for James Ah Kew, and Kate Burke, assistant in the shop, identified the flasks as having been stolen from the shop. L. L. Levy deposed to the accused pawning the flasks for Is. Witness was of opinion at the time that they were stolen, so he informed the police and gave them a description of the man. Acting-detective McMahon gave evidence as to the arrest of the accused. The Bench said the case was a very clear one, and accordingly sentenced the accused to one month's imprisonment. Industrial School Act.—An attractivelooking child named Rosetta Lily Payton Y\ ilson, aged five years and two months, was charged with having been found dwelling in the house of Maria Wilson, a reputed prostitute. Sergeant (1 amble briefly stated the circumstance of the case. Evidence was given by Sergeant Mackay, Constables Carrol, Macdounell, and Clark, as to the character of the house in which the child had been found, and its inmates. Airs. Philipina Chalcrofb also gave evidence as to the manner of life the child was accustomed to. Maria Wilson, the mother of the child, stated that she did not keep a house of ill-fame. She lived with a man who supported her. William Pelley, a seafaring man, deposed that he kept Maria Wilson. Witness said he was not always at borne, but whenever he returned from his trips he always found the house clean and tidy. The mother informed His Worship that she sent the child regularly to Sabbath and dayschool. If the Bench wished, the child would be sent away to some friends in the country. Dr. Giles said the police had proved a case sufficient to warrant him sending the child to the Industrial School. If he thought the parents would do what was right, and remove the child from the atmosphere in which it at present lived, he would be reluctant to commit the child to the School, and would be willing to give the mother another opportunity. It would only be, however, on the distinct understanding that if the child was brought back to her present environment the child would be taken away and sent to the Industrial Home. The matter was allowed to stand over until this morning.

PORT ALBERT R.M. COURT.

Tuesday, September 1". Before Messrs. US. Bush, 8.M., J. G. Dudding,

J. Shepherd, VV. Payne, and Hobt. Boler, J.P.] Police v. Ti? Hauranoi. — A charge of horse-stealing. The prisoner was in charge of an officer from Mount Eden, where he is serving a sentence on a similar offence. In evidence it was shown the horse was taken from a Maori settlement some dozen miles off, brought to Port Albert, sold to Mr". Shepherd for about 50s, and re-sold by him to C. Walker for 555. The prisoner was committed for trial.

Woodcock v. Gatiiekcole. — A dogshooting case. There appeared some defect or error in the information. The case was dismissed, each party to pay his own costs.

Police V. Capt. Ross OP S.S. Minnie Casky.—A charge of selling alcoholic drink when moored to the Port Albert wharf. The facts of this case, which were clear and simple, wore not gone into. It appeared that a person named Stanaway, and nob Ross, held the license for the boat at the time the alleged offence was committed. Ross also was only in temporary charge of the boat. As the offence, if one, was in these circumstances selling without a license, and the charge in the information being under a different head, the case was dismissed.

Welsh v. Welsh.— was a difficult and rather painful case, wife againsb husband, or husband against; wife. Mr. Beale appeared for the wife, Anna Welsh ; Mr. O'Meagher for the husband, Thomas Welsh. Evidence and details were gone into at great length by the several witnesses, occupying the Court some four or five hours. lb appeared that Anna Dickinson, a widow with two children, married Thomas Welsh, a farmer on the Tauhoa, in 1881. They had been living together till the day she left, on March 23rd of the present year. There was issue of the marriage, living, one girl, now some seven years old. The wife charged Welsh with very violent threatening conduct, declaring she was too frightened of her life to remain with him any longer. He had not, however, yet done her any actual bodily injury. Since leaving him, she and the little girl had been living with her brother, Thos. Fletcher, also of Tauhoa. As she was positively afraid to live with Welsh, she claimed maintenance for herself and child. Thos. Welsh gave evidence, generally denying altogether the statements of violent conduct and threatening expressions, and appeared convinced he had given his wife no just grounds for her leaving him. The statements of the principals and witnesses on either side being contradictory, the Court decided to dismiss the case, giving some wise counsel to the parties, but refusing to act in a way that would make the breach permanent.—[Own Correspondent.]