LAW AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10278, 2 November 1896, Page 3

LA W AND POLICE.

ONEHUNGA MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Saturday. [Before Mr. R. S. Bush, S.M.J Claim for Rent-Joliu P. Quinn sued Harriet Harlick for the sum of £2 4s for rent of a cottage. Mrs. Harlick denied her liability, as the cottage was rented by her sons for whom she kept house. She called one of her sons who supported her statement. After pointing out to the plaintiff that he had sued for two weeks' rent before the same was due, His Worship dismissed the case. ONEHUNGA POLICE COURT. Saturday. [Before Mr. K. S. Bush, S.M.J Playing with Dice.—Alfred Pickrell, hotel keeper, Ellerslie,' was charged on the information of Sergeant Greene, with knowingly permitting a game of dice to be played in his hotel on the 29th September last. The defendant, who was represented by Mr. Cotter, pleaded not guilty. Robert Satchell White, Inbourer, was the first witness called. He deposed that about a quarter-past eleven p.m, on the 29th of last September he went into the defendant's hotel for a beer, when someone invited him to join in 'a He took part in the game, each player contributing one shilling; the result was that two tied; after that each man put down another shilling, making 12s in all. They then threw off again with three dice, when two tied again ; they further supplemented the fund with another shilling each, the result of the third throw being that witness tied with a man named Booth. After he bad thrown again getting 18, he demanded the stakes, but a man named Coleman snatched up the money, and refused to pay him. It was then proposed to spend the money in drink, but witness demurred, and finding that he could not get the money, he asked the defendant to pay it, but the latter refused to do so, and, according to witness, offered to fight him. During the dispute tho defendant and Coleman, witness said, rushed at him and ejected him, afterwards closing the door. On the following morning he wrote to the defendant (letter produced), demandiug to be paid the sum of 17s fid, which he had won the previous night, but not receiving the money he informed the police. By Sergeant Greene He did not see any drink served while the game was being played, but the landlord was in and out of the room and knew what was going on. The dice were thrown from an ordinary wooden box. Anyone in the bar could see what was going on in the room. In answer to Mr. Cotter witness said he was quite sober on the night in question, and he had now told the truth. He was positive the defendant had stated that he would not have lent them the dice if ho had known there would have been a row. Ralph H. Skipworth, horse owner, acknowledged being in the defendant's hotel on the 29th September last with the first-named witness, where they played a game of a shilling in, the winner to shout and keep the balance. He took part only in the first game, and he believed the defendant was in > the dining room at the time. Evidence was also given by two other witnesses named Booth and Dawson, in which they contradicted White's statement that he had won the game. They admitted that the game was played, but to the best of their belief without the knowledge or consent of the defendant, as they understood he was in the dining-room at the time. Mr. Cotter called the defendant, who denied the charge, and said he never had any dice in the house, neither was any such game ever played with his knowlodge. His Worship, commenting on the evidence, said White had contradicted himself while under cross-examination, and most of his evidence was at variance with that of the other witnesses. He would, therefore, dismiss the case.