LAW AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11565, 31 January 1901, Page 7

LAW AND POLICE.

- POLICE COURT NEWS. Mb; H. W. Brabant, S.M., presided at the ■ Police Court yesterday. Drunkenness : A first" offender was convicted and discharged, and Charles Campbell and Minnie Steele were each fined ss, or 24 hours in default, and;Agnes."Austin 10s, or 48 hours' imprisonment. Cycling on the Footpath: For cycling on the footpath in MSunt Roskill Road, William Hansen was fined 10s, and costs 7s. Adjourned: A charge against William O'Meara, of being the owner of a vicious , dog, which attacked one Robert Murray, was'adjourned till February 6. Dismissed: A small boy named Bertie Rao i : (11) was charged with wilfully damaging a : . wharf at Orakei to the extent of £10, the j property of Thomas Coates. Mr. Cooper; appeared for the boy, and pleaded not guilty, j ; and Chief-Detective Grace prosecuted. A i lad named Arnold Matthews deposed that | the accused arid several' other boys were fishing off a shoot used for landing cattle at Orakei Bridge, when accused struck some matches and set fire to some dry grass that w as on the shoot, and the flames spreading, Bet fire to the structure. Thomas: Coates gave evidence as to the shoot being considerably damaged by the fire. Other evidence called for the prosecution did not support the charge, and-His Worship dismissed the case. Alleged Assault; Henry A. H. Hitchens pleaded not guilty to two charges of assaulting Ellen Frances Herbert and John Ernest Parkin respectively. Ml. Tylden prosecuted, and Mr. Parr appeared for the ; defence. There was a cross information against John Ernest Parkin of assaulting the- defendant Hitchens. The complainant, Parkin, deposed that he was keeping company with Miss Herbert, and on proceeding -home with her one evening was attacked by defendant, who had concealed himself behind a stump in the drive leading to Miss Herbert's house. Witness further said that defendant aimeda severe blow at him with a, stick, which, in addition to bruising witness' face, fell on Miss Herbert, breaking a tooth, her parasol, and damaging some jewellery she was wearing on her breast. The defence was that defendant had been struck by Parkin in the first instance, and had retaliated. Defendant gave as his reason for interfering with the parties, that Miss Herbert's mother objected to Parkin keeping company with her daughter, and defendant had acted on her behalf. Tho hearing, which lasted all* the afternoon, wag eventually adjourned till Monday next.