LAW AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11642, 2 May 1901, Page 7

LAW AND POLICE.

§ POLICE COURT NEWS. MB. T. Hutchison, 5.M,,, presided at the police Court yesterday. Drunkenness: Two first offenders were ."-.-' jonvicted and discharged, and another, who did not appear, was ordered to forfeit 10s from his bail money. Nicholas Crawford : was fined 10s, or in default 13 hours' hard labour. By-law Cases: For allowing a horse to stray in Oxford street, "Walter Humby was fined 10s, and costs 7s, and a like charge against Charles Warren, of Bilerslie, was dismissed. For cycling after dark without l lights, Robert Oleghorn and Robert Cle-1 land were each fined Ss, and costs 7s. John | Donovan and Thomas Bowdon were both fined 5s and costs 7s for obstructing the carriage way in Queen-street, by allowing a vehicle to remain thereon, and John Hadfiold gs for allowing two cows to stray in HoweStreet. A charge against Thomas Wilkinson, of lighting a fire a. Grey Lynn in the open; without having first obtained the permission ! of the Borough Council, was dismissed. For I 'driving a Shetland pony round j street j corner at other than a walking pace, William ; Mossman was fined ss, and costs 7s. i Th* Small Boy Pest: Throe small boys, 1 , named Erie Akersten. Laurence Hart, and Roser Martin, were charged with throwing lumps of clay in Pitt-street, to the danger j of passers-by. Sub-Inspector Mitchell said; that the boys amused themselves by pelting pedestrians with the clay, and had made themselves an intolerable nuisance in the . neighbourhood. Each of the accused were fined 10s.. and cautioned severely. Dismissed: Five lads named John Bruce, j Arthur Bruce, Albert Warner, J. G. Jackson, | and Thomas Boyd, pleaded .iui. guilty to as- j saulting Sophia Arthur at Northcote. Air. | Reed appeared for Jackson, and Mr. John Alexander for the rest of the accused. Prosecutrix, an old lady, said she was 70 years of ago, and was" coming home from a church j meeting at half-past eight p.m. on the night. of March 21 last, it being a bright starlight night. Witness heard a noise, and saw a number of " hoodlums" running towards her, who knocked her down. Witness lost coneoiousness, and was taken to her home by Mr Peacock. Witness said she did not wish to press the charge. Witness, in falling, struck the pavement heavily, and her hat was- sent spinning into tho road. Her memory was not clear for some days alter the occurrence. Cross-examined: She 'bet not think that tho hoys upset her purposely, but there was no doubt they bumped her. There wee about a dozen boys present. J he prosecutrix's sister deposed that after knocking the old lady down, tho boys never stopped to pick her up, but ran straight on. A bashful witness named Gabb, whom His Worship admonished to speak out and bo wort of his name, said he supplied the accused's names to Constable Howies on being told he would not bo summoned if h« did so": Constable Howies deposed that the boys were creating a disturbance on the ■ night in question, and threw stones and mud at the building where the meeting was held. Witness was in pursuit of them all the evenins? but they wore too fleet of foot. Mr. Reed, for the defence, '-(red that the boys net was not one of hostile intent, and did not therefore constitute an assault. His Worship uphold the objection. He was satisfied that the accused had knocked clown the "lady, and he considered that they were g,mt.yof a gross act of larnkimsm, and he • -aroma gladly-have punished them, but as the lan- stood the case- must be dismissed. V'Neighbours* Quarrel: An elderiy woman named Mary McGeehan was charged with , using insulting language on the 19th in.,t. : Mds Wm. Marshall. The latter was .• charged, on c. cross-information, with using | Similar language to Mary McGeehan. and us son »nd daughter. Herbert and Plorrie, with ■MsnltiDC the lady. Mr. Rood appeared for the Marslsalls. and Mr Lumlor fc. Mary McGeehan. The evidenc* snowed that mutual recriminations had been exchanged between. the parties, Mrs. MeGeohan complaining that he* neighbours had, in odd - tion, thrown a brick, a piece of firewood, and a few ripe tomatoes, over into her yard. ' The first-named missile she alleged striven her upon the, breast. A number of witnesses -wore to Mrs. McGeehan being a . habitual drunkard, and a nuisance to her neighbours. His Worship ordered M~s. McGeehan to be bound over in her own recognisances of £20 to keen the peace towards the Mar-halls for six months, and to pay costs. The counter-informations were dismissed. .„