RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 705, 4 September 1885, Page 24

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Thursday, August 27. (Before Mr H. S. Wardell, R.M.) CHEQUE-STEALING. George Thomas Skinner was charged on remand with stealing and converting to his own use a cheque for £5 9s, the property of Mr W. T.L. Travers and others. J. N. Coleridge, surveyor, deposed that prisoner was in his employ up to the 3rd July, when he paid him off, giving him two cheque-, one of which was for a man named Lawrence. He told Skinner to post the cheque for Lawrence to Paremata, where j it would find him. He trusted prisoner on this occasion, as hitherto he had found him trustworthy. Detective Chrysfcal stated that he went to the Terrace Gaol, where the prisoner was awaiting his trial on a charge of forging and uttering a cheque on the 24ch instant, and read the present information to Skinner, who said that he had posted the cheque to Lawrence whilst he was in the company of George McGlashan, a man in Mr Coleridge’s employ. George McGlashan, surveyor, said that he saw the accused on or about the 3rd July, but could not remember prisoner posting a letter in his company. Henry Lawrence deposed that he was working with prisoner at Mr Coleridge’s camp. When they were leaving he asked Skinner to tell Mr Coleridge to send his cheque to Pukerua, He never received the cheque produced. Ernest Wastney, teller at the National Bank, gave evidence that the cheque for £5 9s (produced), signed by Mr W. T. L. Travers, was presented and cashed on the 3rd July by some whom he could not remember. Mr Shaw, who at this stage of the case appeared for the prisoner, contended that the prosecution had entirely failed to prove that the accused had appropriated the cheque. His Worship upheld Mr Shaw’s contention, and therefore dismissed the information. LARGfcNY AS A BAILEE. James Alexander Gordon was charged that on the 17th June, being bailee of a cart, the property of Win. Leevers, he did convert the same to his own use, thereby feloniously stealing the same. Inspector Goodall applied, for a remand, as the principal witness for the prosecution was at present at Carterton. The prisoner offering no objection, his Worship remanded the case until Wednesday next, bail being fixed in two sureties of £SO each. CIVIL CASES. Wellington Tinware Company v George H. Donaldson, £32 7s. The defendant did not appear, and an order was made for the payment of the amount claimed within 14 days, in default 14 days’ imprisonment. Mr Fitz Gerald appeared for the plaintiffs in this case. Judgments for!plaintiffs with costs were given in the following cases : J. Moessner v R. Niedergasases, £6 14s 3d (Mr Izard, jun, for plaintiff, and Mr FitzGerald for defendant) ; Scott Bros v J. Mclntosh, £4 0s lOd ; C. Mclntyre v H. Cox, £l4 0s 2d ; F. Westbury v J. Chapman, £1 (Mr Shaw for plaintiff, and Mr Thompson for defendant) ; P. Barron v J. Heard, 15s (Mr Howorth for plaintiff, and Mr Thompson for defendant) ; W. Turkington v C. Munro, £lO 13s ; J. C. Martin v J. Smith, £ls (Mr Howorth for plaintiff, and Mr Jellicoe for defendant). Leave to appeal was granted in this case. Tuesday, September 1. (Before Mr H. S. Wardell, R.M.) DRUNKENNESS. A first offender was flaed 5s for the above offence. ASSAULTS. Thomas Henry Bryant was charged on a summons with having assaulted Elizabeth

Lee and Catherine Rees. Mr E. Shawappeared for the prosecution. This wa3 a very trivial case, and after hearing evidence for and against the charge, his Worship dismissed the information. George Guthrie was charged with having assaulted Walter Owen on the '2sth ulfc. A cross-action was brought by Guthrie against Owen. The quarrel arose through some dis pute the two men had. Guthrie was fined ss. and the case against Owen was dismissed. BY-LAW OFFENCES. Arthur Smith and William Lindley, two little boys, were each fined 2s 6d for discharging fireworks in Webb-street. Charles Richardson, for driving two horses over a footpath, was fined 10s. Richard Vine, charged with driving cattle through the public streets at prohibited hours, was mulcted In a penalty of 10s and 7a costs. Stephen Brighting was fined 10s for neglecting to have a light on his vehicle on the night of 18th ult., and 5s for allowing his horse to wander. George Me Allis, a boy, was ordered to pay a fine of 2s 6d for throwing a jam tin in Taranaki -street. ILL-TREATING ANIMALS. John Kelliher, a carter, pleaded not guilty to a charge of having worked two horses in an unfit condition, and was defended by Mr Fitzherbert. Constable Reddell gave evidence that on Wednesday last he noticed the two horses which the defendant was driving. Both showed collar galls on the neck, and also bad shoulders ; and, in his opinion, the animals were unfit for work. This evidence was corroborated by two other witnesses. Several witnesses were called for the defence, but his Worship held the charge proved, and inflicted a fine of 20s, and 11s costs, George Twist, a boy, was charged with having beaten a horse on the head in Lorne-street, on the 21st ult. Mr George Wood, ex-inspector of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, proved the offence, and the defendant was fined 2s 6d and 7s costs. James Hogan was fined 30a and 7s costs for having worked a mare in an unfit state on the 22nd ult. The prosecution of the two last cases was conducted by Mr Kirk, honorary counsel for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Wednesday, Septsmbee 2. (Before Mr H. S. Wardell, R.M.) DRUNKENNESS. Francis Ellison, an incorrigible drunkard, was fined 10s, in default, 48 hours’ imprisonment, for the above offence. LARCENY. William John Simmonds, who is at present serving a sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment for being illegally on premises, was charged, on remand, with having stolen an overcoat valued at £3 10s, the property of J. Gilkinson, of Invercargill. On the application of Inspector Goodall a further remand was granted till Wednesday next. ALLEGED BREACH OF THE PUBLIC WORKS ACT. Constance Nicholls was charged with committing a breach of the Public Works Act by obstructing the working of the railway at the Upper Hutt, on the 18 th instant, by placing a child on the railway line. She pleaded not guilty, and was defended by Mr Shaw. William Page, Inspector of the Permanent Way on the Wellington and Manawatu line, deposed that on the evening of the date mentioned, just before the 7.55 train had started for Wellington, he saw the defendant, who had a child, in her arms, follow her husband, who was walking down the line towards Wellington. After proceeding to a spot about 50 yards in front of the engine she dropped the child on the line. He could not say whether the act -was accidental or otherwise. Seeing the position of the child he stopped the train, which had just started. Two other witnesses corroborated this evidence. His Worship said he failed to see that there had been any attempt to obstruct the working of the railway, and he would therefore dismiss the information. LARCENY AS A BAILEE. James Alexander Gordon was charged on remand that, being bailee of a spring cart, the property of William Leevers, on the 17th of June last, he did feloniously convert the same to hi 3 own use. Mr Shaw appeared for the defence. After hearing the evidence of several witnesses for the prosecution, his Worship committed the prisoner to take his trial at the next criminal sittings of the Supreme Court. BREACH OF THE FISHERIES ACT. The same prisoner then pleaded guilty to a charge of selling a number of kahawai to one Maurice Roche, at Paikakariki, under the weight allowed by the law, and was fined 20s and 7s costs. ASSAULT CASE. George Paisley was charged on a summons with assaulting George Edwards on the 27th August last. Mr Shaw prosecuted. The case was proved by several witnesses. His Worship inflicted a penalty of 40s and 11s costs.