RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 867, 12 October 1888, Page 23

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

A charge was preferred agairist a young man named George Platnauer, at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday week, of having cruelly illtreated three fowls by pi joking them alive. The accused, who is a cook in the employ of A. Goslin, poulterer, of Willis-street, pleaded not guilty, and was defended by Mr Levi. Evidence was given byN. Davis, F. Mee, and H. Mee, lodgers at the Empire Hotel, to the effect that on the previous afternoon they had seen the accused take three fowls out of a coop and commence plucking them alive. They were certain the birds were alive as they were jumping about and screeching while the accused was plucking them. For the defence it was urged that the necks of the fowls were broken before the plucking began, and- that it was a common occurrence for fowls to jump about for several minutes after their necks had been dislocated. His Worship, however, considered the case proved, and the accused £2, or in default three days’ imprisonment.

Mr H. W. Robinson, R.M., presided at the sitting of the Resident Magistrate’s Court last Friday. Archibald Galbraith, charged with drunkenness, was fined 103, and 2s cab hire, or in default 24 hours’ im prisonment. A charge against A. P. Stuart,

of having neglected to abate a nuisance on his property ( was adjourned until the 19th iiistauii;

Several civil oases were dealt with by Mr H. W. Robinson at the sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court last Friday. In the case of Halley and Ewing v. D. Robertson, claim £64 16s 8d for goods supplied, which was partly heard on Tuesday, the plaintiff was nonsuited with coats, and permission was given to the defendant to withdraw the sum of £5, which he had paid into Court in settlement of the amount. Mr Skerrett appeered for the plaintiff, and Mr Edwards for the defendant. Judgment for plaintiff was given in the oase of D. D. Hyde v. H. Bodley, claim £B, with costs £2 ss. Mr Skerrett appeared for plaintiff, and Mr Izard for defendant.

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Saturday, before Mr Eb. Baker, Justioe, a first offender, for drunkenness, was dealt with in the usual way. For a similar offence, John Kelly, alias O’Shannessy, against whom there were no fewer than 23 previous convictions, was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment. Henry Richmond, alia o Joseph Garrett, alias William Carberry, also charged with drunkenness, was fined 10s or 48 hours’ imprisonment. On a oharge of having damaged Constable Doyle’s uniform, the same prisoner was fined 10s, and ordered to pay £2, the amount of the damage, or in default one month’s imprisonment. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Monday morning, before Mr Robinson, R.M., four first offenders were fined 5s each for drunkenness, and another was discharged, having been in durance vile sinoe Saturday. Arthur Foden, charged with failing to satisfy an order for the maintenance of his wife and childron, was remanded for 14 dayß, his Worship cautioning the defendant that he would certainly commit him to gaol if he came up again. Henry Jacobseu pleaded not guilty to a charge of wilfully damaging a bedstead, the property of Cecilia Jaoobsen, his wife. Mr Menteath applied for an adjournment of 14 days on behalf of the defendant, on the ground that an important witness was unable to attend. Mr Gray (for the prosecution) opposed this application, which, however, his Worship granted. In a judgment summons case, Book v Miller, claim £4, 14 days were allowed for payment. The man Charles Warren, arrested at Palmer.ton North on Saturday for fowl stealing, was brought bbfore the Marton Police Court on Monday and sentenced to 14 days' hard labour in the Wanganui Gaof.

George Collingwood, alias Patterson, was charged at the Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday before Mr Rohinson, R.M., with indecent exposure on the previous day. The evidence of Constable Reddell, who arrested the man, was to the effect that Collingwood was suffering from drink at the time and was very violent toward the constable. Collingwood pleaded guilty to the charge of indecency and resisting the constable. Mr Horace Baker was called, and stated that his firm got money out from England for the acoused, who was very well connected; and if the man could be put out of the reao’n of drink for a time he would probably do a great deal better for himself. His W orship sentenced the accused to three days’ hard labour on the charge of indecency, and fined him £3, in default seven days’ imprisonment, on the charge of resisting the constable. Henry J. Tidswell pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting George Hardham. As the assault waa only a trifling affair and the informant did not wish to press the charge, the accused was fined 10s.

Tuesday afternoon was occupied at the Resident Magistrate’s Court with the hearing of a case in which Mr A. Brown, of Johnsonville, sought to recover £7O from the Wellington-Manawatu Railway Company for damages alleged to have been caused to his property by a fire lit on the railway line. Mr Skerrett was for the plaintiff, and Mr Edwards for the defendant Company. After partially hearing the case, the matter was adjourned by the Court by consent till the 19th inst.

A number of civil cases were dealt with by Mr H. W. Robinson, on Wednesday. In the cases of H. Knowles v. Mrs E. Ritson, and H. Knowles v. George Lowering, in which the sums of 9a and 8s respectively were claimed as the value of a number of sacks, the plaintiff was nonsuited. A nonsuit was also granted in the case H. Crawford v. A. Goslin, in which the sum of £2O was claimed as damages for injuries caused through the plaintiff being bitten by the -defendant’s dog. Mr Skerrett appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Jellicoe for the defendant. Judgment for tho defendant waa given in the case J. A. Sorwall v. Charles Honchen, claim 18s 6d for glazing a window. In the case of J. A. Persson y. W. Meek, claim £5 ss, judgment for plaintiff was given for the sum of £1 15s 6d and costs, £1 4s. Judgment for plaintiff for £7 63 6d and costs, £3 17s, was given in the case of T. Wilkins v. Mary Williams, claim £l4 13s as commission for valuing furniture. Mr Gray appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Jelliooe for the defendant.

The presiding Justices at the Resident Magistrate’s Court Wednesday were Messrs E. B. Baker, A. Le Grand Campbell, aud T. Collins. Charles McCarthy, charged with having damaged a window in the Good Templars’ Hall in Adelaide-road, was fined 10s, and ordered to pay the costs of the damage, ss, and costs £1 3s, or in default 3 days' imprisonment. A charge against George Dean of having failed to keep in constant attendance on his express on the 24th September was dismissed, as also was a charge against Allan Cameron of having trespassed on Jacob Phelps’ land at Gollan’s Valley, the complainant failing to appear. An order was made against the complainant to pay costs, amounting to £1 11s.