THE COURTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 932, 10 January 1890, Page 24

THE COURTS.

J&EBJX-3NT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

At - Magistrate's Court yesterday week, before r fl. W. Robinson, R.M., a first offendc* for drunkenness, was convicted and dischu; i-d. Alfred Hansen and William Steven- two boys on remand, were charged with no- imittipa wilful damage to a shutter belonyi :i <■ to Job. Lind her?, in Cuba-street, on Nr- Fear’s Eve. The police withdrew this o•• e, and a fresh charge was then prefe;r ! against them of having behaved in an unlawful manner. His Worship con sidtred that the accused had been sufficient'*,’ punished, as they had been in ousted-, doting the holiday, and accordingly <2»>nharyed them.

At, ! ho Magistrate’s Court on Friday in ruing, before Mr H. W, Ri>h ; »:son, R.M., » fir.-fc i>(Tender charged with drunkenness was d :a't with in the uv.nl way. Charles West was charged with drunkenness, re*

sisting Constable Carroll in the execution of his duty, and damaging Constable Donovan’s uniform. The charge of inebriety was dismissed, but on the charge of resisting the constable West was fined 10s, in default 24 hours, and he was also fined ss, and ordered to pay 30s damages, in default three days, for damaging Constable Donovan’s uniform. Elizabeth Adams, who admitted a charge of drunkenness and disorderly conduct, was fined 10s, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment. On Saturday, before Mr Robinson, R.M., a first offender, charged with drunkenness, was discharged, and Christina Lawson was fined ss, and Timothy Hogan 10s, for a similar offence. James Evans, Alfred Evans, and Alfred Graham, charged with vagrancy, were acquitted, evidence being adduced to showthatthey had recently been in work at Foxton. Sarah Tindal, convicted of habitual drunkenness, was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment. A charge against John D. Lightbourne and Mary Miller of stealing £l3 from the person •ot Richard Davis on the 3rd of January, was adjoarned by tboCourttill Tuesday next, both the accused being admitted to bail in their own recognisance of £lO each, and one surety of £lO. An immediate summons case, Thomas Rigal-ford v. George Bevan, claim £23 15s sd, was also heard, the defendant (who, the plaintiff said, was about to quit the Colony) admitting the debt. Judgment was given for plaintiff, with £5 3s costs. At the request of Mr Haselden (for the plaintiff) a judgment summons was at once served, on the hearing of which the defendant was ordered to pay £3 15s 5d at once and the balance by insta'ments of 10s per week, beginning from the 31st instant. At ths Court on Monday, before Mr H. W. Robinson, R.M., a little boy named Joseph Gillespie, charged with being a neglected child, was remanded until next day, the police having reason to believe that the youngster has a brother at Pitone. A charge of vagrancy preferred against John Shand was dismissed, in order that the accused might be treated iu the hospital. Elizabeth Adams and Timothy Hogan were each fined 20s for drunkenness. A large number of civil cases were heard, and judgment went for plaintiffs, with goats, in the following cases ;—Judgment summonses—H. C. Williams v. J. CarlsoD, £3 133 2d, order for payment within a month, in default four days’ imprisonment; Veitoh and Allan v. W. Lanham £2 7s, order for payment of monthly instalments of 5l Ordinary summonses; D. A. Auld v. Wm.Petford, £3 3s, costs, 6a ; Pollock and Stiddolph v. J. J. Robinson, £2 13a 4d, costs 7s ; C. P. Skerrett v. G. Broadbent, £5 12s, costs £2 8s; Slewarc and Co. v. J. Acheson, £l6 4s, costs £1 Is ; Veitch and Allan v. A. McMil lan, £1 6s 6d, costs 6a ; same v. E. McArthur £1 17s 6d, costs 6s ; same v. J. Briggs, £1 15s Bd, costs 6s ; samev. Hugh Cuthbertson, £1 7s 4d, costs 8s ; James Seaton v. Robert Acheson, £4, costa 7s ; D. McLean v. Isaac Clark. £1 16s lOd, costs 10s ; Joseph Mandel v. T. J. Nlcholls, £35 9s lOd, costa £3 13s.

John D. Lightburne, charged on remand with larceny, appeared at ths Resident Magistrate’s Coarc on Tuesday, but as he appeared to be in doubtful state of health he was further remanded for a week. Mary Miller, charged with the same offence, was also remanded.

At the C urt on Tuesday, before Mr H. W. Robinson, R.M., and Mr R. S. Hawkins, J.P., a married woman's property order was granted to Mrs T. Leahy, with £1 per week maintenance and the custody of her two children. Henry Samuel Brandon, charged with the larceny as a bailee of a watch belonging to Hakaria Te Whena, was remanded to Otaki. The boy Joseph Gillespie, who was found wandering in the streets on Sunday, was committed to St Mary’s Industrial School. Two informations, charging John Williamson with failing to vaccinate his two children, were struck out, neither the Registrar nor the defendant appearing. On Wednesday, fines were inflicted as fol’ows for by-law offences : W. Halley, leaving a vehicle unattended, 5s and costs. : James Matthews, allowing horses to wander, 5s and costs ; Eneas Daly, same charge, fined 2s 6d and costs.

The adjourned civil cross-actions between G. Fannin, architect, and A. McDougall were argued at considerable length in the Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, be. fore Mr H. Yv. Robinson, B.M. Several witnesses were examined, and the case was further remanded sine die.

Wm. Spreut was charged on Wednesday, before Messrs N. Reid and C. T. RichardBon, Justices, with having, on the 2nd inst, cruelly treated a spaniel dog, the property of Jas. MoViokar. Damages were laid by the complainant (for whom Mr Kutchen appeared) at £2O. Mr Haselden was for the defence. The evidence called for the pro secution was to the effeob that the dog was in the defendant’s paddock, and the defendant, who was reaping at the time, chased the animal and struck it witli a reaping hook, cutting the leg so that the lower joint of it hung by the skin. Mr Spreat stated that the dog annoyed him a great deal by destroying his property, and on the day in question barked at him until he threw the reaping-hook at it. Their Worships con. sidered the case proved, and fined the defendant 40s for cruelty, 40s damages, and 45s costs.

At the Court on Wednesday, before Messrs N. Reid and C T. Richardson, Justices, n man named John Smith was charged with disobeying an order made by the Court for the support of bis three children. The defendant travelled from Sydney by the s.s. Hauroto. and when he stepped ashore on Tuesday he was recognised by Detective Campbell as John Smith, a contractor, who had been wanted for two years on the above charge. Smith waa booked for Lyttelton, and travelled on the steamer under the name of John Ellis. Shortly after being arrested he asked the detective to take his portmanteau and swag to tbo Pier Hotel ; but the officer thought from the weight of the portmanteau that it contained something heavier than clothing, and he removed it to the Police Station, where it was opened and found to contain amongst some clothing 21 silver watches and 8 silver chains. Most of the jewellery is new. The watches will., be retained by the police pending a satisfactory

explanation as to how they came into Smith’s possession. They will also correspond with the police at Sydney on the subject. The case against him for disobeying an order was remanded till next morning, in order that Mr Robinson might hear it. At the Court W ednesday, before Messrs N. Reid and C. T. Richardson, justices, Maria Harris was charged with using threatening language to Sarah Perrett. The Bench having heard the evidence, dismissed the case. Mary Ann White was fined 20a for drunkenness, and Thomas Temperiey, who was arrested at his own request for vagrancy, was remanded for three days. Johanna Goughian was fined 5s with costs, for assault, ing a little girl named Evelyn Drain by striking her on the face.