RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4267, 23 November 1874, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before J. C. Crawford, Esq., R.M.) Saturday, November 21. drunkenness. Charles Thompson was fined 20s. and costs, and William Clarke received a sentence of fourteen days' imprisonment with hard labor. ILLEGALLY ON PREMISES. Mary Rotermund charged Louis Hanson with being illegally on premises occupied by her. His Worship dismissed the prisoner with a caution. LARCENY. - ■ ■ Xioretti Kylson was charged by John Wilson, master of The Douglas, with stealing a tin of white zinc lead, part of the ship's stores. One of the seamen belonging- to the ship, named Olsen, deposed that as he was going on board his vessel on Saturday night, the 14th instant, he saw the prisoner leaving her. He had something under his coat, which proved to be the pot of paint. The prisoner offered him half » sovereign to say nothing about the matter, which he accepted. He next saw the paint in Jackson and Graham's store, where ithad been placed by the night watchman on the wharf, who had found it at the corner of one of the bonded stores. Captain Wilson testified to the paint as being his. The prisoner, who is a foreigner, had great difficulty in making himself understood. He stated that the first witness had come to his house on the previous evening, and offered to sell him a pot of zinc lead for ten shillings. He accepted the offer, accompanied the witness to The Douglas, and received the paint, which ha placed on the wharf, leaving it for a while to go to a lamp, bo that he might see to pay the witness. When he came back the paint had gone. The next he heard of the matter was when he was arrested for theft. His Worship considered that, if his statement were correct, he had made his case worse than before, as he must have known that he was purchasing stolen goods. An ordinary seaman was not usually a vendor of paint, and he would inflict the full punishment allowable, namely, sir months imprisonment with hard labor. ASSAULTS. Two cross actions for assault were called on, but it was stated that the parties had amicably settled the matter. John Masters was charged by William Ashbridge, night watchman on the wharf, with assaulting hiin. The defendant conducted his case like a sea-lawyer, but nevertheless was fined ss. and costs. He had come off second" best in the scrimmage with the watchman, which was made evident by sundry scars and scrapes on his face.