MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4082, 21 June 1900, Page 3

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20

(Before Messrs J. Young and C. T Browne, Js.P.)

Two boys, , aged. 14 and 10 respectively, wei'e charged with having stolen thirty shillings from ’ a Chinaman named Shang. Wah. . Sub-Inspector Mitchell said the older boy was employed by tho Chinaman to assist him m his shop, and during the absence of the owner and his wife the boy went upstairs and abstracted thirty shillings, the younger- boy meanwhile keeping guard.. The boy’s father, on becoming aware of the l misdemeanour of his son, immediately unade full restitution to Shang Wah, and thrashed the boy. The Bench held that both boys were equally culpable, and recommended the parent of the other lad to thrash her boy for his part in the offence. After delivering a sharp lecture to the culprits, the Bench dismissed the information.

Catherine Menzey was charged with stealing a coat, the property of H. Waters. She pleaded not guilty of theft, but admitted: having pawned the articles. The evidence of Waters and his wife was to the effect that the articles had been stolen from their house by the accused, and pledged! by her with a pawnbroker. It was mentioned by Sub-Inspector Mitchell that the woman was afflicted with dipsomania. Her husband had been killed on the wharf a few weeks back, and since then it had been found necessary to get an order of the Court to have the two children of-, the accused sent to industrial schools.. He thought toe Salvation Army authorities would tie willing to take the case in hand if it were brought under their notice, and he suggested to the Bench that the case might be remanded for a few days so that inquiries in that direction might be made. The Bench concurred with the suggestion. ' Alexander Band admitted that ,he had committed a breach of the Council by-laws ,by leaving timber an a road, and thereby causing an obstruction. He said ho thought the fact- that the street was a private one did away with the necessity for observing the by-law. A fine of 6s and costs 7s was imposed. Alexander Walker pleaded , guilty to a charge of drunkenness, and denied having used obscene language in Ghuznee street. The wife of accused (who was separated from him) gave evidence that he came to her house and made use of the objectionable language, inside and also in the street. A lodger in the ! house gave confirmatory evidence, Accused, who was very demon! strative, said he was the victim of a conspiracy to remove him from the light of liberty.' He had made a few forcible remarks in, the house, but he had not used bad language in the street. The Bench convicted and dismissed accused on the charge of drunkenness, and sentenced him to fourteen days’ imprisonment with hard’ labour on the charge of using obscene language. ; Two charges of allowing cattle to be at largo in the Borough of Onslow were preferred against Patrick Cavanagh by Robert Pringle, foreman of roaus for the borough. A similar case was heard against Thomas Ridgway. Cavanagh was fined 5s on each charge, with total costs amounting to £1 12s; Ridgway was mulcted in ss, with 14s costs."; ■

■ Two charges of riding bicycles at night without lamps were heard. A bov named’Albert Hutton was convicted and discharged • ’.Arthur H. Earnerton was fined ms- and costs *7s. ’> For driving al .vehicle' at (without a iljght,* - (^aHes;-Bailoye-irm^.fined, i -sg.- and costs 7s. A first offender was fined 5s for drunkenness.-