RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 557, 30 September 1863, Page 5

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

JTuesday, September 29th. '"* (Before A Chethatn Strode, Esq., R.M.) Drunkenness.—Peter Brown was fined 20s and costs, for being tipsy and fighting; James Smith, James .Reynolds, William Thompson, John Brown, and Samuel Lees, 20s each, for being drunk, in default of payment to be imprisoned forty-eight hours. Jatnes Gerrand, for fighting, at the corner of Stafford and Princes-streets., was fined 10s and costs. Ejectment.—Peter Williams v. W. L. Martyr, an adjourned ejectment summons, was dismissed, there being no appearance. Nuisanos. —.John Fargie, Thomas Little, and Alexander Williamson. Nitnon stated that a drain had been made, by which the nuisance was abated; and the summonses were dismissed. Furious Riding .— Robert Dunlop and James Campbell, were charged wirh riding furiously in Stuart-street, on the 22nd inst. The Commissioner of Police said that he saw the defendants simply racing up Stuart-street. They passed him when opposite Mr Shand's house, where the road is narrow and the embankment steep. The horses were going 'as fast as they could. The Defendants said they did not conceive that they were riding furiously. The Magistrate said that this offence was being complained of on all hands, and he was determined to stop it. He should fine each of the defendants L 3 and costs. Assault.—Andrew Winter wad summonsd by Charles Goodwin for an assault, which was alleged to have been committed in the yard of the Carriers' Arms, on Tuesday last. Mr M'tfregor appeared for the defeudant, who, he said, was 15 miles out ot town with his master's dray when the summons was served. The complainant' said he received several severe blows on the face, without having given any provocation; and the defence; was that, in Victoria, the plaintiff went to the defendant's house and insulted a woman who was living there. The complainant denied that he had done anything of the sort. A fine of L 4 and costs was iniiicted; in default, ten days imprisonment, with hard labor. Neglecting a Horse and Vehicle. —David Nesbitt was charged with leaving his horse and buggy in Stafford-street, opposite the Union Hotel. Subinspecitor Sincock stated that his attention was called to the conduct of the defeudant, with his horse and buggy, during Saturday afternoon, but it was not until the evening that he saw them. There was no one in charge of them; and he had dr.ven them to the station some time before any one came to iuquire about them. The defendant said he had paid a man to look after the horse ; but the horse was so quiet that he would not run away if all the soldiers in Dunelin were drumming at hi^ears. He (the defendant) was the most careful man in the world .with homes; but he had been a target for every one in Dunedin to shoot at since his Worship put it in the papers that he was a nuisan.ee and a pest to society,—The Magistrate : I did not pu<; it in, Mr Jtfesbifct.—The Defendant: Well, it was put in, your Worship; and I never was so, either here or elsewhere. I have been a respectable member of society. The defendant was fined BOs and costs. George Matthews was fined 15s a-head and costs, for allowing three cows to stray; John Lloyd, for breaking in a horse in Princes-street, 20s and costs j W. Muirhead, for allowing two horses to stray in Great King-street, 7s €d a-head and costs; James Henry Pearce. for two caws, found in Cumberlandstreet, 15sa-head and costs; J. Houghton and Co, depasturing four horses in Castle-street, 2s a-head and costs; John Grant, for two cows straying in Albany-street, 15s a-head and costs, with a caution that as previous fines seemed to have had no effect, the next one would make these straying cows a very expensive matter. F. and G. F. Bullen were summoned for exhibjtting goods outside their shop door, abutting on th.c, footpath in Princes-street. The constable said &c could see the goods projecting when he stood close against the Grown Hotel, in ttaitray-street, and from the corner of High-street on the other side. The goads were fastened Ijo strings hanging across the dour way, and no one cquld. turn the corner sharply withouj. touching the gp,ods. The defendant said he believed that none of the goods were outside. The tail of a coat, perhaps, might be half an inch beyond the plumb-line. The Magistrate said it would certainly be better not to draw the line, so close. There would be a fine of 10s and costs. Patrick Heenan was charged with allowing a horse to stray in Great King-street. He pleaded that the horse somehow got out of the stable, and as a police officer said he knew that the defendant was careful about stabling his hordes, the case was dismissed'!" H?nry Hawker was fined 53 a head and costs for altowmgthree raws to stray; George Matthews; for depasturing two cows and calf in" Frederick-street, 10s a head and costs. • . . . . . ,j,

It appears from a trial lately made at Bourgesthat carrier pigeons can still compete in speed with railways, though cot with the electric telegraph. On one occasion lately 145 pigeons were liberated at Bourges to decide a wager. In less than nine hours these birds performed a distance of 150 leagues, or 375 miles—a speed which no French railway can equal. Bourges has been selected by the Belgian pigeon fanciers as the. point of departure for their birds on account of its central position, when tijey wish to ascertain their relative speed, v