CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6780, 7 November 1883, Page 4

CITY POLICE COURT.

Tuesday, November 0.

(Beforo E. H. Carew, Esq., R.M., nnd J. Logan, Esq., J.P.) Drunkenness.—Two persona were punbhed for this offence.

Unstamped and False Weights.—Hugh Crawford waß charged with unlawfully having in his possession one 41b avoirdupois weight which was unstamped.—Mr Solomon appeared for the defendant, who pleaded that the weight was stamped, but that the stamp had got defaced. —The Inspector of Weights and Measures gave it aa his opinion that the weight had not been stamped. It was almost impossible to erase a stamp made on brasß.—The Bench did not think that the evidence for the defence w s sufficient to show that the weight had been stamped, and inflicted a fine of. 10s and costs. The weight was ordered to be forfeited.—The same defendant was further charged with having in his possession a weight which was intended to represent a: Jib weight, but which was light to the extent of nearly three drachms ; also, with haying a weight made of lead, which was not encased with brass, copper, or iron.— Defendant pleaded guilty.—His Worship said the defendant appeared to have been exceedingly careless. He had not ascertained that the weight was light, although he had had it two years, and it was nearly three drachms light.—The defendant would be fined 10s. and coßta in each case. Hugh Lamont was charged with having a weight intended to re-, present a Jib in his possession that was nearly three drachms short.—Mr Solomon,, who appeared for the defendant, pleaded guilty, but called the defendant, who stated that the. Jib was rarely used in bis business, he being a butcher, and that the weight in question was an old weight that had been substituted for one that had been lost from the set,—The Inspector of Weights stated that the other weights of the set were correct.—His Worship said_ the defendant had shown negligence in having the weight in his possession, but, as the larger weights were correct, it was very unlikely the defendant intended to defraud. The defendant would be fined 5s and coats.

Neglected Childben. — Albert ~ Ernest Barnes (aged 6 years), Margaret Barnes (4 years and 10 months, David George Barnes (2 years and 6 months), and William Robert Wallace (5 months), were brought before the Court as neglected children.—Margaret Barrfes, the mothor of the children, deposed that sho was unable to support them: For two years she had supported three of them by washing and cleaning, and the other child was only five months old. The father of three of the children (her husband) was in "Victoria, and the father of the youngest child was in Dunedin, She could not now work, as her hands were tied by having four small children to look after, and work was scarce. The children had had scarlet fever and whooping cough, and she found that she was unable to pay her way. She had come over from Victoria 12 months last March, bringing three children with her.— Mr Carew remarked that it seemed hardly fair that the New Zealand Government should havo to support children that had been brought from Victoria.—lnspector Weldon: I do not know whether we reciprocate or not.—The Bench made an order committing the three elder children to'the Industrial School; and, in reply to the Bench, the mother said she wished the children to be brought up in the Presbyterian religion.

Maintenance.—William Wallace was summoned for failing to contribute towards the support of William Robert Wallace, the youngest of the four children named in the previous case.—The defendant admitted that he was tho father of the child, and was ordered to contributo Cs per week towards its maintenance.

Forgekt.—Robert Galbraith was charged with having, at Dunedin, on October 3, forged a cheque for £10.—Mr F. R. Chapman defended.—lt appeared from the evidence that the prisoner, while staying for a few days at Daly's Golden Age Hotel in Stafford street, drew a number of cheques, some of which he signed with the name of " M'Leod," saying that he had pension money in the bank, and that the cheques would be all right. Woods, a cabman, who had gone security for Galbraith's board, endorsed the cheque on the Colonial Bank for £10, which was returned marked " no account." The prosecutor swore that though Woods, the prisoner, and another man who was with them at the time, had been drinking in the house, .Galbraith was quite sober when he drew the cheques.—WilliamMaitland, of the Peacock Hotel, deposed that the accused had drawn up a cheque and presented it to him, but that he bad declined to cash itEvidence was given of the cheque having been presented to the bank and that it was dishonoured, and the Collector of Customs was called, and proved that the accused received an army pension under the name of Robert Galbraith.—Detective Strathern gave evidence that when arrested the accused gave his name as M'Leod, and denied that his name was Galbraith. Afterwards he admitted that his name was Galbraith, and said he blamed tbe drink for getting him into trouble.—Mr Chapman submitted tbat there was no case to send to a jury.—His Worship considered that on the evidence it was his duty to ask the defendant if he had anything to say in answer to the charge.—The defendant, in reply to the Bench, said that for two or three days-he was drinking with two men about the time the offence was alleged to havo been committed, but that he did not remember signing anything.—The defendant was then committed to take his trial at the next criminal sessions of tbe (Supreme Court, and bail was allowed to him in two sureties of £50 each, and his own recognisance for £100.

This concluded the business,