CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11943, 17 January 1901, Page 7

CITY POLICE COURT.

Wednesday, Januaiiy 16. (Before Messrs S. G. Smith and W. Wood, J.P.'s.) Window Breaking.—Mary Basan admitted having broken a window in premises situated in Gawno's right-of-way, and occupied by Stephen Douglas.—Mr Irwin appeared for the defendant, who was convictod and ordered to pay 4s, in addition to a sum of 10s which she had previously paid in liquidation of the damage.

Acts of Larrikinism at the North-East Valley.— Whiteside Burnett, Frimk Edward Freeman, and Albert Dormer were charged with wilfully breaking a. pane of glass in a window at the ttorth-East Valley, on the night of the 28th December. The pane of glass, which was the property of Thomas Griffin, was valued at Bs. —The only one to appear was Dormer, who pleaded guilty.—The Sub-inspector stated that about midnight these threo young men went to the house of a man named Webb, who resided in the North-East Valley. His first intimation of their presence in the house was to find two of them standing in his bedroom. He ordered them out, and as they demurred to going he took up the fire shovel, and forced them out of the place. They went out the back way, and in the porch of tho scullery the third. accused was. standing. The three went round and out on to the road, but entered the place again by the front gate, and broke ft pane of glass in one of the windows. Immediately afterwards a stone wa3 found among the bed clothes.—A letter was read from Freeman, stating that he was unable to leave bis work at Barewood, and denying any guilt in the matter.—Evidence was given by George Webb, Mrs Griffin, and Constable Lynch.—The police mentioned that previously Freeman had admitted being concerned in the visit to Webb's house, and ho and his companions were the associates of persons of the larrikin class.— The Bench considered that all were equally to blame, and regarded tho ofience as a serious one. It was necessary that such gross misconduct should be put down, and each accused would be fined 20s and costs (235), to be equally borne. > Tho Pea-rifle Again.—Two youths named Arthur James Foley and George Collie, both of whom pleaded guilty, wore charged with discharging firearms, without reasonable excuse, near to a public place—to, wit, the Waitati road—to tho danger of passers-by.—The facts as recited by Sub-inspector Kiely were that Mrs and Mjbs Crow were -walking along tho Waitati road, and the two defendants were in a paddock close by carrying rifles. A rabbit got up between them and tho road on which Mrs Crow and her daughter wero walking, and they both became very excited, and both fired at the rabbit, one of tho bullets striking 'Miss Crow in the body, and inflicting a very nasty wound, from which she had suffered considerably. The use of the pea-riflo had been in-. dulged in by boys to a, considerable extent of late, and some exemplary punishment should be dealt out to these youths, in order to put a stop to this kind of thing. When out with

rifles they becamo excited and reckless.—Mrs Crow in her evidence stated that the bullet had not so far been extracted.—The Bench severely cautioned defendants, and convittcu and ordered them to pay costs (19s each). A Downward Course.—Alma Pine was charged with having no visible lawful means of support.—Sub-inspector Kiely said that this was an unfortunate case. The defendant was not yet IB years of age, yet sho had early started on a bad career. At his suggestion tha Bench remanded the case for the stipendiary magistrate to deal with, with a view of getting tho girl into an industrial school or Bomo other institution. Unregistered Dog.—A charge against William Harley of having an unregistered dog in his possession was dismissed.