CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13959, 19 July 1907, Page 7

CITY POLICE COURT.

Thursdav, Jtw 16. (Betoro Mr C. C. Graham, S.M.) Drunkenness.—James O'Flahorty, an old age pot sinner, was fined ss, and 2s cab'.hire, or 21 hours' imprisonment.—'Two first offenders wore fined ss, and Qs cab hire, with the usual ftltorcativc. William Howell, convicted twice o( drunlioiuiess within the past six months, was fined 40s, or H days' imprison-ment.-—Arthur Owen Jones, a recent arrival from Hobart, was romanded until Monday lor medical examination, Assault on a Child.—"William Jamc3 Cunningham was charged with assaulting a little girl six years ol ago in Jubileo Park on July 16.—Chiof Detective Herbert svat«l that oho child .was on lior way homo, when accused, who was under tho influence of liquor met hor, and, after .asking heir the way to Momington, assaulted her, and tho ~lrl's cries attracted tho attention of 'several people. A eirteir who oarne up flouged the accused severely with bin whip. Tbo accusal struck the child.—Accused denied any'recollection of tho oourrence.—His Worellip imposed a sentence of tiirce montha' iniprisoninonl, with hard laliour.

Alltged Theli.—Uichaol Ironahan was charged with stealing a gold watch, gold chain, a muffler, and a pair of trousers, of the value of £), the property ol John Jl'Murray, a sailor on the Pohemu.—On tho application of Chiof Dotoctive Herbert act used was remanded for a week to allow of witnesses from tho bout being present, bail being fixed at ni'vnsod in .160 nurt two sureties of i s . ; s each. • ,•

By-law Cusos.—Edmund liobinson Smith, for allowing a chimney to take fire, was fined ss, and coals (7s). Stewart M'Oomb," for allowing two.head of entile to wajidor on u public road at Green ■ Island, wiis lined la mid Ta ,costs.

A. Kaikora-i Valley Dislnrbmice.—Don»ld Cameron, Christopher Keounn, Honry Cameron, and George Fftrqwlmrsoii, u batch ol young fellows, \yuro charged with committing a, fbrcaoh of tho pcaco in Kaikorai Valley on July 6.—Sergeant King stated that at 9 p.m. on tlio (kto of the information ono of tho defendants, George' Fnrqirharson, was in tho company of Alia.'} Millar, and when they were going past .tho Kblkorai trtun terpiinus sumo of tho other'defendants mado insulting rcxuarks against Farquharson and aiso againstMiss Miliar. Farquimnoh thereupon left tho company of Miss Millar, and, struck ono of ■Oamotous, a' general sciiftl© ensuing, during which Farquhataon was knocked down, bcoimngly in % dtised condition, and llio olhore, with the exception of Donald Cameron, who assisted Farquharson to liis -foot, ran away.—Mr Honloii appeared for Farquiiarson, and All' Downio' Stownrt for tho other tlircs accused.—Lily Millar, stated that on the dato of the occurrence, when she was .passing tho locality thrco of 'ho defendants eallcd out offensively to her. Farqulmrson therelitiou wont ovor to tho accused, asked why they acted in that niu.mei, and three of tho others tlion fought Farquharson, knocking him down on Ihi footpath.' Both horsolf- and Mr Farqunarson had beer, previously' annoyed in Uio samo way by tfy boys who assembled si lit locality.—John fievan and Oeorg*' Bowaian also gavo evidence, tho former stating thai tho boys were merely reciting ail inHiient that had oocurrcd in town the same evening, when, someone had called • out lussocky" tc a passerby, and the pnsserby turned back jnd wanted to fight those who cal.ed out to him. Farquharson evidently misunderstood their conduct, and thought l» was referred to, and ho cutue ovor to them and struck at Kcenan, whom he missed, and tho blow fell on Donald Cameron's nose. Cameron and J'arquharson then fought, and Henry Cameron endeavoured to separate iheii: -The witness Bowman nwtcd that lio only saw tlie occurrence for about a minute, ...d saw Farquharson knocked down. He was :ic/i n companion or associato with any of the boys.—Mr Hanlon submitted that tiioro was no case against.h» client, I'aiquharson, ■who wm » icißcctablo young wan, In act-

ing aa lio had dono ho hact probably committed a technical breach of the peace, but hail only dono as rao3t people would do under tho circumstances, Ho had not acted so aa to provoke & breach ot tho peace, as charged; tho conduct that provoked the breach that had occurred was tho oonduct of the olhcrs. and Farquharson deserved- commendation for taking such steps as would effectually disband Ibo group of youths who assembled at the locality.—His Worship said ho could not entirely overlook Parquharson'a action in committing a breach of the peace by taking tho law into his own hands. His duty v;a» to take c the namea of thosa vriia interfered v.itli him, but as he had acted under (jrcat provocation ho would bo ( fined 6d without costs.—Mr Stewart, for tho other accused, said it should 1 not bo iilferred t'lkt they were responsible for disturbances that had previously occurred, and urged that Furquharaon' had acted in error in supposing that tho other defendants referred to him.— liia Worship, aflet further evidenoe, said ho was satisfied that Miss Millar's version of whet had happened was correct, and the two Camcrons and Keenan wero fined 20s, and ordered to pay 31s costs between them,

Breaches of Prohibition Orders.—Patrick Lynoh, who was cliorgcd with procuring liquor during tho currency of a prohibition order against him, was convicted, and, as there was a previous conviction for a similar offenco within a year, a, fine or £5 was itu-, posed, in default two months' imprison- 1 ment,—Clara Williams, a- prohibited person, was chargcd with entering licensed premises— to wit, Branson's Hotel, St. Andrew street— during the currency of a prohibition order against her.—Part of tho defence in the cose was that the woman who was found on tha premises by a constable was not tho accused, and Mt Ilanlon, for defendant, .raised, the technical objection that it had not been proved that the hotel was licensed, and on this nonsuit point he claimed a dismissal.— His Worship remarked in regard to the latter point that aomo matters wore of such common knowledge that they did not require proof, but as the point had been raised for the first time in this class of charge, lie would reserve his decision.

Concealment .of Birth.—Nora Gunderson was charged that sho did, on July 11, dispose of tho body of a female child bo as to conceal tho fact of its birth.—Mr B. S. Irwin appeared for accused, a.nd Chief Detective Herbert conducted tho prosecution.—Dr Gordon Macdonald repeated the evidence he had. given at the inquest.—Stury Rowo, Annie Holland, find Chiuies Lilley (acting detective) gave evidence.—llr Irwin said accused pl<Hided Guilty, unci sho wtuj formally committed to the Supremo Court for sentence.—Mr Irwin suggested that as the Salvation Army had taken an interest in accused and as she could not obtain bail, it might be arranged that Bhe could be ordered to , R ' Homo until she came before the higher court, where he would ask that tho provisions of tho Probation Act be an. plied in her cose.—His Worship concurred, a ? waa kound over in her own bond of ioQ to appear for oentonco when called upon.