MAGISTERIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3355, 4 January 1884, Page 2

MAGISTERIAL.

TIMAEU—THIS DAY. (Before J. Beswick, Esq., R.M.) drunkenness. Two first offenders were fined 5s each for drunkenness. ABSENT FROM HIS SHIP, E. Rush, was charged, on remand, with being absent without leave from his vessel, the schooner “Welcome,” lying in the harbor. The Captain deposed that he yesterday morning several times requested accused to go aboard and he refused. Accused, in reply to the Bench, said he was willing to go aboard and resume duty forthwith. His Worship ordered him to do so, advising the Captain if there should be any further difficulty, to at one give the man into custody again. Accused would forfeit one day’s pay. LARCENY. J. Lewis was charged with stealing a swag the property of George Pearce, from Stone’s hotel. The swag contained a pair of blankets valued at 20s, a pair of boots valued at 15s, and some smaller articles. Accused, in reply to the Bench, said he knew nothing about it. G. Pearce, prosecutor, said he left the swag at Stone’s hotel the other day. He had never seen prisoner till yesterday, when he found him at the Club hotel in possession of the swag, and immediately gave him into custody. J. Salek, pawnbroker, identified accused as the man who brought the swag to him yesterday evening, and offered it for sale. He also identified the swag. He declined to purchase it, or take it in pledge. Constable Sheehan deposed to the arrest of accused at the Club Hotel. He had the swag in his possession, and was drunk when arrested at 9 o’clock last evening. Accused said he was a “ sailor-man from Port Chalmers,” and had come up here to go harvesting, and he didn’t know how the thing had happened. His Worship—lt is quite evident that you are a loafer. You go about stealing other men’s swags, and although you were drunk you evidently knew quite well what you were about, as you had sense enough to try to dispose of the articles in a pawnshop. You will go to gaol for a month, with hard labor.