MAGISTERIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 6754, 8 February 1892, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

fIMARU— Monday, Fbb. Bxh. (Before O. A. Wray, Esq., 8.M.) DBUNKFiNESS. J. Leary, who bad been up last month, pleaded to be let off, as he wished lo go to work at this time. He was a man that worked very hard. " And drink very hard too, it appears,” said Bis Worship. “ Well Ido drink a good deal ” the defendant replied. Blued 5s or hours. A second named W. H. Clegg was similarly fined; and a third named Skelton was remanded fer a week for treatment, ho being very shaky from the horrors. DESTRUCTION OP PROPERTY. A batch of five boys, four small boys and one bigger one —big enough to know belter if he were guilty—were summoned on thr.e separate informations charging them with wilfully destroying property, by damaging a cottage in Latter street, the property of Mr Jonasbreaking windows, and tearing down a mantelpiece. The bouse, a lean-to, has been vacant a year or so. Mr Jonas stated that he found a cottage belonging to him in Latter street destroyed. Ho inqvrr-1 of the neighbours and as they did not know ho meationed the matter t) the police, thinking it hu duty as a cil'zea to lay the information in order to try and got tho destructive mischief slopped, line mantelpiece was pulled down, the window frames torn down, and the doors pulled out. Tho or’y witnesses available were a couple of veiy small boys, whose evidence was not very precise, and little information was obtained by making a defendant under one information a witness in another case. The bigger boy was charged with breaking windows by using a shanghai, but his father, who lives opposite, dr dared the windows were all broken long before the date alleged. The mother of another lad, who lives next door, stated she had been at some trouble to keep boys off tho section, they were a perfect nuisance to her, and sho sent her own boys to Wai-ili School to keep them out of the way of the others. His Worship said conduct of this kind, if properly brought before him, would be severely punished. In this case, however, the evidence was unsatisfactory. He had little doubt that the boys charged bad been there and up to mischief, but ic was impossible to say the actual amount of damage they had done, as no doubt much of it was done previously. Those began the mischief, wore, of course, the most to blame, as boys will be boys, aud when they see a house deserted and broken about it was only likely that they would continue the mischief. Under the circumstances ho could not do more in this case than severely caution the boys. His Worship then impressed upon tho lads that if it were dearly proved that they had committed such mischief, they would be punished and might be sent to prison. He also addressed the pr 'enti, pointing out that it was their duty to look after the children, and see that they do not destroy other people’s property. LUNACY. Michael White, labourer, Temuka, was ordered to be sent to Bunnyside, on the certificates of Drs Reid and Thomas. The man was arrested at Pareora on Saturday by Constable Crawford. He is thoroughly demented, giving rambling and ever varying accounts of himself.