MAGISTERIAL

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7267, 21 July 1893, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL

TIM ABU— Friday, July 21st. (Before 0. A. Wray Esq., E.M.) TRESPASSING AFTER GAME, Lewis Grant, in reply to a charge of trespassing on the Levels Estate in pursuit of native game on the Bth July, said he was shooting bares. Mr 0. T. H. Perry appeared for the inform* ant 0. N. Orbell, and asked His Worship to inflict a fine sufficient to deter others from following defendant's example. Defendant had been previously warned and let off. He was hunting over the paddocks with gun and dogs, disturbing the flocks ; the practice was growing and a good deal of damage was done to the sheep by it. In reply to the Bench, defendant said he did not think he was doing any harm j he only shot two hares. Fined 20s and costs 7s. LARCENY.

A lad named Joseph Davis was charged with stealing from a d welling a silver watch, valued at £9, the property of John Harper. J Harper, labourer, in charge of a farm for Mr Balfour, near Pleasant Point, stated that the accused came to the house on the sth and asked for a shakedown. The weather being bad let him stay till the 7th, when he went about 11 o’clock. After the boy had gone he missed the watch from under his pillow. No one bub prisoner had been near the house. Valued the watch at £9, as it was a good timekeeper—“it’s a good watch to HI 6* Hi<» Worship looked at the watch, and expressed doubt of its being worth so much ; a good timekeeper could often be got for 15s A 0. McKellar, a baker at the Hinds, gave evidence that accused sold the watch to him for £2 10s on the Bth. Asked him if he stole it, and be said no ; that he and some others on a station near Timaru clubbed together and got some watches cheap. Valued it at about £4 when new. Constable MoOormeok, stated that he arrested accused at Lyttelton on the 12th for stealing the watob, and bo admitted the charge and told where he sold it. Accused had nothing to say except to repeat what he had previously said several times, that he wished to have the watch valued. Commuted for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at Timaru, September 19th,