MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Southland Times, Issue 2916, 19 October 1877, Page 2

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before H. McCulloch, Esq., R.M.) Thuksday, October 18th, 1877.

James Molloy was charged on remand with haying obtained the sum of LI 19s and board and lodging to the value of 10a on the 11th of October mat. from one Julius Seehof by means of a certain false pretence, to wit a valueless cheque. The accused was uadefended. Julius Seehof, junr., deposed that at half-past six the accused called at his father's hotel, asked for a glass of beer, and tendered the cheque produced ia payment. It was for L 9 9a. Witneßß had not change to that amount, and accused asked for 5a or 6s. Witness then took the cheque and gave accused the odd 93. The signature v?as not very clear, and looked like ' Stewart ;' accused said it was Stewart. About a quarter of an hour afterwards, accused returned, and said he was going to buy a horse, and wanted Ll, which witness gave him. Accu&ed returned again in half an hour, and stayed all night, had tea and bed. In the morning witness took the cheque to the Bank of New Zealand, upon which it was drawn, but got nothing for it, nothing could be made of the signature. Next,' in company with his father, saw accused in Kelvin street at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Witness's father told accused that he could not get the money for the cheque, and accused said he had received it from a man for whom lie had been working a mile or so beyond the Galloway- Arms. Went with accused and another person sent by his father, and accused pointed out a man in a field ploughing, as the man from whom he had received the cheque. This turned out to be Mr Andrew Kinross, who denied all knowledge of the matter. Accused then left, saying that he would sue Kinross on the cheque. Accused stated, in Kinross' presence, that he had been working for him for six months; this was in the presence of Sergeant Tuohy. Andrew Kinross deposed to the effect that accused had called upon him as Btated by the last witness, that he had never seen accused before that time, and knew nathing of the cheque. Julius Seehof, senr., deposed, that on the morning of the 12th the accused asked for 10a, which was given to him, and that subsequently he ascertained that the cheque was valueless. In other respects he confirmed the evidence of his son. The accused said he had met a man named Kennedy, who owed him some money. Kennedy gave him the cheque in payment, and pointed to Mr Kinross, who was working in a paddock, and said that was Mr Stewart, from whom he (Kennedy) had got the cheque. Accused was to refund the balance between what Kennedy owed him and the amount of the cheque, the next time they met. In reply to the Bench, accused said he did not kaow where Kennedy was now. His Worship said it was the old tale. He should deal summarily with the case, he had no doubt of accused's guilt. He wondered at people parting with money upon such documents as the cheque produced ; they certainly deserved to lose for their carelessness. He sentenced the prisoner to three months' imprisonment with hard labor.