Resident Magistrate's Court.

Southland Times, Issue 5089, 19 November 1884, Page 2

Resident Magistrate's Court.

— --*- ■ ■- Tuesday, 18th November. (Before H. MoCulloch, Esq., R.M.) CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. Stephen Kovs was charged with having ill-treated a. certain horse on the Bth November.— Mr Wade appeared for the accused, and objected that the information was not sufficiently specific, inasmuch as it did not disclose how, where, and when the alleged ill treatment had taken place. — The information wus amended so as to read that the accused "did beat a horse in his charge with the butt end of a whip." — George Bailey, chemist, deposed that oq the afternoon of the day- in question he saw a man driving a mare and dray over the Market Reserve . The ground was very rough, and ihe mare had some difficulty in travelling over it. The driver was beating | her severely and jerking the reins violently. I After getting into Clyde street the driver continued to j^rk the reins, and to generally ill-use the mare. At th« Puoi Creek bridge he got out of the cart, held the mare by the mniith, and struck her over the head with the handle of the whip. The animal was perfectly blameless, so far as witness saw, not having jihbed or in way merited the ili-treatment. The man \va3 sober. — Thomas Robb deposed that on the evening of ii.»- Btb l»e caw the accused nfftt the Pui-.i Creek holding (be mare by the head and striking her repeatedly over the face with the butt end of his whip. ■ Donald Morrison also gave evidence as td the ill-treatment.— Mr Wade stated the case for the defence. A boat had been taken down to Puni Creek in accused's dray by ona Pomoroy, and accused afterwards arrived at the spot to take away the horse and cart. He got into the cart and spoke tp the mare us usual to get her to Btart, but she did not move. He laid the whip lightly over her quarters, and she immediately kicked out. He applied tho whip, tugged at the reine, and by every means in bin power endeavored to control her. At last he got bf-rout of the Market Reserve, but when in C-yde street ho noticrd that the winkers were too far apart, aud that the mare could see him and the curt behind her. He got down to alter the l:end gear, when the mare so misbehaved as to prevent him doing so. He then stru'k her over the neck with the thong doubled, succeeded iv getting the winkers righted, got in the cart, drove away, anc there was nothing more about it. Ho had to saw her mouth in the way described by Mr Bailey to prevent her from The accused, and Isabella Bice, Ljuisa Pomeroy and Jas. Porneroy were culled for the defence. — His Worship considered tho case proved, and fined the accused LI, with costs, LI sd. LUNACY. William Wilson, arrested at Macaara, was charged wilh being of unsnund mind, and remanded for Ihe production of. evidence.