MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Colonist, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8245, 11 May 1895, Page 2

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

i YESTERDAY 1 Before H: W. Robinson, Esq., S.M.,] Edward Price was fined Is without costs, 1 for allowing a horse to stray, the offenoe being admitted. This was a first offenoe. I Matthew Edward Portney was charged on i tummons with using obscene language on the i 4:h inst. in Bridge street to James Arnold. I Accused did not appear. James Arnold gave evidence to the effect : that on Saturday night last he was with I some oomp *nions in front of tbe Auckland . Olotbing Factory, when accused oame up , and used the language complained of, and 3 threatened to smash witness' brain? out and i dance upon him as Boon aa the six months : for which he was bound over to keep the i peace bad elapsed. Tbe language was of the worst description, and was uttered in a » loud tone, females passing by at the tima. i Witness was afraid of acouEed, who had a c down against him for giving evidence in a ) former case. 3 Jam- s Waterhouse, mho was in the com- . pany of Arnold, gave evidence of the language 3 used, and the threats made against Arnold, , threatening to do for him. 3 John Burton, who was in company with the former witnesses, g»ve his version of the affair. | None of tbe witnesses aooounts tallied as . to the language used, but their stories showed [ clearly that a large amount of flight ful lanj gusge bad been used while tbe town was at its liveliest, between eight and nine on Saturday evening, fhe last witness said that * women and children stopped to listen to the 9 language. 1 Bis Worship said that tbe complaint wss simply one for the language used, but he ' mast take into account the oirouuutanoes. 3 Sergeant-Major Pratt drew attention to a L previous conviction against acoused. 1 His Worship said that was for obscenity ' too. It was hard to say what to do with a. j man who appeared so reckless, except ts de--1 prive him of bis liberty. The sentence 1 would be two months with hard labor.