COURTS.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 182, 9 May 1872, Page 3

COURTS.

.POLICE COURT.— Yesterday. Before J. Skene. Esq., J.P., IT. GuMsmitn, Esq., J.P. anil E. IT, Power, Kv*, J.P. Drunkenness. —John Thackerbury was charged with being drunk, also with being an habitual drunkard.—-The accused said if the Bench would let him off this time be would join the Total Abstinence Society. He bad an excellent situation to go to at Mr Evans’s with 30s per week and board, and hoped the Magistrates would take this into consideration. He had met with an old shipmate the day before whom be bad not seen for 10 years, and been tempted to take a drop too much. —Mr Bullen said the prisoner bad been repeatedly convicted, and was never a week out of gaol after such conviction.— The Bench sentenced him to three months’ hard labor. Drunkenness and Assault. Three Maoris named respectively Rita Matahere, Namuka, and Apiha were charged with being drunk and disorderly on the Beach Road, Grahamstown, the previous day, and with assaulting Constable McCleary. —Mr J. C. Young acted as interpreter.— The defendants pleaded not guilty.—The constable stated that all the defendants were drunk and disorderly on the Beach Road about half-past 12 o’clock in the afternoon. He arrested one of them first, who kicked and struck him, and brought the two others to assist, who also struck and kicked him. Two bystanders interfered, and prisoners were eventually brought to the lock-up.— James Williams stated that lie saw constable McCleary the previous day endeavouring to take one of the Maoris into custody, and the others came to the rescue, and ill-used the Constable.—The defendants all denied the assault.—Air Bul.cn said these. 13 Maoris were going along Grahamstown in a very disorderly manner, having their arms locked, and pushing everybody off the footpath ; they were also using very bad language. When they got to the lock-up they were very violent, and he hoped the Bench

would adopt the course-taken on a former occasion when constables were assaulted in (he execution of their duty, of sending offenders to prison without the option of a line. The police were very small in numbers here, and it was necessary to protect them in the execution of their duty.—The defendants were each fined 20s, or 48 hours’ imprisonment for being drunk, and for tho second offence, which was a very serious one, for which Europeans would be sent to prison, and tho Bench could not make a distinction between Natives and Europeans, except that the sentence would be somewhat lighter, Pita and Namuka were sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment with hard labor, and Apiha, who appeared somewhat less culpable, to 7 days’ hard labor.

Larceny at the European Hotel.— Ellen Fitzgerald was charged with stealing, on the 7th inst., from the premises of Mr Chns. Manuel, European Hotel, Grahamstown, a piece of bacon, a bottle of pickles, and a tumbler glass, the whole the value of 6s. The woman said if tho Bench would let her go she would never offend again. She had several little children to support, and if the magistrates would let her go they would he doing an act of mercy, and she would pray tho Messing of God upon them for ever. If it had not been for the drop of drink tin's would not have happened, and if she was let off this time she would take tho pledge. —Mr Bullcii said tho woman had been five times convicted, and it really appeared as if she could not keep from stealing.—Tho Bench sentenced her to 4 months’ imprisonment. Wandering Pigs.— George Lewis was charged with allowing two pigs to wander at large in Grey-street, Shorthand, on the 22nd April last, and was fined Is and costs for each pig. Creating a Nuisance. George A. Douglas was charged with neglecting to keep cleafi his premises, in Wiiloughbystreet, whereby a nuisance was created.— It appeared that defendant, who did not appear, had been summoned in Hie wrong name, and the case was struck out. Provoking Language. —Mrs Simpson was charged with using insulting and provoking language towards Jane McMinamiu, at Waiokaraka, on the 4th inst., tending to create a breach oi the peace. When the case was called on, tho parties did not appear, and it was struck out.

Breach of Municipal Police Act.— George McCaul was charged with unlawfully excavating beneath the surface of the footway in Albert-street, on the 3rd inst.—Mr Tyler pleaded guilty for Mr McCaul, stating that the latter nad instructed his clerk to obtain pmv.iissiou Iron the local authorities to cut through the footpath for the purpose of bringing water to his premises, and being under the impression that this had been done, ho went to work. Under the circumstances lie (Mr Tyler) asked for a lenient penalty. —The Bench fined defendant in tho nominal penalty of Is and costs.