RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Thames Star, Volume III, Issue 1666, 2 May 1874, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

THIS BA^)' ~< - ' (Before H. C. Lawlob and J» KiiOPU*, 3TEALIKG MINING TIHBBfi. James Jlobmsbn wai brought'up oi remand from ye^tter'day; cha^ed^ witl ihaving stolen.(two pieces "<if wootifron. the South, (Devon claim, the property of. John Noble' and others, of the value of 2s Defendant pleaded pot guilty. '■-'* Mr Dodd appeared for the defendant. • 'Mr Bull&n, ,for rthe prosecutioa, said , that Mr Iv oble had come to him and had that (he sleepers of the tram-j way had been continually stolen. Noble had loaded the tram way rto ..prevent th| sleepers being stolen, but his had beW unavailing. ,\ v ''' I John Noble, sworn^'said^l occupy 4 , :- piece!of mining :grpund;Cialledtht' South Devon.: iluKoldr^Eiirimeß^ right. The • ground .is held: I under: licensed (Liceas6 produced.) Forithe/purpdse: 'Of working. the claim we ihaw a tramway on it. ,1 am; managing' shareholder. 11;- < w 'c^otiief quenco of having lost so niaji^ 1 sle^em; I. marked ''ifom'eT The *:-rile'c(per: l<|irdiiuc'bd was marked by me in three placesl A witness was present when I marked itj. After I had marked it I fixed it down on. the tramway. The other sleeper pro- i duced iwas already laid do^n. , I saw both pf theih in J»6sition|last Saturday mornt ing. I went to Auckland that night, and • came'back on' Wednesday, and on Thur^-' day morning went to the mine, when I found the two sleepers produced missing. The accused lives about 200 feet frpm the tramway., The accused lpes higher up the hill'than the tramw^, The ground is rough and! steep. k T^fdund the two sleepers on Eobinson's firewood heap. ,}E gave information to the police. No ■one but mys'dlf "could giveypernjissioiif to remove the pieces of woodr 'It is^n'otthe value of the wood 1 seek for but to pre-. vent stealing our wood. 1 -■> : -Tor Mr. Dddd4rTThe»ye/is no road ma^e by the defendant's house that I am aware.' of. I know Dothing of Robertson. When Itfound the. sjeepers I went for the police,-. ~ James Hardman, sworn—l rememb^ri Eobinson mark a sleeper. I describe the mark. I then saw. him lay the sleeper at the pbin'i:6r* Me irxails K:on fcthe tramway. Last Saturday morning it was therje. The Lilly claim is on the other side of the hill. I know where Robinson lives. ] •■■ Mr. Bullen produced a.;litUeboy, son of the accused nbt! sofhighYa^s one of the sleepers "stolen, to "convince the Ben^h ..that it was impossible for him as was alleged to have carried the stick of tim< '■ her stolen. In: Sergeant Elh'ptt said he had visited the premises of tae s accused, and had found the timber produced with six or sevon other similar pieces. I then charged him with; stealing the two .pieces, file said that whatever wood was there the boy had brought. the bdyfwasnt.i^Hei said, at; school". \ Mr.!D6ddßaid there had been mo concealmen^ on iihei iparfeof.'the accused, ajad asked that the. boy be questioned by their Worships..:;: a00>..-;-:dA Ju *.ys-u :■:, | ..-| !- The;boy in answertdutheße&ch, said that he took the : wood, and: dragged. (it home. He never told father that he hiid got them, i He went to schobl,. but did not know the Commandments. : I The Bench said that they had a doubt, in their minds ;as. .toi the accused havipg actually stolen the wood, but in dismissing, the case severely reprimanded the accused for the manner in which he was bringihgup his children. CHIMNEY ON FIBB. t ' ' Ho well Williams was charged with allowing the chimney of his house to take fire on the 28th 'ultimo.' •■ - ' Defendant pleaded guilty, • and wasr fined 10s and costs. ' , PRBMITTIN& i. NUIBANCB. Wm. DixonVas charged with neglect* ing to clean his premises in Kirkwoodstreet, Grahamstown, on the '28th Apri,l. Defendant pleaded guilty, and said the Inspector of Nuisances had told him that if he r would remove the nuisance he would, not sjimmon him. He had done so. Fined 10s and cosfs. „£ he .Court adjourned. . .>,