Magisterial

Star (Christchurch), Issue 626, 26 May 1870, Page 3

Magisterial

CHRISTCHURCH. This Dat. (Before C. C. Bowen, Esq., 8.M.) Larceny and Vagrancy. — Andrew Johnson, an able-bodied man, wp.s .brought up in custody, charged with having stolen a pair of boots, and leading a vagrant I'fe at Riccarton. Constable Wilson said from information received, he went to Shand's track yesterday, and avrested the prisoner m the house of a men nrmed Hardy.. Witness charged him with having stolen a pair of bcots from a man at Piccnton. He wes wearing the boots at the time, and in reply to the caution, se { .d he had purchased them from Mrs Deans for 80s. The boots producsd are .the pair referred to, John Sprat, coachman to Mr Glaesford, Riccarton, said he knew the prisoner. On Sunday morning last he had a pair of boot* in the hayloft, but missed them on the Tuesday. The boots produced were the same. He had not authorised the prisoner to take them. Prisoner had been loafing about Biccsrton, and had been twice turnc.l away from Mr Glassford'a premises. On Sunday lest he was at the hayloft, and had to be ordered away. Witness had never known him do any work in the neighbourhood. Detective Feast said since prisoner came out of gaol, there had bosn continuous complaints about him from Riccarton. He did no work, but loafed about, hiding under hedges and in back premises, thereby frightening the residents of the district. Whilst in gaol the prisoner did not do the regular work, but merely loitsred about the yard.. The gaoler considered him lazy, stupid, and not quite right in his mind. In defence, prisoner said he worked whenever he could get any to dp, and could bring witnesses to prove it, as also that the boots were his own. His Worship said he believed prisoner to be more lazy than insane, and would adjourn the case until Saturday, in order that his relatives residing on Shand's track. might be communicated with. Cattle Trespass.— Charles Thomas, for one calf at large on the East town belt, was fined ss. Rivat. 'Bus Drivers. — Robert Failoon and William Simmonds, licensed 'bus drivers, were summoned for having conducted themselves so as to induce a breach of the peace at the Railway Station. From the evidence of Constable Conway, it appeared that, about five o'clcsk on the 16th instant, they drove up to the Station, and an argument ensued between them, which resulted in the interchange of offensive and violent epithets to each other. One of the railway officials was called, and said that he was the first to observe the quarrel . between the accused, and that he then called the attention of the constable to it. Witnew believed the offence originated from a quarrel between the boy conductors of the two vehicles. Falloon's boy was crying in the 'bes when witness saw him. In defence, both the accused denied having used the most offensive of the epithets attributed to them, and FpHoon pleaded that thea"eged disturbance arose from continuous f T -usage of his boy by Simmonds' boy. Simmonds denied tb ; .s. His Worabip said be hoped ■ that another generation of cabmen was not spiinging up to qurrrel in the same ratio as the present lot. They were always having some dispute or mother, md he would fine the present accused 10s each. I An Unuob>Bed Driver. — WHl'.am Dunn was charged with having employed an unHpensed person to act as driver of one of his hackney cabs. Constable Conway proved the offence, and the accused did not deny it, but pleaded that, being a mail contractor, and the uau.l mail conveyance being too small to carry the mail, he gent his boy to fetch it from the railway with the cab. The boy did not ply for hire, and it would not have paid accused to hire a trap to do her Majesty's work, when he had one of his own fitted for it. Constable Conway said the boy took a passenger up at the •tation, but accused saidjie received no pay-

ment for it. The boy was called in support of accused's statements. He swore that lie did not charge the passenger anything, but admitted that Is 6d was given to him. His Worship, without consideration, imposed a fine of 10s. I Breaches op the Sheep Ordinance.— jThe case against Joseph Palmer, for landing sheep at Lyttslton without previously obtain ing a certificate from the Chief Inspector of jSheep was discharged, there being no further evidence in prosecution, and accused submitting correspondence and telegrams which showed that the. sheep were not his property until landed in the town. — William Goodwin, Halswel 1 , wns summenei for having neglected to supply the Chief Inspector of sheep, with a return of sheep in his possession. Accused admitted the offence, and Mr Boulton stating that he had no desire to press the charge, his Worship imposed the nominal gttuplty of 10s. SfPisoRDERLY House. — Elizabeth D >rby, an raKrifender, was charged with keeping a houfb in Lyttslton street, Christchuroh, for the congregation of reputed thieves, and persons having no visible means of support. The case was fully proved ; but Mr Slater, who appeared for the accused, gave a guarantee that she vacate the house at onr.e, and the case wsTbHsjpißsed, but with a strong caution. Unregistered Doo3, — The following fines were impoßed for this offence :— James Osborne, £1 ; George Holmes, £1 ; John Patchett, £1 ; Thomas Dawson, £1 ; Charles Frazer, £1 ; John Bell, £1 ; William Elmer, £1.