Magisterial.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 656, 30 June 1870, Page 2

Magisterial.

CHRISTCHURCH. This Day. (Before C. C. Bowen, Esq., R.M.) Drunkenness. — Robert Cook, in custody, admitted having beeu drunk and incapable yesterday, and being his flrst offence, he was discharged with a caution. — Morton Hayes was brought up, charged with having been drunk and riotous in the Warwick Hotel last night. Constable Thoreau and Mr Beattie, landlord of the hotel, proved the case, from which it appeared that prisoner had smashed a lot of crockery and glasses, and also done considerable damage to the cab in which he was conveyed to the lock-up. There was also a second charge against him of assaulting a man named Cook m the police cell. Sergt. Pratt proved that, shortly after prisoner waa locked up, he heard a row in the cell, and on going in, found Cook bleeding from the head. In reply t» questions, Cook, who had been arrested for being drunk and incapable, said that prisoner, without any provocation, had set upon him and si ruck him violently several times. The witness said prisoner, all the time he was in the lock-up, behaved in a most violent manner, whilst Cook was perfectly quiet. The prisoner made no attempt to defend his conduct, but pleaded for the leniency of the Court, promising to abstain from drink, and leave the province at once. His Worship said he could not accept such a promise, as prisoner had already been before the Court three times, and on each occasion the charge of drunkenness was accompanied by one of violence. He would be sentenced to one week's imprisonment, with hard labour. — Mary Ann Robinson, who only came out of gaol yesterday, was brought up in the custody of Constable Firman on a charge of having been drunk and disorderly at the Criterion Hotel last night. The case was proved, but his Worship said, having only just been liberated from imprisonment, be would be lenient with her, and discharge ber, but if again brought up, she would most positively receive a long sentence. As the Bench were given to understand that she was in the habit of visiting Lyttelton for the purpose of drinking, the Magistrates both at that place and at Kaiapoi would also be informed of the intention of the Bench in case of future offences. Deserters.— J. W. G. D. Yon and John Rottenbury; charged with having deserted from the ship Ceres, were remanded to Lyttelton for trial. - ...-. Careless Cab Drivers. — John Dalwood, a licensed cabman, was summoned for having absented himself from his vehicle whilst plying for hire, in a public thoroughfare. Constable Willis proved that the accused was in the Caversham Hotel for ten minutes, leaving his cab outside unattended. Constable Kennedy corroborated this evidence, and accused having no witnesses in defence, was fined 10s. — 'Mans Clark was charged with a similar offence. Co .stable Wilson proved it, by stating that accused reremained in the Criterion Hotel ten minutes, No defence was made, and a fine of 10s was accordingly imposed. — Robert Falloon and John McVicker Were summoned for similar offences committed at the Railway Station. Constable Kennedy proved the case, from which it appeared the accused bad left their vehicles to go into the refreshment room. No tangible defence being made, eaoh were fined the sum of 10s. Illegal .ale op Liquors. — John Wild, landlord of the Sawyers' Arms Hotel, Papanui, was summoned for having kept hisihouse open for the sale of liquors during prohibited hours, to wit, Sunday- the 12th inst. Jane Gallagher said she went tp the hotel on the day named, and obtained access by the' backdoor. Her husband and two men were in the kitchen. She did not see any drink or measures on the table. She did not know whether they had had any drink. She did uot make a statement to Sergeant McKnight (which was taken down in writing) to the effect that she saw the men drinking. Sergeant McKnight must have been mistaken. She had said something about drinking at her own house, but she did not know where the drink came from. She did not tell Sergeant McKnight that she saw drink on the table before the men in tbe hotel. She meant in her own house. She had not made any arrangement with accused since she laid the information as to what she was to say. Samuel Wilson said, on the Sundiy named, he went to the hotel to settle about the impounding of a horse. He saw Gallagher, Moore, and Abel Jay there. They had some drinks, but not in the bar. It was in a room off the kitchen. Mr Wild supplied the beer, but he did not sell it. There had been a settling over a dog case, brought against witness by the daughter of Gallagher, and when it was completed, accused gave them a glass of beer each. Witness did not think Mrs Gallagher saw any beer on the table. Abel Jay gave precisely similar evidence. The beer bad never been paid for, nor did they intend to pay for it. The beer was given to them. Accused, in defence, made a statement to the effect tbat the last witness often did work for him without making any charge, and he accordingly gave him beer in return for it. The Sunday named in the information was a case of thu kind. His Worship said the case was clearly a breach of the Ordinance, which provided that liquors should not he sold, or supplied, or suffered to be drunk upon the premisep,

within the hours prohibited therein. It was a common thing for persons to say in such _ cases as tho one before tbe Court that no " nioney bad passed, but this was perfectly well understood by the Bench. Accused would be fined £5. Calling Mrs Gallagher forward, he said the Bench were sorry to see that the whole of the family she belonged to disgraced themselves whenever they appeared in that Court; she herself had come to the police expressly to lay the information against Mr Wild, and yet, when put into the box, she deliberately denied what had been taken down at the time in writing^ Both herself, daughter, and husband had conducted themselves in a most disgracef nl manner. Unregistered Dogs. — Frederick Newnham, Richard Carr, and James Torrens, were each fined 20s for having unregistered dogs in their following. Assault. — William Parr, an old man, was charged with having violently assaulted John Fish, a middle-aged man, at the Mechanics' Hotel. It appeared from complainant's evidence that they -were drinking and chaffing together, when accused struck him several times. Accused, in defence, said complainant called him a limping old man, because he would not shout. Complainant admitted the language imputed to him, but denied amy reference to a shout. The case was dismissed.